SunSDR2DX: the minimalist urban setup

Really not much to report – the SunSDR is performing flawlessly. Not a single hiccup. The radio is on at all times, and when I walk in to the shack, I am welcomed with a stream of decoded and an occasional ‘new one’ announcement.

There is one thing that never fails to amuse me: the ability of this SDR radio (and JTDX software) to pull out signals under amazingly strong urban interference. In my case – it’s the fridge. Initially I would simply turn the fridge off while playing radios but after forgetting to turn it on before going to bed, I simply don’t bother anymore. At least not while operating FT8.

Here is a wonderful example from last night: the T32EU expedition. How in the world their signal was decoded under the inverter’s junk is completely beyond me. Those slanted red lines is the fridge; under them T32EU. Yet the contact was completed in two straight exchanges.

You really have to experience the power of FT8 to believe it.

The urban setup DXCC standing is now 112 countries. Over 400 contacts in less than 2 months, all made on 20m band with a simple vertical antenna with two radials and SunSDR set to 75Watts.

No matter how viciously urban your environment is and how little room you have for antennas, you should give it a go. No excuse!

I am not sure if this has been mentioned before, but DXing is an exclusive Expert Electronics dealer for Australia.