HAM RADIO NOTOM (NoticeToOm)

 Yesterday, I participated in the Italian 40&80 contest for a couple of hours. It was an enjoyable experience, even though I could only dedicate limited time to it. The objective was to contact as many Italian provinces as possible on the 40m and 80m bands. Despite operating with low power (100W), I had no trouble breaking through the pileups. This success was largely thanks to my end-fed antenna configured for NVIS propagation. NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) is a technique that ensures reliable communications on low-frequency bands, typically between 2 and 10 MHz. By directing the radio wave vertically, it gets refracted back to the ground, covering an area of approximately 500 miles. Given the local nature of the contest, the antenna performed exceptionally well, allowing me to achieve excellent signal reports, even from stations up to 800 miles away.

Antennas: I have dismantled the 10-80 vertical antenna and the 20-meter dipole. I wanted to perform some tests while portable (/P). I only have the EFHW antenna at 16 ft AGL with a 49:1 UNUN. I also had to dismantle the 5-element Yagi for 50 MHz because the rotor stopped working. I need time to check my station, though. Cw:   I decided to dust off my keyer and go CW. I love CW. What you can do with Morse code cannot be achieved with voice unless you pump up the power. Of course, FT8 might be more efficient for some, but humans are by far the best decoders. Plus, it’s fun! "English on Air": Pre-orders are going great! The new book should be ready by late December. It’s a manual that helps operators communicate in English even if they’ve never studied it. The Standard and Premium versions will be ready to ship by the end of the month. The Gold edition with videos will be available in the first quarter of 2025. Attitude:   We sometimes have a bad attitude toward the present circ...

ENGLISH ON AIR   È con immenso piacere che annuncio l'imminente disponibilità della nuova versione del manuale   English on Air . Il manuale è pensato per chi desidera fare QSO in inglese, ma non conosce bene la lingua o non la conosce per nulla. English on Air  offre cenni grammaticali, frasi utili da utilizzare in radio con relative indicazioni di pronuncia, consigli per comunicare in modo più spontaneo, e linee guida su come gestire un QSO sia di base che più strutturato, trattando argomenti come condizioni meteo, stazione, antenna, e altro. Il manuale sarà inizialmente disponibile in due versioni: La versione  Standard  in formato PDF La versione  Premium  che include anche file audio MP3 con le pronunce In un secondo momento, verrà resa disponibile anche la versione  Gold , arricchita da video abbinati al manuale. English on Air  nasce come testo base per un corso di 8 ore, erogato in presenza o via Zoom, che insegna come operare in ingl...

WWFF and POTA operation  On 10/19/24, I activated two references, IFF and POTA. The outdoor operations had a dual purpose: to connect two references and to test the setup I would use in case of an emergency. The station consisted of a Kenwood 480 and a vertical antenna that is 8.5 meters tall, covering the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10-meter bands with three radials for each band. I used a 45 A/h car battery. I decided to operate on the 40 and 20-meter bands. In two hours, I connected 25 stations. The vertical antenna works great for long distances but is not so optimal for short distances. On 11/10/24, I will return to the same location with a dipole. Considerations:  antenna setup time. 9:50 minutes. The homemade pole holder plate for supporting the antenna works very well; it is very sturdy. The choice of rigid cables for the radials was not a wise decision because laying out the rigid wires took me another 10 minutes. The radio was ready for operations in 8 minutes, making a tota...

A new (old) ham radio blog   I have decided to bring back the NOTOM section after more than two years. The idea popped into my head while I was operating from the Amazon jungle with the callsign OA9DVK. NOTOM is my take on the well-known NOTAMs in aviation – it stands for Notice To OM and is just a collection of thoughts, ideas, and feelings to help you get to know more about who I am and what I do. I’m not running a power station – I am a ‘little pistol’ with a big passion for radio and DXing. I had the privilege of operating from Peru for eight years, lately with a Peruvian callsign. Being on the ‘other side of the pileup,’ with the whole world calling you, was amazing. It taught me a lot and helped me grow. Now, I make the most of the modest setup I have. The love of radio doesn’t depend on where you are; it comes from the heart. My heart still races every time I turn on the radio and tune in to a station. I hope this section doesn’t bore you. Wishing you all the best, good DX, ...