Re: [digitalradio] Re: Digital OPS: QRP Battery Portable

[Tony]

Andy,

Nice laptop - wish I had one of those! The mini Acer runs ok with DM780 
and Multipsk, but the eyes do get a tired of looking at the tiny fonts. 
The battery lasts a long time though so that's a plus.


Speaking of batteries, I can usually get 2 hours of air time out of the 
FT-897D and it's twin 4500 mAh batteries. The setup works well, but I'm 
sure there are cheaper / better ways to get the most bang for the buck.


The PY1AHD Alexloop continues to amaze me; working Europeans QRP with a 
hand-held loop that's only 3 feet in diameter is something only a ham 
would appreciate. It turned out to be a pretty good multi-band 
alternative to portable dipoles and verticals.


I recorded a short video of the first CW DX contacts with the loop back 
in August 2009. It was right before a contest so the big guns were out 
in force.


See -- http://www21.zippyshare.com/v/83698345/file.html

I'll record some digital mode videos this weekend; the weather is 
supposed to be nice so I should get some backyard portable air time.


Tony -K2MO








On 4/30/2010 5:35 AM, obrienaj wrote:



Interesting Tony. I just got my ham software installed on my company 
laptop (takes the IT folks a while). I have Multipsk, Fldigi, 
HRD/DM780, Microkeyer device router, SpectraVue and SDR-Radio Console 
all working nicely . It's a fairly big laptop rather than a 
mini-netbook, 17 inch screen (wide screen too) . So, I really do need 
to do as you suggest, get a station that can use the laptop for QRP 
operations via battery rather than AC or generator power. I need to 
get a rig to do this though, will have to start looking around for 
bargains.


By the way, the Centrino Duo 1.8 CPU, in the laptop handles Multipsk 
in SDR Direct mode with RS ID, handles the demand well just 20% CPU use.


Andy K3UK

--- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com 
, Tony  wrote:

>

[digitalradio] Re: Digital OPS: QRP Battery Portable

[obrienaj]

Interesting Tony.  I just got my ham software installed on my company laptop 
(takes the IT folks a while).  I have Multipsk, Fldigi, HRD/DM780, Microkeyer 
device router, SpectraVue and SDR-Radio Console all working nicely .  It's a 
fairly big laptop rather than a mini-netbook, 17 inch screen (wide screen too) 
.  So, I really do need to do as you suggest, get a station that can use the 
laptop for QRP operations via  battery rather than AC or generator power.  I 
need to get a rig to do this though, will have to start looking around for 
bargains.  

By the way, the Centrino Duo 1.8 CPU, in the laptop handles Multipsk in SDR 
Direct mode with RS ID, handles the demand well just 20% CPU use.  


Andy K3UK


--- In digitalradio@yahoogroups.com, Tony  wrote:
>
> All,
> 
> My son was kind enough to lend me his mini laptop today so I could run 
> digital from the backyard with my portable station. I normally use my 
> battery powered FT- 897D for portable work (CW / QRP), but this time it 
> was going to be digital.
> 
> I expected a little RF hash coming from the PC after I hooked up the 
> Rigblaster plug-n-play, but the Acer mini was very quiet. My portable HF 
> antenna is a 3 foot diameter magnetic loop made by PY1AHD; it's 
> lightweight and easy to tune from 7 to 30 Mhz (see attached).
> 
> I had my first QSO with CO2NO on 20 meters and managed to work a 
> QRP-to-QRP/P contact with AF2M in Orlando Flordia running Olivia 8 250 
> mode. As 20 meters started to fade, I QSY'd to 30 meters and worked 
> KB9MUT on PSK31 with his plus 20db signal.
> 
> It dawned on me after pulling the plug that portable contesting might be 
> something that would interest the group. A two hour monthly Sprint for 
> example, where both portable and non-portables can participate. Higher 
> points would be rewarded to those running portable as an incentive to 
> get out there and brave the elements; non-portables who seek out 
> portables would be awarded higher points as well.
> 
> Sort of a mini digital mode Field Day sprint each month that lasts a 
> couple of hours. Just an idea.
> 
> Tony -K2MO
>