Little Dayton, local swap meet in Yokohama

Now it's Dayton FDIM period and all world QRPers are gathering there. Though the scale is smaller, in Yokohama area, more than 100 vehicle gathered and a swap meet was held by a local amateur radio club. Under the sunny sky, radio nuts spent their pleasant time with their topics. Price of rig and parts are reasonable, quite cheaper than in net auction. In some case, sellers are asked to clear up his precious junk by his wife. He explains his situation and everybody buy from him at minimum price with maximum sympathy. I saw mobile and handy transceivers of 20yrs old are from 2,000JPY. HF transceivers need some overhaul are from 10,000JPY.

K-ON!, with a glowing valve keyboard

K-ON (light music non classic) means actually a kind of rock'n roll music club often seen at high school or universities. This animation K-ON! is selling CD as well as real artist. If you visit Akihabara electric-town now, yu will see many shops have K-ON!'s poster. In the story, four students in hi-school start K-ON club and various episode commonly happen in their school life is in there. May be everybody seeing K-ON! enjoy stories as when their student days. For QRPers fun, in the opening moment, glowing tube 12AU7(ECC82) appears. KORG Triton extreme synthesizer had the valve in its special feature. Other music instruments appeared in this animation are well described in its details from existing famous models.

RF World magazine occasionally QRP article

The RF World magazine is the quarterly from CQ publishing dedicated to wireless technology mainly focused to professional. Occasionally experimental article related to fundamental experiment presents QRP character. In this recent issue No10, the special feature is a network analyzer, but beside this, QRPers may be excited by a short FM wireless transmitter article using CMOS IC 74AHCU04. To the curiosity, using analog characteristics of the high speed inverter, one chip FM transmitter is realized. oscillator/modulator, ECM amplifier, buffer and finals are assigned to each inverters inside the chip. The price of this magazine is 1680JPY.

Elementary Radio Kit RX-501 from Mizuho

Last year Mizuho discontinued popular step-by-step radio kit RX-123D. The kit was unique by its upgradable design from a Germanium Radio to transistor or IC radio. Now they are start selling new version RX-501. The RX-501 is differ by its printed circuit board intend an IC radio. Though a choice to transistor radio is not exist, this board is downgradable to a Germanium Radio. Some Mizuho collector says he wish reproduction of MX-series. You must be happy that still they have this radio in their line-up. President Takada show his mind trying radio looks good by a white line under dial. If you really like the Mizuho, you should buy one. The RX-501 price is 2,500JPY.

QRP Special Stations 8J1P,8J4P,8J6P

Special QRP stations around the International QRP days started this years QRV. During May and June, 8J1P,8J4P and 8J6P expected to appear various QRP frequency. In weekends, QRPers are gathering and intensively transmitting. In weekdays, each members are trying to keep activity from somebodys shack. Please find them and give them your report. In the past, their suffix are 'VLP (Very Low Power)'. Now the simple suffix 'P' is approved by radio agency. The QSL shown here is issued in 2009, drawn by JH1FCZ. These stations are maintained by donation from QRPers and the QSL is printed by JARL QRP club budget.

Akizuki QRP price HT antenna in good performance

Akizuki-Denshi, the most famous outlet parts shop in Akihabara provides several kind 430MHz HT whips for radio amateur. The price of antennas are nice QRP from 400 to 1000JPY. Apparently, these antennas are produced in China. Most of the HT whips are flexible type and this prevent harmful force to HT's SMA connectors. A blogger examined the short 430MHz whip by his VX-7. As a result, the performance is acceptable by this price. Performance in 430MHz is better than genuine whip and even AM broadcasting reception is possible. 50MHz AM reception is soso. S-9 signal by 6m GP is readable with the whip antenna inside home. With the twiggy whip your HT looks different. When overseas amateur visit Akihabara, this is a good souvenir for your ham friends.

Balcony whip for windy days

Fishing rod is popular choice for QRV from balcony and anywhere. But the weakness against strong wind is not avoidable. The rod easily bend and dancing wire get caught by other structure. The rod often retracted by wind shaking. For such unexpected Japanese weather, a whip antenna is another choice. A mobile whip mounted to top of aluminum retractable pole is less efficient than long wires. But sustainable under strong wind. The Comet HR-series is the longest mobile whip with center loading. These are extremely strudy. Using 1/4 lambda ground wire, SWR of the whip is less than 2.5 at 7MHz width of 40kHz. You think Buddipole or MP-1 will be another choice. But I don't recommend such expensive fragile antenna to expose bad weather long time. Price of HR-series is less than 7,000JPY.

Japanese QRP books (6)

This new book is not QRP book. But shortwave broadcast listening is also the favorite of many QRPers. Several QRPers are started from listening in his childhood, now returning to listener after QRPpp. In Japan, broadcast listening is named BCL. This book is good compendium covering loop antenna technique and software defined radio PERSEUS utilization in this hobby. In addition major radio station from overseas are introduced with special topics. Price of this book is 1500JPY.

Meeting Mate 40, 7MHz CW QRP transceiver (3)

This is a scematic diagram of MM40. For transmit two transistors are working. Relatively high power 2SC2053 employed in uts final stage. Receiver part is simple DC type with 2SK241 front-end. Another 2SK241 following is the product detector. LM386 boost audio to drive ear-phone. To your surprise, this transceiver does not have any TX/RX switching circuit. Huge thump and loud tone during transmit must be tried by user.

Meeting Mate 40, 7MHz CW QRP transceiver (2)

Not following the Manhattan style (Mr.Imai says 'Land method'), this is an example of the Meeting Mate 40. A blogger remembered that he made this transceiver himself ago. The transceiver is found from old layer of storage. Simple configuration of MM40 inspired many amateur the fun of QRP. In contrast, orange colored sticker is approved transmitter mark by radio administration agency. They kindly send the same stickers to licensee every 5 years at renewal. Keep the stickers, they will offer free gift in future.