Tag Archives: Paul Evans

POTA book on sale at R&L today only!

Many thanks to Paul Evans (W4/VP9KF) who notes that the POTA book is on sale at R&L today for $16.95!

Click here to check it out at R&L.

Update: Alex brings up a good point. If you’re not picking this up in store, then the estimated shipping costs will bring the price up to more than the same book costs at Amazon.com (affiliate link). To really take advantage of this deal, you need to be local to R&L.

Click here to learn more about the ARRL POTA Book.

Paul’s CW Club Lookup for Logging Applications

Many thanks to Paul Evans (W4/VP9KF) who writes:

If you’re using a logging program and you need instant look-up of who is in what CW Club, you can use the following page, which I look after:

CW Club Call History files: http://www.g4bki.com/club_call_history.htm

These files are kept up-to-date on a daily basis. You’ll see that this currently lists memberships of 117 different clubs, including the vast majority of QRP clubs, a surprisingly high number.

Thank you for sharing this resource, Paul!

Rare Find: Used Mission RGO One for sale

Many thanks to Paul (VP9KF) who shares a link to a very rare find on the used market: a Mission RGO One. Not only is it a rare find, but it’s an extraordinary radio and is being sold by Larry (N0SA) a regular here on QRPer, and a very trustworthy fellow. 

If I didn’t already have a Mission RGO One, I would snap this up in a heartbeat. Here’s the add from QRZ.com:

I have decided to sell my RGO-ONE transceiver.

It is in like new condition and works as new. This one has the internal ATU and adjustable narrow filter installed.

I just don’t use it that much so I decided to sell it. Too many radios.

It will come in the original box with manual, mic and power cord. If you are not familiar with this radio just do a quick google search. I bought it used and I believe it is from production run number two.

Asking $860 shipped in conusa.
I take PayPal
Contact me at; [email protected]
Larry
n0sa

If you’re not familiar with the RGO One, check out my full review on the SWLing Post. I’ve also taken it on numerous field outings–here are some reports.

It’s a superb radio and is only produced in small batches. Very few owners sell them and the price Larry is asking is quite fair!

Thanks again for the tip, Paul!

Ofcom’s guide to the new EMF licence condition

Many thanks to Paul (VP9KF) who notes that Ofcom have recently published their amateur radio user’s guide to the new EMF licence condition.

Click here to download as a PDF.

I’ve read through this and must admit that as someone who typically operates at QRP power levels, I would have less worries than those pushing the legal limits in densely-populated neighborhoods.

New UK RF Exposure regulations effective today

Many thanks to Paul (VP9KF) who shares:

The new RF Exposure regulations for the UK (only) have been brought into force on time, today 2021-05-18. Compliance dates for the new regs vary from service to service. For the full details try going to my RF Exposure Help page (UK version):

http://hintlink.com/power_density_help_uk.htm

which contains links to Ofcom and the RSGB, the timeline and how to install LibreOffice in order to run the spreadsheets provided by Ofcom and the RSGB.

The spreadsheets are currently at v0.1.2. When they expect to be at full release (v1.0) is unknown.

Remember, the new regs apply to all installations which exceed 10 W EIRP, including mobile/portable. Other help pages exist for the USA (FCC) and EU (a sub-set of the 27 States) which follow the new FCC regs [already in place] and the speculation that the EU regs will change from existing ICNIRP 1998 to ICNIRP 2020 guidelines.

Paul, VP9KF

Thank you for sharing this, Paul!

Paul’s updated RF Exposure Calculator

Many thanks to Paul Evans (VP9KF), who writes:

Yes, after a couple of years of regulators trying to bring their new rules into effect, the new RF Exposure Calculator is available at:

http://hintlink.com/power_density.htm

v2.0 denotes that the new rules to be introduce on 2021-05-03 are included.

There are a number of follow-on documents yet to follow from FCC,ARRL, Ofcom and RSGB in order to fully correct the documents which have covered amateur radio ‘exemptions’ in the past. There are now no exemptions except for 0 dBm (1 mW) or less for ANY service under the FCC (not just the amateur radio service). The new rules both sides of the Atlantic are different but cover all RF emitters. The only not fully finalised are the wireless high power, low frequency chargers intended for electric vehicles (a daft, inefficient way to charge them).

