John's Vademecum - public:miscellany:radio:active

CW

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:39 +0000

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CW

CW always was my main mode of operation

I've spent a lot of time with Digimodes (mainly on 60m) and recently even tried SSB on the HF bands (and might use SSB more often in future) but CW is really where I feel happiest. For a long time it was my only mode of operation on HF. Even now, at times when I'm out of practice, and my sending gets a bit wobbly, I feel comfortable with CW. There's something magical about communicating over the airwaves without speaking, without typing, just using a series of dits and dahs controlled by your own hand and turned from sound into meaning in your own brain.

When I started my current (Summer 2023) resurgence of interest in radio I thought I'd push myself to use SSB, to speak to people, and this would be the “novelty” I was looking for to kick start my interest in the hobby.

After a few weeks of getting things up and running I find I'm gravitating towards the CW end of the bands again, I've wired up all my keys, including my Vibroplex bug which has seen very little use on the air since I bought it. I did use it a few times in 2021 during a previous spell of on-air activity, but I let it lie dormant for the next 2 years, until NOW.

Let the CW-fest begin.

Current Setup

Vibroplex “Presentation” bug : Serial No 198474, Plate “Patented 833 Broadway” (D6 Plate). The Serial Number list ww7p-serial-number-list.pdf indicates 1957
Hi-Mound HK-708 (the same one I've had since 1982)
GPO brass key
“Russian army” key
Vibroplex “Champion” bug : Serial No 211617, Plate “Patented 833 Broadway” (D6 Plate), date 1960

Icom IC-7200 main HF radio
Icom IC-706 second HF

Plans

No Iambic/electronic keyers

I enjoy straight key sending and have occasionally used my Vibroplex on the air for faster QSOs than I'm able to manage with a straight key. The bug is taking some time to feel comfortable, and all I can do is practice, practice and more practice.

I'll try to do most of my QSOs on the bug, currently set at 18wpm (according to my spots on RBN) which is a comfortable speed for me at the moment, both for sending and receiving. I had my first “new” CW QSO using the bug today (June 12th) on 40m with Lada, OK2PAY who I remember working before, some years ago. In fact here's a video of the QSO on my You Tube OK2PAY 30m CW - the QSO was 16 July 2016 on 30m…. wow, 7 years ago!

I've re-joined the FISTS CW club with my old member number 17686 - and I see my SKCC old membership number is still listed as 3214. I'll try to take part in more activities by these clubs.

Have QSOs → rag-chews, rubber-stamp, all sorts…..

I hope to get enough air-time and enjoyment that perhaps I can justify a new key or even a new bug (I have been looking in wonder at the Begali Intrepid )……

Update 23/6/23 : New (to me) bug…. 1960 Vibroplex Champion from eBay Vibroplex Champion Bug

Receive Practice

One of my favourite sources of material for “head copy” practice is the ARRL's Code Practice Archive

http://www.arrl.org/code-practice-files

Here you can download MP3 files of their Code Practice recordings, which are extracts from QST magazine, sent at various speeds from 5 wpm to 40 wpm.

I have put a lot of the 25, 30, 35 and 40 wpm files on a USB stick to play in the van and on my phone to play whenever/wherever.

I find it is good to just let the CW flow and to grasp as much as you can, in bursts, and then let the “meaning” sink in - even when you miss the odd letter or word. In “conversational” CW it's best to let go of mistakes and just concentrate on making sense of what you're hearing. Exact “carbon copy” is only needed for formal messages (telegrams, RAYNET etc). Just letting the CW flow in through the ears and the “meaning” of the message condense in your brain makes you feel more comfortable about glitches and missing parts. In a QSO nobody is going to know how much you actually copied, as long as you get the important bits - name, QTH etc - which are usually sent more than once. If you don't respond to a question (because you missed it being asked) they can always ask again, and assume you just forgot. The key is to not care too much about 100% accurate copy, and the more you have QSOs, the easier it becomes and the more you copy, a virtuous circle.

— John Pumford-Green 12/06/23 13:22

Further Information

The Art and Skill of Radio Telegraphy : tasrt.pdf
Articles by Tom McElroy (thanks to Ian IK4EWX)

radio, cw

K2

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:55:07 +0000

←2023 Radio Topics

K2

Building an Elecraft K2

Background

I built a K2 several years ago (2005 or 2006?) and have fond memories of the building process. Unfortunately I felt the need to sell it some years later, and have regretted this ever since.

I recently discovered that Elecraft still produce and sell K2 kits - although with occasional hold ups in supply due to the global problems of parts procurement. This discovery made me keen to build myself another one, and not to ever contemplate selling it. My first one had several modules added

Auto ATU
160m/RX antenna port
60m module
SSB module

This time around I plan on only adding the 160m/RX antenna module - the 60m module would have been nice but is now discontinued, and I don't see any value in the Auto ATU or SSB module for how I expect to use the K2 - in the shack, CW only.

Order

I ordered the K2 kit and 160m module today, July 27th 2023. I'm now waiting to hear about a likely shipping date. Hopefully it'll arrive before the winter, as I'd like to build it as an autumn/winter project - with a view to using it for Straight Key Night or G-QRP Winter Sports.

Progress

I plan to make notes here of the build process, and also to make some You Tube videos of the main milestones & test and alignment process. And of course of the first QSO.

