Hida-Shirakawa-Kanazawa Bus tour

Last weekend, I've been Hida-Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, etc by bus tour with XYL and daughter.
We got up in the ver early Saturday morinig and went to Shinjuku terminal by train then get on the tour bus there. Tour started 7AM from Shinjuku.
Before 1st destination Takayama we short stopped at a parking near Kamiko-chi. The mountains are already covered by colourful leaves.


At Takayama, we ate Takayama ramen.
Delicious!


Then we walk around Hida-Takayama old town.



Very nice red leaves of "Momiji"a kind of maple.


Next we visited Shirakawa-go, a wolrd heritage, where old Japanese houses are preserved.



Next day (Sunday), we visited Kenroku-en, a traditional Japanese Garden in Kanazawa-prefecture.


Here is Kanazawa-jo castle.


The last one is Higashi-chaya-machi, a traditional amusement center in Kanazawa.

HIGASHI means EAST.


Finally we drive along seaside of Nihon-kai or Japan sea.

It was very short but concentrated trip. It was fun but tired. zzz

XYL operates CW Contest

Today XYL tried CW contest for the first time.
It was Let's A1 Contest, only straight key is allowed to use.




I was busy for logging :-)

HB-1A QRP Rig

I bought HB-1A, a 3-band (40/20/30m bands) 4W QRP transceiver, made by BD4RG.
It was 24800JPY including transportation and handling charge through ICAS Enterprises.

Its clear LCD display indicates,
- Frequency with full digit.
- input DC voltage,
- S-meter level


Inside view, mostly SMD is used.



Comparing with similar concept rig, KX1 side by side.
Size: KX1 is smaller than HB-1A
Weight: KX1 is lighter tha HB-1A.
Material:HB-1A's case is made of iron.
KX1's case is made of Alminum.
Functions: No RF Gain control on HB-1A
Continuous RF Gain control on KX1.

4 filter setting (900/700/500/400) on HB-1A.
Continuous setting from 500Hz to 2KHz on KX1.

KX1: Many commands are available for user
HB-1A:Very few commands are open to the user.

Following video clips were recorded on 40m band.
HB-1A have inter-mod from to strong broadcasting signal.
ATT must be on for normal operation under strong signal in the same band.
KX1 has much better inter-mod performance.

Alberto I1QOD Bug

I1QOD Alberto makes excellent bug and paddles in Italy.
I found his reputation on eham.net 3 mmonths ago and I ordered one of his bug keys.
3 months have been passed and the key finally arrived at my house last week!
It is all brass standard version. It's shining gold on my operation desk!

This is the first time to use double lever type for bug key.
I need more practice to become familiar with it.
But I can't wait to show up on the air :-)

Calling CQ (1)


Little faster! This is my max. speed (^^;


I used this bug key only few hours so far, but it is obiously the most excellent bug key that I have ever used.
This bug key is the best for QRQ operator.
Since I'm not QRQ operator now, I must keep K4VIZ Right Angle Bug for ordinary speed operation.



Yesterday, I worked two US stations on 14050KHz, I called CQ SKCC there, I put QRV info on K3UK SKED PAGE

ACAG Contest from Nagano

On this weekend Oct-10th & 11th, 2009, I went to JA0 area with 7 friends from A1 Club.
During this weekend, All City & All Gun Contest, one of the major domestic contest is held by JARL.
We operated A1 Club station JO1ZZZ at wonderful cottage owned by one of my friend.
The cottage is very large and land estate is wide enough to deploy a full size 160m band dipole.
As expected, we started drinking before start of the contest...:-p

HAMFAIR 2009 report

Japan's biggest ham festival HAMFAIR 2009 has been held at Tokyo Bay area international exhibition center "Big Sight" on 22 and 23 of August.
A1 Club presented their own booth and distributed an original CW tuning indicator kit, also demonstrated Morse Code especially to kids and beginners.
At the club dinner so called "QRM Party", 36 members were gathered including F5EIC Jean-Luc from France and VR2XMC Johnny from HongKong. It was really a kind of "QRM" party. Hi
Some of photos are shown in our Japanese page as follows;
http://a1club.net/HAMFAIR/hamfair2009/hamfair2009.htm

I hope to see more participants from overseas next year!
See U then!

Below is a photo of CW friends. From the left, JJ1TTG Aki, me, JJ8KGZ Leo and JA1NUT Shin.

Atsu, JE1TRV

QSO Party in Expanded 40m Band

From July, 10th till July 20th, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) helds QSO party in the expanded segment of 40m band.
Since March 30th, 2009, The Japanese amateur 40m band has been expanded from 100KHz (7.000-7.100MHz) to 200KHz (7.000-7.2000MHz) and the QSO party this time celebrate it.
Rule of the QSO party is shown in the JARL website [HERE].

I cannot find English version of the rule but DX station may participate this party.

Dear all DX amateurs!
Please tune your xcvr to 7.100MHz and up and please call JA stations, they are calling "CQ 7QP".
Required exchange is just RST only.

Thank you in advance and see you on 7.1MHz and up!

de JE1TRV, Atsu

A1 Century Club Award

QTC to all CW loveres!
On the day of 2009-06-13, A1 CLUB announced in their homepage that they starts A1CC (A1 Century Club Award).

There are two categories, Special and Original.
"Special" may be applied by all amateures, "Original" is issued for A1 Club member only.

The rule is very simple, in case of "Special" category, you should just make CW QSO as many as possible and in the application you must include at least 1/5 of A1 Club member.
Award is issued from 100 points by 100 point step.
In case you apply A1CC-100, you must make at least 100 CW QSOs with different callsigns, and at least 20 QSOs shall be A1 Club member.

In case of "Original", all QSOs must be made with A1 Club members only.
So you need to work with at least 100 A1 Club members for "Original-100".

For details please refer here.