To be updated. Posted in error!
5 Jan 2025
Doctor reveals what you'll see when you die - according to science - NOT amateur radio
This video was see on YouTube earlier. I had a cardiac arrest in 2013. Many with a religious faith will expect some kind of life after death.
10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)
My 500mW beacon was turned on at about 0915z. So far, 2 stations spotting me.
UPDATE 1205z: 15 stations have spotted me. The maps is from WSPRrocks by Phil VK7JJ.
UPDATE 1920z: 40 stations have spotted me today. See table.
UPDATE 2014z: QRT.
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My QMX+ was turned on at about 0915z. A 0925z just 2 English stations spotted.
UPDATE 2014z: QRT.
Amateur radio in the 1950s
After WW2 many people used surplus military equipment as this was plentiful . These were the days when many built their own gear and there were no Japanese transceivers. Most people used AM.
23cm beacons
My nearest 23cm beacon is (I think) GB3DUN (66km) on Dunstable Downs.
From home in the shack I can only use a 6ele PCB antenna firing out of the shack window. With the leaves off the trees, now is probably a good time to see if I can receive it.
It is very much an obstructed path.
This is a useful distance and bearing calculator if you know the Maidenhead 6 figure grid for both the TX and RX. See https://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/showdis .
Chocolate box village - NOT amateur radio
At one time they were probably worker's hovels. How times change.
Wet string antennas
Yesterday I mentioned using the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna on 80m. It worked remarkably well.
I came across this video on YouTube showing someone using a coat hanger antenna on 10m. As long as the antenna is properly matched to the rig with an ATU, you may be surprised.
If you do not have an antenna for a certain band do not give up. I am sure such compromise antennas would be down on a "proper" antenna, but do not be too surprised if it works quite effectively.
Some have used wires in their plastic guttering down-pipe or a flagpole. You may be amazed just how well such hidden antennas work.
4 Jan 2025
Faroe Is - NOT amateur radio
The year of 23cm?
I bought my 2W transverter with a view to using it in the RSGB activity contests (UKAC) when out /P last year, but the weather put me off, so maybe I shall try again in 2025.
Also I have an SDR receiver that is better suited to beacon hunting. 23cm (for me) would be a new challenge. Since buying the 23cm transverter, it has hardly been used.
10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)
My QRP 10m WSPR beacon is on again, but again no spots. I suspect there is a problem uploading spots as I know it is working and time is synced.
UPDATE 1545z: Whatever was wrong seems to have been fixed as my little beacon is being spotted by 39 stations with furthermost ZD7GB (7607km).
UPDATE 2035z: QRT.
The home of horseracing - NOT amateur radio
Newmarket is world famous as the home of horseracing. These horses have just returned from exercising on "The Gallops" nearby.
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
Today, I am back on QRP 6m FT8 with the QMX+. At 1043z 6 English stations had spotted me.
UPDATE 1418z: 13 stations have spotted me, all in the British Isles.
UPDATE 2025z: QRT.
Wet string next time on 80m FT8?
In the last 12 hours I was spotted by 184 stations despite just running a few watts of 80m FT8 from my QMX+ to the coax up to my 2m big-wheel antenna via an ATU.
On 80m FT8 RX 629 stations were spotted here. See the map of stations received.
Hence my title! If this works anything will.
3 Jan 2025
Back on QRP 80m FT8 (Friday)
At the moment I am back on 80m QRP FT8 with my QMX+ and the coax up to my 2m big-wheel as the antenna, tuned via an ATU.
Lots of spots already from across Europe. See map to see where I am being spotted.
I am surprised how effective this "Heath Robinson" antenna is on 80m.
Christmas shadow - NOT amateur radio
This time, time has seemed to fly by. I expect in what seems like 5 minutes it will seem like Christmas again!
The Times (UK) on YouTube - NOT amateur radio
Trying to keep abreast of world affairs I get The Knowledge by email free every day and watch TimesRadio on YouTube most days, also free.
It is important to get news from multiple sources as just one source often has bias. Here in the UK The Guardian newspaper is very left wing politically and the Daily Mail very right wing.
The video below is an example of news from TimesRadio.
