9Q land is on standby

Sorry to all.!

For me, the Ham radio in 9Q land is on standby

XYL and me are so busy with our new activity

in

Cape Town South Africa

LE CHATEAU MARGAUX cc
Restaurant - Sofa lounge - Café Bar - Privates Functions

http://www.lechateaumargaux.blogspot.com/

CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE
COUPE DU REF (RESEAU DES EMETTEURS FRANCAIS)

----HUMOUR--------
1ere participation a ce concours SSB 2008, depuis La République Démocratique du Congo RDC
Call sign 9Q1EK.

(Voir participations antérieures avec le call F6EUQ/74 ici :
http://ve2ek.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html
Et ici :
http://ve2ek.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

--------------
Ou comment performer depuis l’Afrique en 9Q, loin des multi, sur bande basse, mauvaise propag, a la perpendiculaire aux "F" yagis, etc…

En 2008 partie SSB, 1 seul tube utilisé, et pas le bon outil adapté..

**** Résultat ****
Pas terrible !!! 30 ème au classement mondial sur 198.

Prévisions pour la partie CW et SSB en 2009..

Je vais tâcher (façon de parler !), de doubler le PA et changer la marque de tube.
Également, utiliser un autre outil peut être plus adapté…


La suite.... après les résultats….. Hic!

"La seule arme que je tolère, c'est le tire-bouchon."
CARMET Jean

Life is too short for QRP

75cl et « Nabuchodonosor » 15 l.

73's Georges 9Q1EK - VE2EK - ZS1II

432 Mhz Power amplifier, 8938

"On the way"....
Next project will be, the construction of a 3CX1500C7/8938, 432 Mhz Power amplifier, W3HMU design.

144 Mhz Power Amplifier - 8877

W6PO design

Robert I. Sutherland, W6PO “High performance 144-Mhz Power amplifier”
Reprint of Eimac Amateur Service Newsletter - W6SAI... AS-47 Aug 22, 1971
W5UN's webpage

1.5 KW output @ 144 MHz.

By 9Q1EK (VE2EK) - Nov 2008 )

La Version Francaise est disponible ICI

Made in Democratic Republic of Congo

The construction follow the design of Robert W6PO. (See above the description on W5UN link).
At the first time under push ON, and some tuning, it operated with no problem at all at about 1,2 Kw output, but in the worry to improve the output, the performances, the suppleness of the fine tuning, it was necessary to make some adjustments and some modifications.
Example:
1) The length of the resonant lines:
The lengths of the resonant lines are theoretical on the paper.
It is necessary to modify their lengths on their supports to the near mm.
2) The anode contact:
It has been made the first time according to the W6PO design, with ribbon brass.
After having used a block of brass, (110x110x5 mm) the thermal dissipation increased and the alignment
of the plate capacitors Input and Output was perfect.
3) The top of the anode lines and the capacitors of 100pF were too much hot. The original grid lid
cover on the top of the cavity was closed, only above the tube, so that the
air flow is directed on the right and left them of the cavity and cool the capacitors & lines while leaving.
4) I didn't have HV and filament feed through capacitors; I used a part of PTFE Teflon rod.
I used ceramic capacitors at this place. I have also modify the location of the 1000pf capacitor near the
HV connection in the cavity, (small influence on the line)

5) I also added a setting of the filament voltage. (Was 6v !!!!). Eimac® mentions that for the life of the tube, the voltage must be from 4,75 to 5,25 V max, It is often disregarded, but it’s important..).

See original manuscript of Richard L. Measures, AG6K for what became "The Nearly Perfect Amplifier" (January, 1994 QST)

6) The adjustment of the Input variable capacitor (front face) has to be made with an X6 reduction.
7) The adjustment of the Output capacitor (rear face) was not precise. To pull or to push the coaxial line with the hand is not sufficient. It was necessary to put a thin adjustment with 2 screws and 2 springs that made
good job on the N square connector. A screw for blocking is foreseen, once the optimum adjustment is OK.

8) a step start of 3s for the filament transformer was added to avoid the" inrush current ".

I could not add a silver to all parts of brass and copper of the cavity. But to the point of aesthetic view and oxidization, For sure, it will better. (Probably also the output?!)

All it takes a lot of time, but the result is worthwhile.

The controls protection of Grid, Plate, and HV are made according to a GM3SEK design (Control triode board).
I hesitated to use an other of control triode board from WD7S PRODUCTIONS that is also good. Interesting point is the DS-1BARGRAPH DISPLAY BOARD, excellent for who don’t have any meter.

