Reading this very useful and detailed post from fellow blogger KA7OEI. 

https://ka7oei.blogspot.com/2024/06/reducing-qrm-interference-from-renogy.html

I extended my solar energy production with 5 extra solarpanels a while ago. It really was a bargain getting these as I bought the 260Wp panels at a cost of €50 (€10 per panel) from a colleague. The inverter was searched for on the dutch internet marketplace and I bought one for another €50. Most of the costs were the mounting rails, wiring and the #31 ferrite to make shure no RFI would reach my antennas. The last items were an additional €300. 

The open line of the inverted-V doublet is just about 1,5 meter above the solarpanels. I even got a quarter wave CB antenna near the panels to listen to some chats on CB when in the garage. I really did take all precautions to make shure I would not have any RF coming from the inverter or the panels. On the pic at the right you see that I used big #31 FT240 ferrite rings in both AC and DC lines. The earth wire is fitted with a big #31 snap-on ferrite. DC wires are mostly fitted in earthed Alu tubes were possible. Everything is earthed to a central earth point, the tubes, the mounting frames and the inverter.

https://ferrite-shop.com/prevent-solar-panel-interference/?v=796834e7a283

For Dutch readers it could be interesting to read the Dutch Telecom recommendation:

https://www.rdi.nl/onderwerpen/tips/voorkom-storingen-door-zonnepanelen

Well, I don't have any RFI from my own solarsystems. I see QRM in the waterfall of my IC-7300 from my neighbours solarsystem on 50MHz. Just to be shure it isn't my own I checked when I switch my own systems off. Of course there was no change, the QRM stays there and is not from my property for shure. Luckily the QRM is only there when I turn my beam over their house.

The 5 solarpanels harvested 165 KWh in less then 2 months. Approx 3 Kwh average per day. It is not much but anything helps. The system can be extended easily when I find another 5 or 6 secondhand solarpanels.

The EA642ZB7, at the background my tower...

  I finished the EA642ZB7 for now. Not completely satisfied about the construction. But it is certainly a lot better compared to the build originally. This is a very small 3 band antenna. Ideal for someone that hasn't much room around the house. I think the 50MHz and 70MHz part will be working great. 145MHz will be less efficient compared to a monoband beam. But hey, when you haven't got the space it is good enough. You will not notice that 1 or 2dB less.

When I look at the picture at the right I realize now that it looks like I have a gigantic beam halfway my tower when you look at it from a distance. Imagine....

Originally I think the 50mm mast clamp is mounted right at the boom. I didn't like the idea of just one mast clamp, the manufacturer did of course because it is cost effective. I did make my own with 2x 50mm mast clamps. By the way, I've only used scrap aluminium from old antenna projects in this "upgrade". I'm not intending to keep this antenna for my own but sell it to someone that is really interested in it.

I mentioned the balun earlier. Personally I would use better coax on it. But since the PL chassis seems to be glued into the alu tube I can't replace it. The coax used is RG58 and there are 11 windings on the tube which has a diameter of about 20mm. And yes, it is mounted with ty-raps, that's the way also described in the manual.

SWR/resonance is good on all bands. Initially SWR on 70MHz was best at almost 72MHz. Bending the 70MHz open sleeve "dipole" ends towards the 50MHz dipole corrected this a lot. SWR on 145 is at best 1,5:1. Could get better when the antenna is mounted free and at height.

Some pics:

2m resonance point?

Remote Ham Radio in the USA has opened their FT8/FT4 skimmer for all 31 locations to the public for free.

https://skimmer.remotehamradio.com/

 As always....work first worry later...

The picture on the left shows some mods on the boom. Radials are all cleaned. Ready to mount everything.

More tests this photo at the right shows some details. Fitting the isolation for the dipole feed. 

I called John with CW on the computer. John came back to me....then my computer/radio locked on TX. A moment of panic followed. The only thing I could do was switch off the radio since even the TX off button didn't do anything. Trying to shut down all software and switch back the radio on didn't do the trick, radio did still transmit. In the end I got it back on receive and John was still calling. I had to try with the paddle. Unfortunately I had the radio set on "full break in" which was not really what I wanted. But at the time John came back to me I was shaking to much and decided to make the best of it. I tried to send "TU JOHN" but the paddle didn't do what I wanted, or was it my brain? At least I could send him a standard 599 report and the 73 sign so it is a valid contact. I'm sorry for the inconvenience John, if you read this, it was not what I wanted for my first real CW QSO. But at least it is valid...

