15m is up in the UK at the moment

I know we have been approaching the doldrums on HF but over the last couple of days 15 metres has been open and I've heard lots of DX. South Africa is coming in strong and South America is good too. At the time of writing 11:45 UTC 9th August 2016 it has become lively.

There is hope for DX yet so get your ears on and listen or if operating digimodes get the computer on!

HF Doldrums

Very little HF working in the last few days. Daytime working has been limited to occasional contacts on 20 metres. Early morning I've had a few 40 metre contacts. SFI is currently 73 with a K index of 4.
This is what approaching a solar minimum is like :(

JT65 Salutations

I have been using JT modes for a number of years now and have got a typical logged QSO down to about 4 minutes. This is great for quickly changing conditions especially on 6 metres. I find the reply RRR to be superfluous and I therefore don't use it.

A typical QSO would go like this

1. CQ G8YPH IO83 (CQ call)
2. G8YPH G8RLR IO83 (QSO received by my station clock starts)
3. G8RLR G8YPH -01 (QSO initial report sent clock minute 1)
4. G8YPH G8RLR R-01 (QSO other station report sent minute 2)
5. G8RLR G8YPH RR73 (QSO report acknowledged and 73 sent minute 3)
6. G8YPH G8RLR 73 (QSO other station 73 sent minute 4)

So the logbook shows up 4 minutes elapsed time even though the initial CQ doesn't count in the logged QSO. So in theory you should be able to work 12 stations an hour (1 minute for the CQ and4 minutes for the logged QSO).

FT-450D Digimodes revisited

I'd had a few questions on how I connect the computer to the FT-450D when using digimodes (or even just controlling it with a program like Ham Radio Deluxe) and decided to do a block diagram of how I achieve this.
This diagram is a full picture of the station layout so you can see how everything hooks together. Feel free to use it for the basis for your own datamodes operation.
In case you are wondering why I have 2 ATUs, one is in the shack for tuning the Diamond 2000 when it is switched into circuit and the other is outside at the feed point of the 9:1 UNUN end fed antenna.

Physically I have two USB hubs in circuit. One of them has USB sockets arranged side by side and the other in a vertical column pattern. The USB deices that plug into them can't go into one hub as they foul each other. Either they are too wide or too thick to have them all in one hub. So having two enables full flexibility and physical room. The diagram only shows one hub for clarity.

Wouxun KG-UV950P Programming Issue

This is an old one and I wasn't aware that Wouxun had issued a fix for it. Essentially when channels are programmed from the keypad on the speaker mic or on the radio itself, accessing and scanning those channels is not a problem. However, when using the KG-UV950P Commander programming software provided by the manufacturer, the radio does not display all of the channels.

Symptoms

When attempting to program more than two channels into the rig using the Commander programming software, the radio seems to only acknowledge the first two channels programmed and will only display and scan those channels. All frequencies entered into the programming software can be stored to and retrieved from the radio, however only the first two frequencies will be displayed and accessible from the radio when it is in operation. For example try programming frequencies into a dozen or so channels using the programming software and write the file to the radio. The rig will only display and scan the first two channels programmed into it. All other channels are not displayed or accessible.

My Workaround

Was to use the keypad to program a bunch of channels copying them into vacant memory locations. It is time consuming and is a repetitive key pressing method but it worked. Then program using the old Commander software as usual. However that is all to change as seen from the solution below.

Cause

This issue occurs when the KG-UV950P Commander programming software is used on a computer with Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 installed. I'm led to believe that it does not occur when the software is installed on a computer with the now unsupported Windows XP.

Solution

The website BuyTwoWayRadios.com contacted Wouxun and worked with them to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Wouxun then sent a fix to BuyTwoWayRadios.com and they determined that it did resolve the issue. Wouxun then released a new version of the KG-UV950P Commander with this fix to Buy Two Way Radios for distribution. Although this fix is not on Wouxun's own website which I find very odd. Why not have the current software on their own site?

To update KG-UV950P Commander, follow these simple instructions:

1. Download KG-UV950 Commander R2.V1.02 from BuyTwoWayRadios.com here
2. Uninstall the old version of KG-UV950P Commander from your computer.
3. Reboot your computer.
4. Install KG-950P Commander R2.V1.02.

My results

The new Command R2.V1.02 (2.5K) does actually work using Windows 7 and Windows 10. I haven't tested Windows 8 but if you are still running that you need to upgrade to Windows 10 now anyway.

73 de Terry G8YPH

Wouxun KG-UV950P review - Part 8 - Squelch

After using the rig for a couple of years I am still frustrated by its squelch control. This, like most of the settings, is controlled by altering a programmable setting. To do it you press key 9 which has the SQL legend on it. Then you use the main rotary control or one of the number keys to set squelch between 0 and 9, then finally pressing the MENU button.
In practice I have found that the squelch breaks with a regular on/off on/off, almost like a load ticking noise, when there is a weak station in range. This becomes annoying after a while as it is just a noise you can do without.

To open the squelch completely you either have to set it at 0 or press the side button on the microphone.

I prefer continuously variable analog squelch controls and one of my ancient FM 1970s transceivers is eminently better than this rig. Most of the time I leave the Wouxun at squelch 9 as this seems to cause the less noise. Although you miss out on weak stations with this setting.

6 metres is up

Today is 26 May 2016. I keep an eye on propagation predictions and current conditions using various websites. One of them is HRDLOG.NET which has current conditions shown in graphical format. This is a small piece of code that can be pasted into your own website to display this if you like, indeed I have it on this blog. Details on the HRDLOG.net website on how to do this.

Look how high the 6m bar is

4 metres is open too but I don't yet have a rig for that band

I noticed 6 metres was showing a lot of activity so I tuned the rig over to it. Lo and behold there were a load of stations both distant and close so I changed the antenna to my 6m vertical.

QSO after QSO followed for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Suddenly out of the VHF doldrums comes decent working.