We never know what it would be able to result on enormous damages, if a protection is not used. It is a Cheap insurance for the tube.

The switching with coaxial relays was replaced by a QSK vacuum relays box (Jennings RF65-12S).

The new scales of the instruments has been achieved with the "trial version of "Meter" by Tonne Software
I printed them with a laser printer color. The result is like "exit of factory". (The first tests with Photoshop were not so beautiful).
The present design of the front face is not very fabulous, I don't have here in 9Q land, a machine operating with X-Y and so large enough to print the 19 inches tracing plastic format in spite that is achieved already under AutoCad ™.

The HV supply is not described in this article, but… Careful with the securities, (step start, etc…..)
High voltage + HF radiations =

Thinking well two times before putting the fingers there and be sure that all capacities are empty.
The high voltage was reviewed (before was 3000v with No load and 2500v with 1,2kw) by the replacement of the power transformer, + QRO.
Now the HV voltage with NO load is: 3500v, and 3400V with 1850 w output. These tests have been made to check the conditions and the amplifier output with acceptable norms by Eimac®.

Therefore, I should not pass over 1500w tune in normal traffic. I don’t make some higher tests. I’m certain to pass over the 2Kw in CW tune mode, but it is not necessary, and enough for me.

For info: here is the datasheet of the 3CX1500A7/8877 from Eimac®.

* * I forgot…. About the tube conditioning, (being new), the filament voltage, with blower was applied without HV during 48h.
This amplifier was manufactured in 9Q/ Kinshasa on a barbecue (only workbench that I have, hi!!), during some of free week end. It was very long because, the lack of spare time, parts and adequate tools.

Now remain to build & install:
- The yagi antennas
References: Articles from DUBUS
DJ9BV: Yagi Antennas for 144MHz (1990)
DJ9BV Reiner Bertelsmeier, Technical report, DUBUS magazine 1/90
DJ9BV Reiner Bertelsmeier DUBUS Magazine 3/88, "gain and performances of 144 Mhz antennas".
DL5GBF Peter Gruchot, "2m EME antenna with open wire feed system".

- Rotors site and azimuth, (azimuth will be a YAESU G800 and the site will be a recuperation of satellite dish motor).
- The mast preamplifier (under construction with GaAsfet MGF1302)
- The switching. (Insulated plastic box with coaxial relay TOSHTU models: CZX3500 and vacuum relay Jennings RF65-12S)
- The sequencer: preamplifier, amplifier, TX, (under construction)
- The coaxial cable will be Andrew's LDF4-50. (Approx. 50m).
- A filter pass band is under construction. We never know!!!! Made with the Software ELSIE Filter design.

Other articles will follow about this…..
73 Georges 9Q1EK

Some more pictures- Click Here

The moon between the fingers. For now....!!!! next..... Fire with the antennas.. hi!

SOON ! new articles :

soon ! new articles :
- Time variable sequencer (to drive HF amplifier OM2500)
- Mods for HF amplifier OM POWER OM2500 HF
- QRO ANTENNA TUNER 5Kw continuous (Russian parts)
73

SM5DQC Osten

In memory of SM5DQC Osten, our friend and QSL manager,
For 9Q1EK and 9Q1TB

Silent key 2007 - September the 6th

_______

To everyone, Please, if you have any more pictures or articles for Osten SM5DQC, Pse, let me know to update this page.

Osten, you are not here to heard my CW pile up this night, but you are not too far from us.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Osten.
Thanks a million for his involvement in the Ham radio community.

Emails from SM5DQC three days before silent key.
He was busy with all antennas checking before the winter

"Osten B Magnusson"
03/09/2007 14:40

GA Georges!

Thanks for the log - it's already on www.logsearch.de
and uploaded to LoTW. I have also informed Bernie at
DailyDX that you will be on leave.

I wish you a pleasant vacation in France, I suppose
with the family.

73 de Osten SM5DQC sm5dqc@areeteadsl.se

"Osten B Magnusson"
03/09/2007 10:15

Hello Philippe and Georges!

> I have been busy here, all antennas are down in order to have
> them checked before the winter arrives - summer is gone here
> now. All QSL's received are answered same day (or in some
> cases the day after) I receive them. All QSO's have now also
> been uploaded to LoTW and as usual www.logsearch.de
> All the best to both of you, and now back to the garden and
> antenna-work again before it starts raining again - it's rainy
> and windy here almost every day!
>
> 73/DX from Sweden and your friend Osten SM5DQC
>
> sm5dqc@areteadsl.se

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Article from SM5DQC two month before silent key.

