First Contact

After relocating the Sirio Signal Keeper and Nagoya 770 in my loft today due to electrical interference I am pleased to announce I made my first contact today, it was just CH19 on the muppets but the chap I was chatting to also has a PMR setup with an X30 antenna so I was able to chat away getting good reports for both bands.
I have a Sattelite 2000 antenna to go up outside once the weather is a little better but I was a bit concerned as I hadn't managed to get hold of anyone but after tracking the problem of interference down to a couple of household appliances I decided to move the twigs I was using as far away as possible from the offending appliances and it seems to have done the trick.
He advised me of the frequencies the guys are using locally so I will be able to monitor those and make contact with some of the other people locally until I get the larger 11m base antenna up for a bit of Dx on SSB.
I am still going to have to deal with the interference from household appliances still and was thinking about ferrite rings on the power cords to do so and if anybody has any suggestions on reducing interference I would be more than happy to hear them!

Still, I am more than a little pleased to have made my first contact and I am sure it will be the first of many!

73's

Alan - Mirror Man

P.S. I redid the SWR on the Sirio and my very first adjustment gave me a 1:1 SWR reading for UK40, that has never happend to me before.(probably more luck than anything else)

Well done Alan, no looking back now enjoy the hobby and hope for a contact with you when conditions allow.
73s
Steve.

Congratulations Alan

Glad to hear you enjoying a radio contact and above all, sticking with it until you did!

We can all get a bit hung up with radio, setting up a station, listening, hearing nothing but static and getting a little dispondant with it all. We then tend to focus on the negatives maybe the radio isn't great, or the antenna, better coax might do the trick perhaps, or is it all that QRM stuff I keep hearing about.....
Some people give up there, others keep going.

QRM/RFI problems are akin to a long drive home on a quiet night.
You hear a weird 'buzzing' noise, you tilt your head trying to locate it, start touching the dash and console to figure out where the noise is coming from. You can't locate it and start to think maybe something is wrong with your vehicle. On a roundabout the noise changes, on left hand bends it's worse but doesn't seem as bad on rights...dammit, it must be a wheel bearing, but it's just had an MOT, maybe they missed it, is that part of an MOT you question. The noise seems much louder now, you start pondering your breakdown cover, the noise is definitely getting worse, are you even going to make it back home before your vehicle falls to bits. It's an itch you can't scratch, it's definitely louder, your paranoia is greater than it ever has been....Arrrgghh!! The noise!!!
With the greatest sense of relief ever, you've made it home....as the car idles the noise seems quieter but still buzzing...the morning sun streams through the windscreen...almost vampiric from the bright glare you instinctively pick up your sunglasses from centre console.....

Bugger.....the noise has stopped. Poxy sunglasses, who'd have thought?


By all means have a play with ferrites etc. you might improve things but don't get too worried if you don't.
You've already found improvements by moving your antenna, you'll see bigger improvements with an outdoor antenna, height is might, all that jazz

Above all, you made first contact, you're buzzing about it, you have someone on air that can hear you and you heard them. Awesome!
Carry on, call out instead of listening, tweak your station as you see fit, just enjoy it all


Well done again Alan!

(Apologies for 'drivelling', I get just as much as a buzz from others radio successes as I do my own....radio is flipping awesome)

73's
Victor

Well done Alan, the first of many I hope!!

Thanks ever so much guys and no apology is necessary Victor, I have a tendency to waffle on a bit myself at times, what a good analogy too!

It was only when I was up in the loft that it truly dawned on me I had placed the ariels really quite close to a pair of transformers I am using for a separate project they are creating a field of interference as after brushing up on causes of QRM with some handy YouTube videos I turned everything off and running my radio from a car battery I tracked down the source of the problem.  
I have three antennas up there just now; a discone for use with my SDR setup, the Nagoya and the Sirio, just moving them a few metres has improved things no end but I will still take the time to stop the interference as it is still quite high but I am clearly on the right track and after making a good local contact I have renewed vigour and enthusiasm to get everything right.

