Winter Build Project

The following message was received tonight via undisclosed methods:

CBLA Field Agent Radio

This communique will serve as Official Notice that the Color-Burst Liberation Army has adopted the KD1JV MAS-80 CW transceiver for use by our Field Agents.  In the spirit of those who've gone before us, the CB/MAS-3579 is the solid-state equivalent of the vaunted PARASET field radio used by Allied agents in Europe during WWII.  Like the PARASET, the MAS uses a crystal-controlled transmitter and a regenerative receiver.  Just like the agents who operated the PARASET, CBLA Field Agents will be required to assemble their own radios.

Construction details can be found here:

<http://kd1jv.qrpradio.com/MAS/MAS.htm>

			http://kd1jv.qrpradio.com/MAS/MAS.htm A Rig for the MAS Contest by KD1JV Actual size is 3.5" wide and 2.5" deep. The M.A.S., (Minimal Art Session) is a contest started by Dr. Harmut "Hal&...
			View on kd1jv.qrpradio.com	Preview by Yahoo

The CB/MAS-3579 is powered by 13.8 Volts and transmitter output power is 2 Watts however simple modifications can raise that to 3 Watts.

Carry on,

Generalisimo Stephen Smith
CBLA #1
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End Transmittal

Seeing as how the glowbug I'm currently using is a tad off frequency, I believe this would be a great second attempt. Beats trying to refreq my rockmite! I'm mostly sure I've got enough parts to get by...
If not, I'll find a TV set somewhere and apply some "Victory Against Ignorance".
Other thing to do this winter:

Get a better Antenna up for 80m!

Craziest idea I've pondered to do this: a vertical loop for 80m where the bottom is 10' off the ground.
I've got the speakerwire, do I have the real estate?

Follow Up to OPERATION REBEL ROCK

OK,
so the band was pretty well non-productive at 21-2200UTC yesterday. Noise floor way too high, and I couldn't hear anything over the whole CW section.
I tried calling CQ a few times, no spots.
I checked out the RBN for North American to North American Spots on 80m CW, and what was getting spotted seemed to be close in single hop (maybe) type contacts. Exactly what you'd expect when the Solar Conditions have the A index at 13, and the K is 4. RADIO BLACKOUT.
It was frustrating.
I did call CQ CBLA, and I did call CQ AWA, just don't think the propagation was there.
Maybe next time.
Fortunately, over night the conditions cleared up, and things could be shaping up for an interesting late evening on 3579. I can't guarantee I'll QRV, but now would be a good time:


The map above is from www.weather.gov, and seems to indicate that everything is moving off to the east, and the next system isn't off the west coast yet. I should be set for some contacts in the midwest, possibly the North East, if there's no snow/rain static.
Weather is supposed to cool down here. That's down to 50 tonight, and low 40s the rest of the week.
We shall see!
In the mean time, I have a regen to complete and a powesupply to ponder.
Hope somebody out there gets QRV tonight on 3579KC.

CQ CBLA: OPERATION REBEL ROCK

****FLASH TRAFFIC****
Our brothers in the AWA are undertaking a noble effort right now in the realm of retro-innovation.
They are currently using homebrew amateur radio gear patterned after homebrew circuits of the 1920s and 1930s in their "2014 Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party and W2ICE Special Event Station"
Link is here:
http://www.antiquewireless.org/awa-on-the-air.html

We're not worth any points for these guys, but I'm calling on all CBLA members to attempt contacts with these stations during the last two hours of the contest. Several CBLA members are participating and have expressed their willingness to QSY to 3579 KC for this event.
Our mission parameters:
1. Contact 1 (or more) AWA 1929 QSO Party stations on 3579.
2. Submit a log mentioning the CBLA.
3. QSO with other CBLA stations immediately after the QSO Party.

#003 out, happy hunting!


****END FLASH TRAFFIC****