[VHFcontesting] Funcube Dongle
Les Rayburn
les at highnoonfilm.com
Mon Oct 17 12:25:57 PDT 2011
Very helpful feedback from several list members now on this receiver. It
seems like a fun toy, but my hobby budget is very limited, especially
with the economy the way it is. I really want an SDR that works on
VHF/UHF without the use of transverters, and feel certain that we'll see
that available soon.
Currently, I'm using a Flex Radio 1500 as the IF rig on 222, 902, and
1296 along with DEMI transverters. It's impressive, but the cabling and
software interfaces required can be tricky, especially if you want to
run WSJT modes.
An "in the box" VHF/UHF SDR would be wonderful. If it put out 5 to 10
watts per band, even better. Drive the amps directly, and much easier to
interface. Time will tell.
Back to work now!
73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
Les Rayburn, Director
High Noon Film
130 1st Avenue West
Alabaster, AL 35007-8536
(205) 621-7500
(205) 621-7505 FAX
(205) 253-4867 CELL
http://www.highnoonfilm.com
On 10/17/2011 2:00 PM, vhfcontesting-request at contesting.com wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. Re: [VHF] Funcube Dongle? (ejh)
> 2. 2011 ARRL June VHF QSO Party Results Are Now Online
> (Kutzko, Sean, KX9X)
> 3. Invitation for Caribbean activity (PY2ZX)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:43:31 -0400
> From: "ejh"<wm3m at live.com>
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] [VHF] Funcube Dongle?
> To: "Les Rayburn"<les at highnoonfilm.com>, "Richard Allen"
> <rca at rcallen.com>
> Cc: VHF Contesting Reflector<vhfcontesting at contesting.com>,
> vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu
> Message-ID:<BLU131-DS2B31D9B8A4EADEC70D22CE7E00 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Les,
> I agree with Richard. I bought one about a month ago, it arrived from
> England in less than 2 days. It took me awhile to get it working correctly,
> it is not plug and play, quite a few adjustments to get it working right.
> It does not compare well with ham rigs using the same antennas. Also, I had
> a Icom R7000 for many years, similar coverage, it did not work as well as
> the R7000.
> I sold the FCD about a week after I got it. I think it is great for a SWL
> type user, but for weak signal ham use, ham gear rigs are much better.
> Hope this helps.. Emory WM3M
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Les Rayburn
> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 9:15 AM
> To: Richard Allen
> Cc: VHF Contesting Reflector ; vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] [VHF] Funcube Dongle?
>
> Richard,
>
> Thank you for this insightful review. Exactly what I was hoping for.
>
> I'm sure in the next few years someone will develop a VHF/UHF SDR
> transceiver, hopefully one that will cover 6 Meters thru 1296, including 222
> and 902. Such a product will have the
> potential to change weak signal operation overnight. But right now, none of
> the SDR's that operate in this range are robust enough.
>
> 73,
>
>
> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> EM63nf
> 121 Mayfair Park
> Maylene, AL 35114
>
> 6M VUCC #1712
> Grid Bandit #222
> Life Member Central States VHF Society
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Allen
> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 12:35 AM
> To: Les Rayburn
> Cc: VHF Contesting Reflector ;<vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu>
> Subject: Re: [VHF] Funcube Dongle?
>
> Hi Les,
>
> I have one and it does work. However, since it is so broad band, it's not
> useable in an urban location with out some kind of filter ahead of it for
> the band(s) of interest due to desensing by all big signals around. As long
> as it Is filtered it has fair sensitivity. But a properly filtered
> preamplifier at the antenna like one of sp7000 series from Germany is what I
> think it needs.
>
> I've been rather disappointed, to be truthful, and since I have other ways
> to receive all of the ham bands it covers, mine has sat on the shelf since
> shortly after I bought it almost a year ago.
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard W5SXD
>
> On Oct 12, 2011, at 11:30 PM, "Les Rayburn"<les at highnoonfilm.com> wrote:
>
>> I'd like to hear some reviews from weak signal operators who may have
>> experimented with the "Funcube Pro Dongle". The Funcube Pro is a Software
>> Defined Radio (SDR) that plugs into the USB port of your computer and can
>> receive signals from about 60 MHZ to 1400 MHZ. With some firmware
>> upgrades, it can tune as low as 51 MHZ, making it not quite usable for 6
>> Meters.
>>
>> It's priced at under $200, and seems like it might be useful as a
>> panadapter. I'd love to hear from any weak signal ops who've tested one.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>
>> Les Rayburn, N1LF
>> EM63nf
>> 121 Mayfair Park
>> Maylene, AL 35114
>>
>> 6M VUCC #1712
>> Grid Bandit #222
>> Life Member Central States VHF Society ------
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:09:13 -0400
> From: "Kutzko, Sean, KX9X"<kx9x at arrl.org>
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] 2011 ARRL June VHF QSO Party Results Are Now
> Online
> To:<cq-contest at contesting.com>,<vhfcontesting at contesting.com>,
> <vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu>
> Message-ID:
> <145372871023544E98881538F29B1DFC036B96D8 at cartagia.ARRLHQ.ORG>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hi folks-
>
> Results from the 2011 ARRL June VHF QSO party are now online. You can
> view them at:
>
> http://www.arrl.org/contest-results-articles
>
>
> 73,
>
> Sean Kutzko, KX9X
> Contest Branch Manager
>
> ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio(tm)
> 225 Main St.
> Newington, CT 06111
> 860-594-0232
> skutzko at arrl.org
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:56:56 -0300
> From: PY2ZX<py2zx.ham at gmail.com>
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Invitation for Caribbean activity
> To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Message-ID:<4E9885F8.10800 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hello,
>
> NP2X begun their activities in few days ago in 144 MHz from St. Croix
> with SSB 100 Watts + 13 elements yagi with horizontal polarization and
> made several QSOs with CX, PY3, PP5 and PY5 stations. For all US Virgin
> Islands was a new country on that band, and he will be QRV for next
> AVHFC too. That?s an example how conventional setup and operation in a
> right time and right place could manage interesting QSOs with far South
> America and collect new grids in 144 MHz via TEP. We hope another
> stations from different islands and countries in Caribbean could also
> someday be QRV for increase the VHF DX activity. I believe it?s good
> also for regional propagation, including for enjoy future US contests
> and DX sprints. Maybe contesters or expedition?s team traveling to these
> islands could also erect simple 50 MHz and 144 MHz beams and explore
> TEP. Puerto Rico and Martinique are also other islands with almost daily
> callers on 144 MHz during TEP. 73s!
>
> Flavio PY2ZX
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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> End of VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 106, Issue 5
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