First JT-65 QSO!

Posted on April 19, 2012 by dave

JT-65_qso_screen

JT-65 screen shot, showing the QSO with KB7ZZ in red. Not much detail is exchanged, but all the basics for a legitimate, logable QSO are there.

JT-65 is a digital communications mode that I’ve heard about. It sounded horribly complex, with many variables that all must be just right. Well, that’s true. Today I received a newsletter from West Mountain Radio with yet another article about JT-65. They also mentioned where I could download “soundcard” software: http://jt65-hf.sourceforge.net. So, I gave it a try. It took quite awhile to get set up properly and I even had to consult the manual a few times. I’m already set up for digital modes with Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) and a SignaLink USB sound card interface. As it turns out, the JT-65 software works quite well with HRD and in fact needs it to be running at the same time.

After much twiddling of knobs and changing various parameters here and there, including on my Ten-Tec Jupiter, it started receiving signals. Pretty cool! Unlike PSK-31, all the JT-65 signals seem to pile on top of each other, but the software can sort them out. Tentatively, I tried answering a CQ. I had to let the system go a few rounds until I got the transmit levels sorted out, but before long, I answered KB7ZZ’s CQ and actually had a legitimate QSO! Woohoo!

JT-65 originated with moonbounce in mind and specializes in weak signal work. It isn’t really designed for ragchewing and pretty much limits you to the basics: callsign, signal strength (automatically determined by the decoding algorithm), and location (coded in the form of grid squares). It’s the hot new thing and is said to be great for working DX (long-distance contacts with hams in other countries). Indeed, I saw CQs from all over Europe, including Russia. I shall investigate this more!

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Ham Radio General Class Lesson 1.3

Posted on April 13, 2012 by dave

Here’s your video introduction to the material in Lesson 1.3, “The Upgrade Trail.”

After viewing the video, you may return to the list of videos for the General Class training project by clicking here.

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Ham Radio General Class Lesson 1.2

Posted on April 13, 2012 by dave

Here’s your video introduction to Lesson 1.2, “How to Use this Book,” from the ARRL General Class License Manual.

The URL shown in the lesson will provide you with further background information if you’d like resources in addition to what’s in the book. That link is http://www.arrl.org/general-class-license-manual.

Click here to return to the list of General Class training videos.

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Ham Radio General Class Lesson 1.1

Posted on April 12, 2012 by dave


After you’ve finished, click here to return to the General Class training page. Please add a comment if you have any questions.

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Jumpline: I love you!

Posted on April 7, 2012 by dave

Last night and today I’ve been creating the new website for the Montrose (Colorado) Amateur Radio Club. Frustratingly, I couldn’t configure it to upload images easily. So, I filed a support ticket with Jumpline, Inc., my web hosting provider. I didn’t have much hope, because I’ve never been able to make image upload available on my publishing site, mtsneffelspress.com.

Lo and behold, after several emails each way, the new MARC website uploads images as easily as does this one (dcasler.com). I then asked if they could apply their magic to mtsneffelspress.com. They did! Believe me, it makes it much easier to write posts if I don’t have to use FTP to upload the image and then find it and insert it into a post!

Thank you Jumpline!

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Powerline Roads, Glenn’s Road are mostly open

Posted on April 1, 2012 by dave

lower powerline deer

Just a tiny portion of a large herd, with one of the pole sets for the lower powerline road behind them.

Over the past couple days, I checked out some of my favorite roads, very near to where I live. Glenn’s Road is open to the point where you can see a great view of Montrose to the north. Upper Powerline Road is open very nearly to the gate marking the end of public access, though there is a bit of mud you’ll have to be careful with. This is the kind of mud that provides no traction and no steering!

Lower Powerline Road (southern part here and northern part here) is completely open. I encountered several large deer herds—the photo above shows just a few, naturally with the lower powerline in the background! Here’s the GPS track with a couple notes: Continue reading →

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Montrose Adobes to Peach Valley: Road Now Open

Posted on March 18, 2012 by dave

Below is a rather big GPS map showing that the road from the Montrose Adobes to the Peach Valley area is open. There used to be a rather large “in-holding,” meaning private land surrounded by BLM. The main road travels right through this in-holding, so getting from the Montrose Adobes to the Peach Valley area meant using the Slanty Bridge trail (see here for my personal Slanty Bridge fiasco). Well, the BLM traded some land, so this in-holding is now BLM property and the gates are open. The GPS map (you’ll have to click on “read more”) shows how to get from 6530 Road (the access to the Montrose Adobes from Montrose), all the way to Chukkar Road in the Peach Valley area. Continue reading →

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Montrose, Colorado, Free Riding Area

Posted on March 18, 2012 by dave

Flattop with arroyo

That's Flattop in the upper left hand corner. Everything between where I took this picture and the base of Flattop is free riding area. Note the arroyo. This picture was taken from approximately Point A on the GPS map.


It’s snowing today. Too bad. Yesterday it sure wasn’t. In fact, Montrose (Colorado) sported temps of 70 degrees! And the adobe formations north of Montrose were dry! What’s that mean? Go riding! So I trailered my Yamaha XT-250 up to the parking area for the Flattop Free Riding Area. Access this from 6530 Road, which is easy to find if you’re on the Hwy 50 bypass. Continue reading →

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Hill Climbing in the Montrose Flattop Free Riding Area – Wild Stuff!

Posted on March 18, 2012 by dave


I took this video yesterday while dirt riding in the free riding area north of Flattop, which is north of Montrose. Access to the Flattop free riding area is via 6530 Road.

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The Old Railroad Road Bed – New Section I Haven’t Seen Before

Posted on March 16, 2012 by dave

Old Railroad Right of Way

Here's a stretch of navigable right of way of an old railroad bed. I've always been curious about this and checked it out today. The old right of way is the red line to the left.


For most of the distance between Montrose and Colona (Colorado), the old Denver and Rio Grande Railroad right of way runs straight and true just to the west of US Hwy 550. The line was built in 1887, upgraded to standard gauge in 1953 as far south as Ridgway, and finally abandoned in 1976. It continues south from Colona, though recent road construction has obliterated some of it. The part that’s left can be easily traversed by dirt bike, though it does dump one back onto 550 about where Ouray County Road 2 intersects 550. But I’ve had my eye on a ledge up on the hillside that I thought must’ve been a continuation of the roadbed. There’s a barely visible little turnoff that I finally checked out today. Lo and behold, it provides access to an untrammeled mile of the old right of way which (I think) is largely on BLM land. Looking at the map, Point C is the only access. Fair warning – it’ Continue reading →

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