Icom IC-7700 replaced by Kenwood TS-890

 After almost a year the IC-7700 moved to a new happy owner.

 Had the chance to got a very nice TS-890 line so it’s on my desk now and first impressions are very good.

Time to read the user guide and in-depth manual as well😀

Sommerkamp Memorial Activity

Dear radio friends, Do you remember the famous “Coffee warmer”, Sommerkamp TS 788 DX?

The Sommerkamp friends, a group on Facebook, like to honor, the entrepreneur behind the great brand of Sommerkamp radio.

Mr. Wolfgang Sommerkamp, born on September 11th in Dortmund, Germany. HAM radio call DJ2YJ , EA8YS as well as other used calls. OM Wolfgang passed away last year (2021), and during the Weekend September 10. – 11.2022, we like to invite all radio operators to the “Sommerkamp Memorial Activity”.

In the future, we like to dedicate every second weekend in September, to have such a radio event. So get your Sommerkamp radio equipment ready, regardless if amateur or 11 m enthusiast. 

We like to meet on the following bands, 80 m, 40 m, 20 m, 15 m, 11 m, 10 m or 2 m. Of course you are welcome to use transverters with your equipment and activate … 4 m, be creative, join the fun.

Activity Frequencies

• 7.101 MHz
• 14.301 MHz
• 21.301 MHz
• 28.301 MHz
• 144.301 MHz

Please remember, this is not a contest. There is nothing to win, it is rather a friendly, get together on the airwaves. Communicate with one another, share what equipment you use, perhaps when you have purchased it … are you a longtime Sommerkamp radio owner or did you pick up the equipment just recently … perhaps inherited it … Your phantasy is the limit.

Please share the information with others, make them aware of our Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/224973084337664

Feel free to contact the organizers, emails are available over qrz.com 

• OZ2CBA / Danish + English 
• PA1PXL / Dutch + English 
• DK3HV / German + English 
• DL2AU / German

You have a picture from your activation - send it to Email  or post it in the Sommerkamp Facebook Group.
 

Xiegu X6100 extended

 After owning the X6100 for some time i really can say that i like the radio.

In fact it’s a Linux server with built in radio.

Some firmware updates were released by Xiegu and a kind of community of owners hacked the radio with some nice features.

To access the radio one can use Putty or Winscp. I use both via wifi!

Winscp, access the X6100 as user root and password 123

Navigate to directory /etc/xgradio/ 

Edit file xcradio.conf and change fullband-tx disable to fullband-tx enable

Save and exit, switch your X6100 off and on and full transmit from 500 kHz to 55 mHz is enabled.

Note the red F-TX box left top of your screen.

Enjoy!

New in the shack: Xiegu X6100 transceiver

 Today i picked up a new ham toy; a very nice Xiegu X6100 HF/50 mhz transceiver.

The main reason to buy this gem is that it contains a linux server in it, in fact you can say it’s a linux box with a hf transceiver build in.

It’s from China, so does it has flaws? You bet if has! But since it’s hackable and new firmware updates are provided by Xiegu it will be very interesting to own and experiment. Access to a transceiver via Putty or Winscp how cool is that?

To be continued!

Radio Caroline 648 Khz AM

Long ago, in the early 1970s, I was fascinated by Dutch radio pirates such as Veronica, Noordzee, Mi Amigo and the British channel Caroline. These stations had their studio, transmitter and antenna on board a ship, so all transmissions were from sea. In 1974 the law changed and the channels had to stop broadcasting. Mi Amigo and Caroline went on for a while but eventually disappeared from the airwaves as well. It was during that time that my interest in radio arose. Great was my surprise that after so many years I suddenly heard Radio Caroline on 648 Khz! As if nothing had changed, the music from that time sounded again in my shack. Glad they're back.

Seasons Greetings

Despite Covid situation all around the world, i wish all of you a Merry Christmas and healthy 2022.

 

New in the shack: Icom IC-7700

 After many years of owning a Yaesu FT-2000 a new transceiver arrived at my shack.

The Icom IC-7700 is big and weights approx 25 kilos.

Mine is in very good shape and i’m looking forward to make radio contacts on the hf bands with this new toy.