If you have questions, use the Help page indicated (‘CHANGES’). This is still untidy because it has grown into coverage of USA, UK and EU regulations, including some that are not technically in effect until 2021-05-18 in the UK by Ofcom. EU transition, when you see how it’s already done, is a mess.

Multiple sources are not included. There are differing views on this subject, some of which may yet be amended and have certainly been over-complicated by the regulators.

The biggest thing to note is that in the USA and the UK practically all radio amateurs must now do an assessment of their RF Exposure levels with virtually NO exemptions. The UK rules are more onerous in some ways, with everything over 10 W requiring examination and with portable and mobile stations needing (somehow) to justify their results. Imagine being on a public hilltop with your transceiver for HF or 10 GHz?

Both sets of rules include exposure limits for technically trained professionals and for members of the ‘public’; with 6 minute and 30 minute power averaging. They assume that members of a ham’s household are ‘trained’. If somebody else wanders over your property, they are not.

The massive FCC document (169 pages) makes for hard reading and either contradicts itself in some places or leaves some questions un-answered. However, it is a ‘final’ document and not a draft and comes into force on 2021-05-03. If you have an existing station you can wait 2 years to comply by calculation. If you have a new station or you change anything, you need to comply by calculation after 2021-05-03. Put up a new dipole on 80 m? You’ll need to comply.

Move house? You’ll need to comply. Go out on Field Day? You’ll need to comply. How it gets policed by the FCC is anybody’s guess. In the UK, Ofcom can monitor your signals undercover and knock on your door and ask you to produce your calculations from 2021-05-18 onwards (no two year grace period!).

Enjoy your new 5G maniac induced RF Exposure regulations, even when a huge distance away in the RF spectrum.

BGMicro offers 35% off all orders

Many thanks to Paul Evans (W4/VP9KF) who writes:

BGMicro, those of the low, low, parts prices and friendly telephone manner, have their best ever sale (you can tell I like them).

Enter code FRIDAY and they’ll take 35% off the whole order. The prices of everything are already crazily low compared to all the normal sources.

Building something? It just got even cheaper 🙂 Shipping is flat rate Priority USPS (and they really will stuff as much as they can into the flat rate box). I can hardly contain my excitement.

Thanks for the tip, Paul!

Click here to browse the BGMicro catalog online.

RigExpert rebates through January 15, 2021

Many thanks to Paul Evans (W4/VP9KF) who writes with the following tip:

The following instant rebates will be valid for purchases made between November 15, 2020, and January 15, 2021: (direct or dealers)

Model Instant Rebate
RE AA-230 ZOOM 25.00 USD
RE AA-600 25.00 USD
RE AA-1000 50.00 USD
RE AA-1400 60.00 USD

Got it sent to me by e-mail…

Thanks, Paul! A good time to buy if one’s been eyeing one of these RigExpert products.

Click here to check out RigExpert’s website.

Icom IC-705 delivery delayed

Please note this is a cross-post from our sister site, the SWLing Post.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Evans, who writes:

As you’d expect, Icom has formally delayed the delivery schedule of the IC-705.

Here’s the announcement from Icom Japan: https://www.icom.co.jp/news/4720/

The following is a machine translation of the announcement:

“Thank you very much for your patronage of ICOM products.

We have received reservations from a large number of customers about the IC-705, a 10W walkie-talkie with HF~430MHz all-mode, which was scheduled to be released in late March 2020. Some of the parts involved in the production of the product are delayed due to the new coronavirus issue, and production has been delayed due to this.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused to all of you who are looking forward to our products.

As for the delivery of the product, because it is a situation in which the arrival schedule of the part does not stand now, I will guide it separately as soon as it turns out.

We will take a while to deliver it, but we will do our best to deliver it as soon as possible, so please understand us.”

Thanks for sharing this, Paul. No doubt, delays are due to the affects of Covid-19 on both manufacturing in Japan and throughout the IC-705 supply chain.

For updates, bookmark the tag IC-705.

TK0C 2019 Contest Video

Many thanks to Paul (W4/VP9KF), who shares the following:

Having almost become a TK resident, this is one of the best ever contest
videos ever:

I recognise their QTH and so wish I’d been there!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing this, Paul! An amazing amount of effort was certainly put into this contest and no doubt it paid off!