 Incredible midnight propagation to the Caribbean...

FT8 is a strange mode. I catched 7Q6M before but didn't get RR73. So I tried to give him a report and R-17 was send back to me as you can see in the screenshot. Strange thing is that 2 others saw 7Q6M giving R-15 to me. Does it make FT8 suspicious?

Although I didn't receive the 73 the QSO is valid and in the log. Stupid, I made this screenshot after I returned to 6m. But the QSO is made on 4m for shure.

 I couldn't resist to open the filters (low pass and balun) I recently bought at the radiorally. The balun is not really a filter, or is it? It filters common mode radiation from the coax though. 

Not really anything special. A FT240 ferrite ring wound the classic way with 50 Ohm teflon coax. Made something similair myself in the past.  And I think I proved that it worked. Choice of ferrite is important just like the number of windings. The ON7FU filter/choke is well made.

The military low pass filter, or is it a pass band filter, was more difficult to open. I didn't trust this filter because something was rattling inside like something was loose and not right. The casing can not be opened with screws. It looked like a solid iron box but somehow I opened it without damaging the filter.

I really don't know exactly how they made this casing. I estimate that the filter is made around 1950-1960. The loose part was just a piece of solder. It looks like the backside was soldered to the filter compartiments. Not shure how I'm going to close it again, have to think about it.

The question is if it is legal? So far I can only find that Italian HAMs are allowed to transmit on 4m till 31 Dec. 2023. Several Italian HAMs were calling on 4m FT8 today and I worked IZ0TTG on SSB.

6m brought in some Japan and South Korea this morning.

 ...Slowly it goes...

Thanks to PF5T Frank who I met personally last Saturday on the radiorally. I started sending CW using the method Chuck Adams K7QO recommends in this document here:

Of course it is handy to see what he means. There are a lot of videos about it. One of it can be seen here:

https://youtu.be/ZdzjvIk_aY0?feature=shared

Some people tell me it is more important to learn decode CW first and send the code later. But I find that sending morse with the paddle learns me to faster copy the letters at the LCWO lessons. I think everyone has their own method of learning. The method I try now suits me well, I have fun and notice I get better everyday.

Is it time to make my first CW QSO? Well, I'm afraid not....or am I just afraid?

Update 31-May: 

I can now continue with the next speed level....28wpm/10wpm effective.

These days you can buy everything HAM radio, even worldwide! But you cannot buy the knowledge, you can't buy headcopy CW. You have to learn yourself and that's what makes this a excellent challenge in this beatiful radio hobby.

Back to buying stuff. I bought some things less important. You know, ferrite clamps, small meters, tiny 1 euro thingies. We noticed that prices went lower at the and when everyone packed to go. 

It was actually rainy weather this morning. And some of the things for sale went wet. It was in a box full of old baluns that I found a wet white box, a little sticky as well, with a piece of coax sticking out. I could barely read what it was but saw the call of famous Belgian balun builder ON7FU and hexbeam balun. From what I've seen on the internet these are good quality baluns and have a very high power rating. Bought it for 2 euro only! Cleaned it a little for the picture, it didn't look that white when I bought it. But it was actually a real bargain I think as they are 139 euro new. Although the text on it reads not to open the box I'm curious what is actually inside.... Oh yes, I am a experimental radio hobbyist.....I will open it :-)

Another thing I walked by a couple of times is a band pass/low pass filter for 6m and 4m. A military type of filter. I'm not able to find any info or specs on the internet. The seller assured me I could also transmit through it. Might not need it but it intrigued me. I could not resist buy it in the end...

Does anyone know any specs of this filter? I cannot find anything about the Welex electronics company as well...

 I don't know what it is to you readers of this blog? But receiving a direct QSL is special to me. It doesn't happen often. May be once in a few years. But today I received this nice QSL from AE2JL.

Detail, details... I think Joel loves poststamps as well. Never seen a round poststamp in my life. And I have been a poststamp collector when I was younger and before I became a HAM. So I've seen many poststamps... The QSL, an image of a amateurradio poststamp. And last of all....Joel send me a SASE for the returning QSL with.....dutch poststamps. Well, the returning QSL has been posted and on its way to New Jersey.