A Portable HF Digital Station

More notes - to be polished soon.

The 'project' is done.  I wanted to get a handle on the equipment I had and how to use it.  Also to get an idea of where to go next.

I used the good laptop.  The goal was to learn the tools not do battle with a minimal system.  That comes later.   For now I'm assuming that if I have to go - I'll be taking the good laptop and the yellow toolbox of portable radio equipment.

The learns would seem to be obvious:

• Most important is to spend time with the system.  Using the hardware and software is the only way to really learn it.
• The low power, 2.5W, is useable but marginal.   It can work the world but only during optimum band conditions.
• A tuner is a good thing.  The new automatic tuners really take up the slack for a non-resonant marginal antenna.
• External Radio Interface that has a built in sound card with a single USB cable is the way to go.
• Computer control of the radio is much better than not...
• ... more soon.

A new project will be started today to fill in the missing pieces of this go-box setup.   Missing pieces include hardware such as a self supporting antenna, an amplifier and more experience with the software tools.

For the next generation:

• JT65-HF for simple QSO's and minimal information exchange
• WSPR for system propagation testing
• Self supporting antenna with a handy way to station it outside.
• Need a connection to a messaging system.   WL2K, APRS, PSKEmail?
• CW - just for fun?   Need a CW key interface?
• Self hosting battery that charges from 12v auto, local AC mains or even Solar.

Initial write up notes...

The Rig
* FT-817ND
* Tigertronics USB
* HP Laptop.  Vista.  Lots of CPU, RAN, Disk.
* ZL11 autotuner -> Elecraft T1
* 40/30 fan dipole

The Software
* VOAProp - notes:  Learned:  r-click to set location.  click to draw line on chart then hit button to "Show Chart" to get time of day effective reports to that area.  For example I just clicked on La Par.  Best of the chart shows S3 at 22Z on 21 MHz.
* FLDIGI
* JT65-HF
* APRS-Messenger

Learned.
* Need better antenna
* Web results good.  (save some pictures)
* WSPR for unattended.