— John Pumford-Green 27/07/23 23:25

Order Cancelled

After waiting for over 3 months, and still no sign of the K2 being available, I decided for various reasons to cancel the K2 order. I can't justify the expense and can find more importnat uses for both the money and for the time it would take to build a K2.

If Elecraft make K2 kits available sometime later, in 2024, I may consider ordering one at that time.

— John Pumford-Green 09/11/23 08:06

Further Information

https://elecraft.com/collections/full-kits-1/products/k2-the-classic-hf-transceiver-full-kit

radio, k2

QSO Logging

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 07:44:24 +0000

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QSO Logging

2023 Logging setup

Paper Logbook

I've always (when I remember) used a Paper Logbook for CW and SSB contacts. I'm on the third book after starting the 1st one in March 1983.

I usually don't (but sometimes do) log Digimode QSOs on paper, as fldigi has its own ADIF logbook. However I've moved/installed/upgraded/deleted various fldigi installations on so many different PCs that I've actually lost all the logs anyway. I've recently started logging all QSOs in the paper logbook. There's no chance of “accidentally deleting” a real, paper logbook, after all.

Update July 2023

I initially started to make notes of each day's activity and QSOs here, in the wiki
This became a chore, too many separate things to do during/after a QSO
I ditched the wiki-diary idea but want to have more of a record of QSOs, and other notes on condx etc. than a simple one line entry in the logbook
I started keeping a paper “journal” - basically a more carefully created scratch-pad - with entries being done during the QSO - my notes done at the time.
The left hand page of the spread is a scribble/rough notes area and the right hand page of the spread has notes of activity, CQs made, CQs replied to, QSOs, callsigns, propagation data (SFI, A, K etc), beacons heard, anything really.
I still add an entry to both paper logbook and Xlog, but they don't need too much additional detail, as it's all in the “journal”

Electronic Logs

I've tried various PC based log systems over the years. A few years ago I had a major project to add all the old data from my paper logs into an electronic log - I think I used “logger32” on a windows PC. I started from August 2003, the date I re-activated my dormant interest in amateur radio, and I built my Elecraft K1.

I count this as “day zero” of my current radio incarnation.

I could then export the ADIF file and could use it to “pre-populate” any new log system I fancied trying.

I now use xlog on my shack's old Linux laptop. It has all the QSO data from August 2003 to the present (except most Digimode QSOs) and I continue to use xlog in parallel with a good old fashioned paper logbook.

I have also discovered that fldigi will automatically add each logged QSO to Xlog, if they are running on the same machine, which means I can now ensure my digimode QSOs are recorded alongside my CW and SSB QSOs.

As of August 26th 2023 I no longer keep an electronic log.

I have ceased LOTW uploads. QSLs are now direct only if anyone wants/needs confirmation of a QSO

LOTW

While I was adding all my historical QSO data to an electronic log I decided to “join” the ARRL Logbook Of The World and add my QSO data. I did it in various stages, but I think I've now got all my QSO records uploaded to LOTW. This is mainly to assist others in their paper chasing goals, as I'm not generally interested in getting QSLs in order to claim awards (I've only got 84 DXCC “confirmed” on LOTW for “Mixed”, with 65 in Phone and 65 in CW). If my uploads allow other people to reach targets, without me needing to write and post physical QSL cards, then it's easy enough to oblige with LOTW. I had to download the sourcecode and compile the latest version of TQSL from the ARRL website to run on Linux. I forget how I got the necessary certificates from ARRL….

Club Log

~~I created a ClubLog account and I also upload my ADIF exports at regular intervals. I embed the “last 30” QSOs on my qrz.com page.~~

Update July 2023

I decided it's too cumbersome, and with no obvious benefit, to upload ADIF files to ClubLog as well as to LOTW
- ClubLog has no purpose, really, for me at the moment

Update August 28 2023

I have decided to drop ALL computer logging
- this means no LOTW either
I want a simpler radio shack, without reliance on computer for logging or any other purpose.
Logging : paper log book
Notes : on paper in separate “diary” made during QSO - these can be dated and kept as a reference
- Notes on radio setup, antennas, beacons etc., solar conditions etc. are in the same “diary” - as a record of day to day activity alongside any QSOs etc.
No RBN checking, no QRZ.COM checking.
Re-start card-index of stations worked, if not too time-consuming?

Workflow

~~start flrig & ensure correct communication with IC-7200~~
~~start fldigi & ensure it controls the IC-7200 via flrig~~
~~start xlog & ensure it shows the correct radio frequency (when the freq. log button is pressed)~~
have QSOs in ~~fldigi or~~ CW and log in paper logbook ~~as appropriate~~
~~export log ADIF file from xlog - selecting the latest QSO numbers, rather than the whole log~~
~~use TQSL to sign and upload this latest ADIF export to my LOTW account<?del> * <del>use the ClubLog website to upload this latest ADIF export to my CLubLog account~~

— John Pumford-Green 19/06/23 12:55

Further Information

Shack

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:55:07 +0000

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Shack

Changes to Shack layout over time

18/06/23 - operating CW

Operating Bench

Work Bench

— John Pumford-Green 18/06/23 16:12

Further Information

2023 Radio Topics

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:02 +0000

←Radio

2023 Radio Topics

Things I've been doing in 2023.
Some may have only been short-term dead ends, and will be moved to Older Topics in due course.

This year's Radio Projects

Further Information

radio