Posted 28/08/2007 09:43:26 AM
New Logs coming to LoTW soon!August 27th, 2007Update from Osten SM5DQC…I have been thinking (it happens…) and I am going to upload the 9Q1EK and 9Q1TB logs to LoTW. I will also continue to upload new logs I receive for those two stations as I receive the updates, which is usually about once a week. There is a reason for not uploading earlier: I have worked almost all the DX there is to work, and as my XYL for 40 years passed away in cancer October 28th 2002 I wanted to have something to keep me occupied.IF you don’t find your call in the LoTW, please e-mail me as it can very well be a “busted call” which often happens due to the QRN in Kinshasa. All the best to all of you and my apologies to those on LoTW who have already spent money for the cards - should you however want paper QSL’s I will of course continue with those.I have also uploaded the logs for my own calls ZK1EQL (2002) and CU2/SM7EQL (2005). Osten also reports that he has some paper logs for 8Q7CH and ZF2QL which are hard to read, and just MAYBE one day he will be able to upload them as well… No promises here though.73/DX de Osten SM5DQC[ source http://www.dx-is.com/news/ ]

--------------------------------------------------------
I was stunned this morning to find this… Osten and I had exchanged emails about Congo and his recently acquired spiderbeam mast.
From Phil 9Q1TB
This is received this morning from Phil, 9Q1TB (F5LTB)
Cher Maurice,
Its with a very great sadness I’ve to inform the Ham community of Osten, SM5DQC’s passing, on
The evening before, we were phoning us about his intention to check his antennas before winter as he did every year.For Georges (9Q1EK) and I, he was our so efficient QSL manager. We are awaiting some more information.

___________________________________
First 160m CW QSO with Osten.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Osten B Magnusson" sm5dqc@areteadsl.se
Hello Georges
thanks QSO on 160 meters! QSO March 2nd at
2140 UTC ….OK as all Europe was on
frequency... Later you were up to 579, but what a pile-up, and when you asked for
a specific station all others answered too!
73 de Osten SM5DQC sm5dqc@areeteadsl.se
-----------------------------------------------------------------
John SM5DJZ follow up on this Osten way and his our new QSL manager.

Tnx John

Ugly balun CDrom box

Ugly balun with CD rom box
All Band HF Air Core 1:1 Choke Balun

For my dipoles 80 and 40m, I use at 9Q1EK station some baluns since October 2006.
But unfortunately one day the ferrite didn't resist.
I have decided to construct a Choke balun according to the N4UJW method.

NOTE de AG6K: Some people build choke-baluns, without a plastic coil-form, by scramble-winding the coax into a coil and taping it together.The problem with scramble-winding is that the first and last turns of the coax may touch each other. This creates two complications. The distributed-capacitance of the balun is increased and the RF-lossy vinyl jacket of the coax is subjected to a high RF-voltage. The single-layer winding on the plastic coil-form construction method solves these problems since it divides the RF-voltage and capacitance evenly across each turn of the balun"....AG6K

Do not let the first and last coils touch!

Here an example in the pictures below using cable ties on PVC box forms which work well.

N4UJW recommande 18 to 21 feet or 5,48m to 6,40m for the coaxial lenght and must be coiled with contiguous ellipses.

This chock balun will be installed at the feet point of the antenna.
The parts to make this kind of chock balun being difficult has find in Kinshasa, I had the idea to use a original kind of support.
A box…empty for sure…., hi… of CDrom.
In the beginning I was septic when about the solidity and about the distortion of this box.
But, I tried ….and here is the result with:
A box of CDrom, two screws with nuts, small discs steel, S0239, large Scotch tape, amalgaming tape and without forgetting the CD blank that will be on the top of it box..
I arrive to ties 5,20m of RG213cable coaxial, therefore sufficient.
The “piton” fixing for the support is screwed in the central core of it box since the top.
don't forget to install a part of large black Scotch tape before coiling.

The pictures do without any comments…!!!

A tye wrip was added to strengthen the all through the “piton” and some holes to the basis for the humidity. For sure, it must be waterproof to the top and the cable.
The total box after construction seems to be solid.
I don't think that it can compete with PVC cases or suitable pipe, notably on longevity in the long time, but it can give a channel of ideas and in my side, is enough for my limited broadcasts duration in 9Q.

More, it resists with the legal power limits…

Good realization if you tempt it. 73 de Georges