A day after the birth of my son (12th December) a package arrived from Elecraft! Of course the first week I’ve got something else on my mind but I got anxious soon to heat up the solder iron!
First I read the manual thoroughly and unpacked all bags and packs. According to the manual you have to start with the 4-band filter board. Then build the front panel. Last (but not least) it’s time for Continue reading
After a few months of day-dreaming and watching YouTube, last monday I visit my friend Hans, PC8E to play a little with the build kit. Hans owns the complete Elecraft line: K1, KX1, K2, K3 with pan-adaptor and some other mini-module-kits. He got me convinced: I definitely want the K1!
I just ordered a K1 with the 4-band module and the internal battery adapter (I want to be able to use it portable of course) and the backlight kit for unbuild K1′s.
I’m anxious to see how long it will takes till the kit arrives. Maybe I’ll record a YouTube-video of assembling the kit since I’ve noticed there are no build video’s of a K1 around.
Now off to Learn CW Online to practice some more. I need to be able to run a cw-conversation when it’s time to test the kit 
You would think it’s a great wedding to hookup a Icom IC-7700 to a Rohde&Schwarz HL451 Log-periodic. Let me tell you, it is! Last weekend we were building up the command center for the yearly Dutch balloon fox hunting and it happens to be there was a Icom IC-7700 lingering around. We decided to find out how the Rohde&Schwarz HL451 Log periodic would sound, so we hooked it up. I was listening to a USA-station in Michigan who sounds like we’re on telephone. Listen for yourself:
This weekend I participated in the RTTY sprint contest of the British Amateur Radio Teledata Group (BARTG). As a first timer I had to learn quickly about the integration of N1MM logger and MMTTY. When the contest started I discovered there are no default macro’s in MMTTY. So I had to write time along making QSO’s. It wasn’t the best preparation I ever did
The TS-590S did a great job at this contest! Sometimes I heard the blowers hit in to cool down a bit, but overall I didn’t notice anything weird during the contest. Filtering is great, also with RTTY! Results? 208 Q’s and a claimed score of 56.106 points. Not bad for a RTTY rookie!
As a proud owner of the brand new Kenwood TS-590 of course I now have to follow the release of new firmware for this rig. This morning I noticed there is a new one out. It addresses at least one thing I noticed: an unstable USB-data connection when I switch between N1MM logger and Ham Radio Deluxe. Sometimes I have to turn the radio off and back on to get a connection with the other program. Other fixes according to Kenwood:
1. In [SSB-DATA] mode, Speech Processor might not be disabled internally.
2. At the end of TX tune mode, carrier output returns to normal mode level after a short delay.
3. When the TS-590S is turned ON, the USB port connection may be unstable.
4. When the built-in electronic keyer is set to Mode A, CW keying may not work properly.
5. TX rise time power spike activates some linear amplifiers’ input power protections.
(The firmware Ver.1.02 revises the ALC response characteristics to reduce the power spike.)
6. When a separate RX ANT is connected, TX output power may be fed back to the RX ANT connector and might affect internal circuits.
(The firmware Ver.1.02 deactivates (opens) RX ANT relay every time the radio transmits.)
Let’s upgrade here!
After two of the longest weeks of my radio-life the new Kenwood finally arrived! Let the unpacking begin… First impression: great radio! It is very much noticeable it is a complete new design. Receiving part is absolutely much much better then my good old TS-850. Because I’m living in a village (little city actually) there is a great deal of interference. The TS-850 couldn’t deal with that. The new TS-590 has a great DSP and receiving characteristics to suppress QRM! When I turned on the transceiver is was almost if I turned it on at our clubstation PI4RCG. Unbelievable quiet and very good capabilities to grab very small signals. For the first time ever I was able to listen to signals from ZL!
Also feeling tidy up because the shack is cleaned due to selling all the old stuf. Very good start of 2011 for PA1JIM!
Latest news on the ordered Kenwood TS-590S: it will arrive next week!
Ohw mama! 
I traded in my TS-850S and got a good deal from the Kenwood dealer. Already completely rebuild the shack. The 590 has 2 antenna connections I’m able to connect both my Cobwebb for 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 meter and my horizontal loop for 40, 80 and 160 meter! So I don’t have to switch between antenna’s no more. In the future I could also use a extra (active) receiving antenna on the receive input of the 590.
Also great: no more need for the SignaLink USB. If I’m understand the manual correctly I can attach the 590 via USB to my computer and both CAT and sound are connected! That is awesome!
So the shackcomputer is already installed with both driver and Kenwood software.
I guess I’m all ready the welcome my new rig
Last week I did get the opportunity to listen to the new rig over at Robs, PA3EKE. Great guy (he did not hesitate inviting me over when he heard I wanted to listen to the new radio before buy one), took the time to show me around, absolutely lovely! He is known for his extremely critical opinion on radio’s. Even he was quite excited about the performance of the 590.
And I’m even more impressed by the real life performance of the 590! It’s really a great radio.
But for now I hope the new one will arrive next week before thursday. Then I’ll leave for another week in the France Alpes. Of course it would be great if I could run it a few hours over there More news and pictures will follow!
Lately I get more and more interested in the new Kenwood TS-590S. When I read it’s brochure and manual, when I look at the clips of first runs on air I get the impression this must be my new transceiver!
Last friday I decided I have to consolidate the shack and sell most of it before buy something new. Put on for sale: Kenwood TS-450, Kenwood TS-50 + AT-50, PS-52 power supply, SP-31 speaker, lots of filters, BHI-DSP speaker, Signalink USB, Condor 16 kit, a few SWR/Power meters and a Kenwood AT-130 antenna tuner. It became an unbelievable saturday with lots of e-mails, calls and people coming over to see the goods. Already sold: the TS-450 and the TS-50 +AT-50. PS-52 and SP-31 expected to be sold today. Signalink and 1 SWR/Powermeter already flew out the door.
I’m nearly half way to the new Kenwood. Still one thing I need to do: listen to the thing with my own ears and check if I like the sound of it! Only thing I’m in doubt of: shall I swap my good old TS-850S for the TS-590S or should I keep it as a backup transceiver? Hmmmm, tough one.
Last weekend I participated in the CQ WW SSB 2010 contest at our clubstation. First timer for a 48 hour contest. While preparing I decided not to work the full 48 hours. Earlier this year I participated in the PACC-contest for 24 hours and I found that exhausting enough. So I did want to start on saterday morning around 5:00 UTC until 22:00 UTC and return on sunday around 6:00 UTC untill 16:00 UTC. That left sunday evening for breaking up the gear. Everything worked as planned, kind of… We were active from the clubstation with two hams. We had build up 2 seats and there where 4 antenna’s operationable. A 10-15-20 beam, a 80m dipole, a 40m dipole (which hung too low) and a 20m dipole (which hung waaay to low). We swapped seats every once in a while to use the beam for 15m and 20m. 15m and 20m where the bands this weekend. I was able to work a few really far calls and added 19 new DXCC-entities to my log. In total I worked 295 QSO’s. Not too much, but I blame it to the bad antenna conditions (at least for multiple operators).
We really need to get up more monoband dipoles and get them up high! Problem is there are enough high trees around our clubstation but almost none possibilities to climb them. I think we need to figure out how to get the antennas up. For the PACC next year we want to try a multi-multi-station for the first time. So that is gonna need some serious preparations!
Finally more details of the new Kenwood are published! Take a look, must be a interesting transceiver! A nice christmas present for this year?
update:Read the first impressions of the early buyers!