Australia - NOT amateur radio
10m QRP FT8 (Friday)
As I got zero spots on 10m QRP WSPR, I have now gone on 10m QRP FT8 with my QMX+. Immediately I received 17 spots including one from the USA in the first minute!
80m QRP FT8 (Friday)
80m the easy way
In the last day my QRP 80m FT8 has been spotted by 58 stations across Europe using just the outer of the coax up to my 2m big-wheel tuned with my ATU. 355 stations have been spotted on RX from across the world on 80m FT8 RX.
80m QRP overnight
2 Jan 2025
30m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
Just to show it works, I tuned the coax outer and ATU up on 30m.
Just because a match can be obtained it does not guarantee efficiency. The ATU may be very inefficient and the antenna may be firing the signal right up!
What it does show is that almost anything can be matched with a suitable ATU, but this does not mean it will work well.
40m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
After the immediate success on 80m FT8, I have now QSYed to 40m FT8 using the coax to my2m big-wheel antenna via the ATU.
It would seem any band within the ATU range would be workable with this setup.
80m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
8m - am I losing my enthusiasm?
It is some time since I went on 8m FT8, preferring to concentrate on 6m FT8 instead. Both in 2024 and 2023 my few watts to a low dipole were enough to reach the USA, Canada, South Africa and the Caribbean as well as all over Europe and into Asia. On 6m QRP FT8 I have reached the USA and Canada by F2 this autumn.
If I can do it with just a few watts and low dipole, a station with more power and a small beam at moderate height would find it much easier.
Stations have worked thousands of miles with just 10mW under ISM rules at 8m. The band would get far more F2 openings than 6m. For Es and MS, I would not expect much difference. Certainly if more countries had 8m available there would be more interest.
When my current 8m TX permit expires in the summer, I do not think it is worth me renewing it. My purpose was to find out what was possible with QRP. I think I now know.
Time for a new challenge!
Does QRP SSB really work?
DXCC with 10W SSB was worked here on 10m back in the 1980s, so DX is rarely chased these days. Interesting to see this video comparing 5W to 45W on 40m SSB. There is a difference, but loads of contacts at 5W.
Getting lighter - NOT amateur radio
It has been getting a bit lighter in the evening for some days but it now starts to get lighter in the mornings too.
Psychologically this marks an important turning point for me with lighter days ahead. It is slow at first. We are heading in the right direction!
Desk calendar in shack
Every year I create a shack desk calendar which, in the main, has photos of where I came from in South Devon, UK.
The clock to the back is a radio clock that someone very generously bought me which allows time synchronisation without a PC.
Failed 630m WSPR experiment
Yesterday and overnight I tried 630m WSPR RX using the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna tuned with a ferrite rod ATU. Not a single station was spotted!
Either I did something wrong or the WSPR activity is way down.
I might try 160m FT8 today and overnight with the same setup. If the match is good enough I might try 160m FT8 QRP TX.
1 Jan 2025
630m WSPR RX
For the first time this season I am on 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX using my coax outer to my 2m big-wheel antenna via a ferrite rod ATU. I intend to remain on until breakfast.
At the moment I cannot TX on the band because of a fault with my Tigertronics USB interface or lead.
If you can TX WSPR on 630m I would appreciate a signal to test all is working.
UPDATE 1805z: No spots.
Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio
This wonderful photo of Ely Cathedral (the ship of the Fens) was recently posted.
Over the top? - NOT amateur radio
I imagine you could find it by looking for the glow in the sky!
Just think of the neighbours and the electricity bill!
Solar activity in 2024
There is now little doubt that we are at, or just over, the peak of solar cycle 25.
Some were wondering if we would have any sunspots at all, but it turned out to be a decent peak. The E-W F2 MUF exceeded 50MHz several times. At this time in the month I usually check the solar activity.
10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)
My 500mW beacon was turned on at 0812z.
6m QRP FT8 ( Wednesday)
UPDATE 1141z: 8 spots of me so far including one German. See map.
Happy New Year- NOT amateur radio
May I wish all readers a happy and peaceful 2025? The world is a better place when we all help each other with kindness and compassion. The world is a nicer place just one step at a time. I hope health wise you and the people you love have a good year.
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