"Refurbish" a 9:1 QRP Balun after 5 years in the Sea Air

I decided to to build a End Fed HF Dipole Antenna in April 2020 during Covid19 Lockdown.  The antenna known as the ZS6U Mini Shack Special Antenna with a 9:1 Magnetic Longwire Balun/Unun.  The article relating to this antenna is available HERE.

I recently decided to take the antenna down to refurbish the balun as it has now been up in die sea air for 5 years and I was sure corrosion was "eating up" the balun.  After taking it down I was quite surprised to see that the balun was still in a very good condition (outside and inside).  See images.  The only part I replaced was the eye bolt and nut.  The bolt was lightly rusted and could have lasted another 5 years, however I decided to replace the eye bolt.  The only other part that I replaced was a nut that came loose on one of the connecting bolts to which the counter poise was connected.  The lock washer did not lock and in turn the bolt would turn around when tightening the wing nut.  I replaced the nut with a lock-nut and this solved that problem.  I installed the new eye bolt and nut and the balun was ready to be put up again.

The red cabinet has a watertight seal that keeps rain water out but I again sealed the unit with silicon to keep it water tight. 

I also decided to measure the "SWR and Impedance" of the 9:1  Balun with my NanoVNA.  Although this is not the correct way to do it, it gives me some indication that the Balun is working.  Let's call the measurement a fault finding mission.  I used a 270 Ohm resistor accross the connecting points and obtained the readings as depicted in the images.

Finally:  This QRP balun served me well since 2020 and is now ready to use for another 5 years.

Images:  Click on images for larger view.

SSTV Experiment - World Space Week 2025 - ARISS Series 29 - Period: 3-9 October 2025

October 4, 2025 — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces an SSTV event to be held this week in recognition of the 68th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first satellite, Sputnik-1 on October 4, 1957. This event will feature 12 images that will be transmitted at 145.800 MHz using SSTV mode PD120.

The operation times are as follows and are tentative:

Oct. 3 Start time: 12:20 UTC / 08:20 AM ET

Oct. 9 End time: around 7:30 UTC / 3:30 AM ET

(Expect interruptions due to scheduled ARISS educational contacts.)

For submitting your received images

Go to https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/ to submit your decodes. Check the box after submis-sion to the SSTV gallery for an award certificate. You must submit your decodes and your re-quest for an award certificate within 72 hours after SSTV event transmissions end. Certificates are delivered via email (watch your spam folder).

For more information about the ARISS SSTV Award Certificate, go to https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ .

Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS.

 Why download SSTV images from the ISS?

Every radio amateur that participate set his/her own goals and has a reason for participating in the experiment.  Unfortunately I do not have all the information on hand why some radio amateurs download images.  

World Wide Participation Statistics:

Herewith some images (Click on images to enlarge)

Steyn Truter ZS1STE -  Klein Brak River

 

Gerrit Klopper ZS1KLO - Rheebok

Rulhof vd Merwe ZS4RM - Bloemfontein

Christi Grobbelaar ZS4CGR -  Luchoff

Jacobus de Jager ZS1JDJ - Aberdeen

Bernie Wentzel ZR1ACP - Agulhas

Francois Joubert ZS1Q - George

WSPR - An Introduction for Beginners / Can you make a SSB or CW contact using WSPR?

 

 

 

Constructing a WSPR Beacon to monitor propagation conditions from the Southern Cape (Part 1)

Now why would one setup a WSPR Beacon in the Southern Cape?  

A WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) beacon is set up to transmit low-power signals to monitor global radio wave propagation paths over extended periods, providing data to visualize which radio bands are open and how they are performing

. It's used by amateur radio operators to study atmospheric conditions, test antennas, identify optimal bands for communication, and contribute to a global database of propagation information without requiring manual operation. 

Key Reasons to Set Up a WSPR Beacon

• Propagation Analysis: WSPR allows you to see how your signal travels, identifying which bands are open and in which directions, and when they are most active.
• Antenna Testing and Optimization: By observing where your signals are received, you can evaluate the performance of your antennas and determine their best orientation.
• Band Condition Monitoring: You can view which bands are closed and which are open, giving you insight into atmospheric and ionospheric conditions affecting radio waves.
• Global Network Contribution: Your beacon's data feeds into a central database at WSPRnet.org, helping to build a consistent, long-term record of global propagation for all interested users.
• Low-Power Operation: WSPR is a "weak signal" mode, designed for low-power, unattended operation, making it suitable for experimental setups or continuous monitoring.
• Automated Operation: The software allows for automated transmissions, where the beacon can run for days or longer with minimal manual intervention, even using band hopping.
• Research and Experimentation: WSPR is ideal for research projects, such as studying the long-term effects of solar activity on ionospheric conditions, with accessible components like Arduino and common accessory boards.

 As can be seen from the above there is quite a few reasons for setting up a WSPR Beacon.  

In December 2024 I decided to purchase a Ultimate 3S QRSS/WSPR Beacon Kit produced by QRP Labs.  Locally the kit was purchased from RadioWinkel in Johannesburg.  Needless to say that the kit arrived promptly and was placed in "safe storage" until September 2025 when I decided to build the kit.  Nearly a year later the beacon kit was assembled, setup and tested on the air.  I experienced no issues to build the kit and it works flawlessly.  The manuals for this kit is of great use if you follow the instructions you will be successful in getting the beacon on the air.  I build the kit into a project cabinet which was also in "safe storage" for a very long time.  After calibrating the unit and satisfied that everything was working I opted to purchase and install the OLG2 GPS Receiver kit also from QRP Labs. 

I am not going to explain how I constructed the kit as there are more than enough photos and videos in this article that reflects the building of both these kits.

Particulars of the ZS1I Ultimate 3S Beacon:

• Call: ZS1I
• Freq.: 7.038 600 Mhz
• Band:  40 Meters (7 Mhz)
• Grid:  KF15BT
• Power:  250 mW
• Mode: W-2  (WSPR2)
• Antenna:  EFHW (49:1 Balun)
• TX Period:  Every 10 Minutes
  

In Part 2 we will be looking at the functioning and operating of the beacon as well as reports received and stations that spotted the beacon.

In Part 3 we will be looking at the purpose of the beacon and why build such a beacon.  40 Meters is not going to be the band of choice for this project. 

Images:  Click on images for larger view.

Videos: