Locked Re: WSJT-X and 630 meters, a match made in heaven #FST4 #FST4W


Peter Hall, VK6HP
 

Mark,

Thanks for posting the information about your MF station.  I was particularly interested in the re-used Southern Avionics Company NDB components since a small group which I formed a couple of years ago has obtained access to a de-commissioned NDB here in VK6.  The station used two SAC transmitters, various changeover and monitoring equipment, an auto-coupler, and a 22 m live mast with a somewhat indeterminate (as yet) radial field.   We are replacing a good deal of the original electronics with homebrew and commercial ham gear but we'll keep the autocoupler.  Operations will be initially on 630 m using a Zachtek exciter and a very robust push-pull Class D PA; about 25 W transmitter output should give us the legal 5 W EIRP.  In due course we'll have full remote operation supporting (at least) WSJT-X digital modes on 630 and 2200 m.  It's taken a while to get the site access details sorted out but I'm hopeful the worst is now - almost - behind us.  There's a placeholder QRZ page under the callsign VK6MJM which, in a nod to history, preserves the ident of the NDB.

More immediately, my home 630 m station in Perth uses a Kenwood transceiver as a low-level exciter and receiver; a homebrew 300 W Class D PA; a homebrew coupler; and an umbrella-loaded T transmit antenna which looks suspiciously like a re-purposed ZS6BKW HF doublet.  There's a bit more detail on my QRZ page if you're interested.  From this corner of the world all the activity is JT-mode digital and I was pleased that the WSJT-X team responded so promptly to a request to allow optional disabling of very slow envelope edges in the FST4 and 4W modes, thereby helping users of simple non-linear PAs to try the new modes with existing gear.  It's encouraging to see people experimenting with the new modes with, for example, reports of JA FST4W-1800 signals received in VK7 the other day.

73, Peter (Vk6HP).

Join {main@WSJTX.groups.io to automatically receive all group messages.