The chap I was speaking to, Scotty, couldn't have been more helpful, telling me about the local network of users, when they are on etc and I got the impression he was quite pleased to have another station back on the airwaves too!

If anybody out there is new or returning to the airwaves like myself and you have gone out and shelled out a few quid to set up and are struggling to make contact don't give up, stick with it and your patience will be rewarded as mine was, now I am just looking forward to getting the big twig up outside and hopefully connecting with some of you guys a bit further afield fingers crossed. (although I am quietly confident if honest)

Thanks again guys

73's

Alan

Nicely put Alan, a good encouragement to not only yourself, but others as well

73's to ya!

Thanks again guys, I think the bug has really bitten I have another multimode already haha

Hi Alan,

Looks like you are in my neck of the woods, or at least in Scotland

After a little advice from the guys on here, I've ordered a new 10m radio and a Sirio 2016 antenna.

Hoping to have it setup by this weekend, delivery and weather permitting of course.

Here's hoping I'll be able to give you a shout from the Fife area if you are up for it.

73s
Graeme.

Absolutely Graeme, you should be within shouting distance, I can see the bridges over the Forth from the top of the street.

I hope you managed to get the Sirio up already as it's come over very blustery indeed, if not I am sure you will soon enough.

Sorry about my delay in replying I didn't spot your post at first.

I look forward to hearing you on the airwaves!

73's

Alan

Hi Alan,

Tried shouting a few times for you on 27.555 USB, not sure if this is where you normally listen or if indeed on USB.

Regards

Graeme.

Well done, Alan. It will be the first of many for you.

It is Graeme but I had a dinner engagement last night but will monitor the frequency as it is the one I generally use.
Thank you, John,  I am chalking them up already I had forgotten the simple magic of radio and DXing.

Hi Alan,

Not a problem, tried a few times today on 27.555 USB but never heard you around. I did manage to chat with 14PAT213 Tony in France although it was a little short due to signal level.

Cheers

Graeme.

That is a cracking contact to have under your belt, Graeme, good to know you are getting out too!
I tried calling you around dinner time myself to no avail but now I am home for the next three days I will be on a fair bit and hope to catch you.

No worries Alan,

Typical that i'm working in Edinburgh over the next couple of days (Ships that pass in the night comes to mind - lol)

Should be working from home on Friday and may catch up then if not during the evening's beforehand at some point.

Regards

Graeme.

Glad you are making progress Alan, its great when you get your first contact! Onwards and upwards

Listening on 27.555 USB today, plenty of contacts coming across from France Germany etc.

I does seem though that the Muppets from the old days have also migrated and are baying like sheep??

Makes me wonder where they got the idea ???

Tried shouting a few times today Alan, not sure if you were on.

Regards

Graeme.

We will surely catch one another at some point Graeme, another CT station called back but 555 is really very busy indeed.
I can't say I have heard many Muppets at all, the occasional station playing computer noises or sirens but it has been few and far between.
Having lived a few miles from a young chap with a 1 Kw linear and a passion for sharing his favourite music on CH19 it is quiet by comparison!

Alan - Mirror Man wrote:

We will surely catch one another at some point Graeme, another CT station called back but 555 is really very busy indeed.
I can't say I have heard many Muppets at all, the occasional station playing computer noises or sirens but it has been few and far between.
Having lived a few miles from a young chap with a 1 Kw linear and a passion for sharing his favourite music on CH19 it is quiet by comparison!

I heard you today on 555, then down on something like 515, I had contact with UK108 (Penrith) but I don't think you could hear us, albeit you were hitting me 9+20 at times. Yep, heard the Air Raid siren too :p

Keep trying as one time I will be able to hear you and I am always pleased to hear from another CT station.
I was able to QSK a chat between to locals hundreds of miles away their signals were so strong I'd of thought they were local if it weren't for the accents.