Steve M0BPQ
@m0bpq.bsky.social
Steve's ham radio tweets. What can I break today?
Fire in the hole! - Ive been given this to repair. I won't embarrass the manufacturer or owner......
October 24, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Fire in the hole! - Ive been given this to repair. I won't embarrass the manufacturer or owner......
I'm speaking tomorrow at the RSGB convention on behalf of ARDC. Swing by to say hello if you are free! rsgb.services//public/even...
rsgb.services
October 11, 2025 at 9:03 PM
I'm speaking tomorrow at the RSGB convention on behalf of ARDC. Swing by to say hello if you are free! rsgb.services//public/even...
Bloody bloody pst61d rotator is dead *again*. It was rebuilt about 15 months ago and I’ve taken it off the tower today and the pot is covered in rust. It’s like a 1980s Alpha Romeo…..
October 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Bloody bloody pst61d rotator is dead *again*. It was rebuilt about 15 months ago and I’ve taken it off the tower today and the pot is covered in rust. It’s like a 1980s Alpha Romeo…..
My final radio job was to replace the active device in a 2m MHP. Imagine my surprise to find spiral cracks in the coax between the antenna and the preamp. Guess this is fake LMR 400 then!
September 21, 2025 at 7:10 PM
My final radio job was to replace the active device in a 2m MHP. Imagine my surprise to find spiral cracks in the coax between the antenna and the preamp. Guess this is fake LMR 400 then!
My OB16-3 has been miss behaving so I finally made and fitted a choke to replace the so239 that’s caused issues previously. Invoked a bolt snapping and redrilling and tapping news holes. But that didn’t fix it! 1/
September 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
My OB16-3 has been miss behaving so I finally made and fitted a choke to replace the so239 that’s caused issues previously. Invoked a bolt snapping and redrilling and tapping news holes. But that didn’t fix it! 1/
Here’s the feed point of an optibeam yagi. The rusted screws go through the square transmission lines and I suspect into the element. How to I get them out? I’m nervous about drilling them and not being able to put something else in.
September 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Here’s the feed point of an optibeam yagi. The rusted screws go through the square transmission lines and I suspect into the element. How to I get them out? I’m nervous about drilling them and not being able to put something else in.
I needed a replacement part for my Heil headset. It was $70 inc shipping from the US so i 3D printed one. Had to unclog the nozzle, realign the carriage and update octopi, but printer working better than ever now!
September 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I needed a replacement part for my Heil headset. It was $70 inc shipping from the US so i 3D printed one. Had to unclog the nozzle, realign the carriage and update octopi, but printer working better than ever now!
After a few months of building work, I’m starting to reinstall a remote shack. Still need to replace those ceiling tiles though!
June 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
After a few months of building work, I’m starting to reinstall a remote shack. Still need to replace those ceiling tiles though!
Reposted by Steve M0BPQ
I'm from before the internet
June 28, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I'm from before the internet
Some progress today on my low cost 2.3,3.4 and 5.6GHz set ups. The plastic enclosures are flexing so alignment isn’t perfect and 28V supply for 13cm pa is dead. Hope to have a few contacts in the RSGB UKAC this month
June 15, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Some progress today on my low cost 2.3,3.4 and 5.6GHz set ups. The plastic enclosures are flexing so alignment isn’t perfect and 28V supply for 13cm pa is dead. Hope to have a few contacts in the RSGB UKAC this month
Second time lucky! 3D printed box for four way coax relay and PTT to enable microwave band transverter switching.
June 13, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Second time lucky! 3D printed box for four way coax relay and PTT to enable microwave band transverter switching.
3D printed a box for this relay and some rca sockets to allow easy switching of microwave band tvtrs. Fits great, if the relay is on the outside. Doh! V2 printing now. I even printed a thin test to check hole position before going all in……
June 9, 2025 at 6:35 PM
3D printed a box for this relay and some rca sockets to allow easy switching of microwave band tvtrs. Fits great, if the relay is on the outside. Doh! V2 printing now. I even printed a thin test to check hole position before going all in……
Spent a few hours riding off road with my boys today strava.app.link/DSrFV1Q2ISb this table top looks much bigger (and scarier) when you are on it!
