Welcome to the pages of

DL6BL 
 
 
 My Shack:
 

ICOM IC-7000, digital rotator-display, 2m PA 200W, VSWR-meter for HF and VHF/UHF

Test and repair area

 Different RF Measuring Equipment  R&S SMDA, ATTEN FC-2700, R&S RF-Millivoltmeter URV5, R&S SMS2, TEKTRONIX 492, PHILIPS 3320 DSS

Google Earth with embedded Positions of 2m/70cm Relays. Helps finding Distance and Direction to Relay. (Overlay provided by DARC)

After clicking on Relay detailed Information is displayed

 
 For checking/comparing Antennas and Equipment I use the Relay DB0ZU. It sits on a Mountain called "Zugspitze", at an Altitude of about 3000m.
 The Distance from my QTH to DB0ZU is 130Km. Typical Rx-Signal is S9+20 @ 2m and S9 @ 70cm. (With the Groundplane Antenna)
 At 2m DB0ZU also provides a Beacon Signal at given Times. With this declining signal it is possible to verify S-Meter Calibration.
 More Information about DB0ZU you can find here: http://www.db0zu.org/
 
Equipment that I use:

Digital Rotor Position Display, ICOM IC-7000 with Voice/Data Switch and add-on Fan, VSWR/Power Meters for SW and VHF/UHF, 2m PA with add-on Fan,

Audio Recorder for AF-recording and the Rotor-Controller for the 2m YAGI Antenna (in Front)

The two Stereo Channels are split up now. The right Level Meter shows the Receive Audio from IC-7000. It is also calibrated to directly indicate FM in KHz. The left Level Meter shows Modulation Signal from the Sound Card. The Modulation can be adjusted by using the Knob “OUTPUT LEVEL”. When using a Headset the Microphone-Gain can be adjusted by using the Knob “MIC LEVEL”

My new Hand-Held: YAESU FT-60 (2m and 70cm FM)

My old Portabel Radio: Alinco DJ-560E (2m and 70cm FM)

My LPDA: homebrew 32 Element directional Antenna for 2m/70cm  mounted on Rotator

Instructions

Latest add-on to my LPDA: An axial rotator in order to change polarization from vertical to horizontal (FM/SSB)

View from the left: The mounting block, the motor with reduction gear,and the square bolt for attachment of the beam

View from front left: You can see the pulleys and the front bearing (only partially visible)

Rear view: You can see the axis and the rear bearing with the flag attached , the optical switches and the control electronics.

Actual Configuration

Axial rotator installed with LPDA mounted to it.

Preamplifier with HF-Vox for receiving signals from LPDA antenna. Range 25Mhz...2000Mhz Gain>20dB

Antenna switch for selecting LPDA/Ground plane and control box for polarization and preamp

On the right switchbox for selecting different SW-antennas from 160m….6m

 Schematic of LPDA control circuit

The LPDA together with preamp in use during UHF-Contest on October 3./4. 2009

Works very well!

My Ground plane: homebrew omnidirectional Antenna for 2m/70cm (with four Radials)

Improvement of AF-Signal by use of LPDA

AF-Spectrum of 2m-Beacon DB0JT at 144,428MHz with ICOM IC-7000 on Ground plane Antenna

You can see theAF-Amplitude and the Noise Level (-20dB/-45dB; 25dB Signal/Noise Ratio)

For Comparison the same Station with IC-7000 on LPDA Antenna

You can clearly see the higher AF-Amplitude and the lower Noise Level (-15dB/-55dB; 40dB Signal/Noise Ratio)

Mobile Radio Test-Set in Trunk of my Car shown at an Exhibition

Test Transmitter Rhode & Schwarz SMDA, Frequency Counter Atten F-2700 FC (0....2700MHZ), Spectrum Analyzer Tektronix 492 (100 KHz…21GHz)

The Station is supplied from on-board 230VAC Distribution via 12VDC->230V/50Hz Converter. (up to 300Watts permanent Power)

 R&S RF-Millivoltmeter URV5 (200µV-10V @ up to 2GHz)

Homemade Control Software for URV5, written with Visual Basic

R&S Test Signal Generator SMS2 Frequency Range 0.1…1040 MHz

Homemade Control software for SMS2, written with Visual Basic

Typical Screenshot from Philips PM3320 DSO

Channel A= 433,920 MHz Carrier with AM Channel B= AF after demodulation

My Spectrum Analyzer: Tektronix 492 (100 KHz…21GHz)

Samples

2m Signal not Modulated

2m Signal SSB Modulation

2m Signal FM Modulation

Scan of FM-Radio Band

Scan of  "D-Netz" German Mobile Phone

Amateur Radio Satellites

A Satellite-Tracking Program is required to know when and where a specific satellite is in range of reach.

Ideally in combination with a remote controlled antenna for tracking a satellite while passing over.

The program controls azimuth and elevation via an interface directly.

ECHOLINK

The program ECHOLINK is used to connect to other OM'S or relais stations via the internet.

It's important to always use the most recent version of the software for a successful link.

Enabling the required UDP-ports in your firewall and in the router is essential for establishing correct communication as well

Download of ECHOLINK program only for licensed radio amateurs: http://www.echolink.org

Current stations in the area

http://www.echolink.org/links.jsp

Last Update: 01/03/2016