12V 6800 mAh LiPo Battery

I've bought on e-bay a LIPO battery, 6800 mAh, from a Hong-Kong seller for few euros (a bit less than 35). After about three weeks, the battery arrives. Specifications:

• Weight 230g
• Measures: 56x106x18 mm
• Input (for charge) 12.6VDC
• Output: 12V 6800 mAh

The battery comes with a charger and have a little on-off switch and red led.


I've used often with FT-817 in /P, and also as a emergency supply source for handhelds. Great item!

Two stands for FT-817

The first stand is an homebrew item, built with a CD case following the instructions of KR1ST:

The second stand is a commecrial item (buuh!): IKEA sell this item as an alarm clock, is cheap (7 Euros), light, give a touch of design to setup and tells GMT time for free ;).The idea is not mine, I've seen a post from IW4BIC in an italian FT-817 fan forum.

K2S: An Yaesu FT-817 Knee Support

It's very fun to going around in /P with an FT-817, few meters of wire and a fishing pole! I often sit on a rock or on a little foldable chair and have many nice QSO with the little radio standing on my knee.

But in this way the DC connector is stressed, and obviously my DC conector was broken soon (the connector on the radio, soldered in SMD to main printed board.....sigh!!). Very disappointing indeed.

OK, let's resolve the problem: I've built K2S (KISS Knee Support), which is used to avoid stress to DC cable while the FT-817 stand on knee.

Is very ugly and simple, but it works! Ia a piece of plywood cutted to fit the two "wings" on the back right side of the radio. Near the end of plywood i glue a slice of cork wine bottle cap to support on the left side of radio, geting me able to use the rear PL connector,

This is K2S, with the measures...very ugly!


A more clear draw:

K2S in action!



Looking closer...

Tiger Tail published in SPRAT!

I've sent the notes to build a Tiger Tail, as shown in my previous post http://iz8jji.blogspot.com/2011/04/boost-your-ht-for-almost-nothing.html to Colin G3VTT, and he agree to publish the notes in his column AAA (Antenna Anectodes and Awards) of SPRAT, bulletin of G-QRP club.

The notes were published in the Autumn 2011 issue.

Racal ANT-129 tripod support

I've built a more stable support for my military antenna. The support is made with a almost square slice of steel tube, a gift from Mimmo IZ8SQL, which had also the main idea of the support (TNX Mimmo!). Other items may be easily found in any hardware shop.

Parts needed:

• nr. 1 slice of square steel tube, approx 5cmx5cmx5cm
• nr. 1 inox bolt M10x20 (10mm dia x 20 mm lenght)
• nr. 1 "big" 10mm nut (lenght approx 3 cm
• nr. 1 20mm electrician grey PVC coupler
• nr. 2 10mm washers
• nr. 1 banana female connector

Drill three holes in the square tube:

Mount the banana connector, the bolt and the big nut on the support:


Cut the PVC coupler to the same lenght of the big nut. Cover the nut with a few layers of electrician tape: in this way the nut fits snugly in the coupler. Mount the coupler with the help of a rubber hammer. The final result, before painting, is this:


The support varnished, ready to operation:

My new Military whip antenna Racal ANT-129

A few weeks ago, I've bought via ebay a military whip antenna for a few euros. The whip is a Racal ANT-129, collapsible in 8 sections, total lenght 260cm circa, and seems rated for 21-30MHz.

The base of the whip is terminated with a M10 screw (10mm metric), is very easy to find a nut for radio connection. I arrange a quick base with a camera tripod and a piece of wood. I've connected the whip with a wire to my Elecraft T-1 tuner using a 5m wire counterpoise. The antenna needs NO tuner for 21 and 28 MHz, (ok, SWR is not 1:1, but may be acceptable) and with tuner loads in 20, 17 and 12 meters. No way to use this antenna in 7MHz and less. The foto below shows me (left) and Nico "The President" IZ8KTL (right) near antenna, tuner and FT-817 in /P. Many nice QSO with european hams. (TNX to Carmine IK8GYQ for photo)


I've built a more stable support for my whip, I'll show it soon! Stay tuned.

European 10m QSO with a CB Blade antenna

I've found on old CB blade antenna in a ham radio shop, and I've bought it.

The antenna is an Intek KA-27, see details on radiomuseum http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/intek_flexible_mobile_cb_anten.html

I's small (80cm) and cheap (14 euros). The blade is cut for 11m CB band, but had an acceptable SWR on 10m when fed against a short counterpoise (1,5m) and mounted on the front BNC connector of my FT-817. Trying the antenna indoors (near my window pointing to east) I've made several 10m QSO in Italy and east europe (LZ, YO). Nice for a cheap blade!

Fotos and further infos in the next days.