April 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Spent a few hours riding off road with my boys today strava.app.link/DSrFV1Q2ISb this table top looks much bigger (and scarier) when you are on it!
Reposted by Steve M0BPQ
Only radio operators can gather in a field, stare up at the sky, and be completely mesmerized—not by the stars, but by the antennas! ⭐📡
The radio club #OZ7SKB visited #OZ5E to admire the impressive antenna farm and the well-equipped operations house.
#HamRadio
#AntennaGoals
The radio club #OZ7SKB visited #OZ5E to admire the impressive antenna farm and the well-equipped operations house.
#HamRadio
#AntennaGoals
April 3, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Only radio operators can gather in a field, stare up at the sky, and be completely mesmerized—not by the stars, but by the antennas! ⭐📡
The radio club #OZ7SKB visited #OZ5E to admire the impressive antenna farm and the well-equipped operations house.
#HamRadio
#AntennaGoals
The radio club #OZ7SKB visited #OZ5E to admire the impressive antenna farm and the well-equipped operations house.
#HamRadio
#AntennaGoals
New (to me) amplifier set up. Looking forward to trying it out!
March 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
New (to me) amplifier set up. Looking forward to trying it out!
Well that’s certainly blown. No electrical testing needed there!
March 8, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Well that’s certainly blown. No electrical testing needed there!
My cw practice by the pool is getting better. The last one was correct but I did t log it fast enough to count. It’s
Becoming much more intuitive.
Becoming much more intuitive.
March 5, 2025 at 8:50 PM
My cw practice by the pool is getting better. The last one was correct but I did t log it fast enough to count. It’s
Becoming much more intuitive.
Becoming much more intuitive.
I’ve been watching various people like @mm0opx.bsky.social and @hb9vqq.bsky.social using different rx loop configurations/sizes. I have a spare @m1geo WGL so can test vs my existing 1m WGL. What’s the theory behind the choices? I’ll sacrifice high bands for better 160/80 performance.
March 4, 2025 at 7:07 AM
I’ve been watching various people like @mm0opx.bsky.social and @hb9vqq.bsky.social using different rx loop configurations/sizes. I have a spare @m1geo WGL so can test vs my existing 1m WGL. What’s the theory behind the choices? I’ll sacrifice high bands for better 160/80 performance.
I want to build some filters from the mini-kits.com.au site, but my order isn't big enough to meet his threshold for shipping here. Is there a mail forwarding service in Australia I could use?
February 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I want to build some filters from the mini-kits.com.au site, but my order isn't big enough to meet his threshold for shipping here. Is there a mail forwarding service in Australia I could use?
What kind of connector is this? The mating socket on the PCB is damaged!
February 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
What kind of connector is this? The mating socket on the PCB is damaged!
I building stuff for a new remote site and this time I can learn from all the mistakes at GB2GP! Today I made a gm3sek mains filter
February 2, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I building stuff for a new remote site and this time I can learn from all the mistakes at GB2GP! Today I made a gm3sek mains filter
Well done to the Camb Hams for winning RSGB AFS Phone despite my contribution....... I came 20th in the individual rankings. I have much to learn!
January 27, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Well done to the Camb Hams for winning RSGB AFS Phone despite my contribution....... I came 20th in the individual rankings. I have much to learn!
Currently printing an ice-cone qo-100 feed. Im not sure if it needed supports, so added one anyway to make sure the print completes. How can I protect against UV? Normally I spray PETG antenna parts, but does the paint attentuate 10GHz?
January 24, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Currently printing an ice-cone qo-100 feed. Im not sure if it needed supports, so added one anyway to make sure the print completes. How can I protect against UV? Normally I spray PETG antenna parts, but does the paint attentuate 10GHz?
It was the rsgb affiliated societies contest yesterday. Had to remember how to do SSB for four hours! No where near the top and I need to set up for SO2R to do that. Sorry if I didn’t recognise your short contest call!
January 19, 2025 at 12:07 PM
It was the rsgb affiliated societies contest yesterday. Had to remember how to do SSB for four hours! No where near the top and I need to set up for SO2R to do that. Sorry if I didn’t recognise your short contest call!