Monitoring on 10m. Updated.

I got  a bit of space on the lab desk by now. Still much more tidying needed.

For now, part of my monitoring system for 10m consists of a half wave antenna, connected to my modified IC-703 with a loop-back for the receiver signal.

The receive signal is running through a power splitter, so part og the signal goes back to the receiver section of the '703 and two outputs go to other receivers. Two is not quite enough, as I want to monitor several frequencies around the 10m band. Some amplified power splitter is needed.

The frequencies I want to monitor on 10m are, at least:

- 28.200 (International Beacon Project) (with audio)

- 28.074 (FT8 frequency)

- 29.600 (FM calling frequency)

- 27.555 (Used by CBers as a calling frequency. Excellent propagation indicator for 10m)

- 28.126??? (WSPR and QRSS frequencies)

I have a couple of "transistor radio" portable receivers with a jack connector as external antenna connectors, so I made two cables with F-connector to jack plug. They should be used for the 27.555 receiver (up and running), and FT8 monitor receiver. I still need to set up a computer with sound card input for that purpose. 

I have a monitor system like that running on 50MHz, and I would like to continue using that. Possibly a Raspberry Pi set-up.

Last year was a bit low on radio activities. I should have had a better antenna system up, but other, more urgent activities came in the way. The solar power system also needs an update. This should be a busy year. 4m and 6m antennas have priority, as the bands are good due to high solar activity. Some activity on microwave bands should be made, too, and I should finally get up a rotator, so I can rotate a small VHF/UHF/SHF antenna system. We shall see how much gets done this year.

Update:

It looks like the Sangean receiver is not suitable for FT8. (noisy local oscillator?), or not sufficiently sensitive so I will have to use another radio for that purpose, or build one myself. Still looking around.