18 Sept 2020
Coastal erosion - NOT amateur radio
17 Sept 2020
Return to 20m FT8
At about 1345z, I returned to 20m FT8 using 4W and the indoor loop. So far, in about 12 minutes, 47 stations have been spotted, although no-one yet has spotted me and no QSOs.
UPDATE 1425z: Plenty of DX being spotted with the best being LU4EFC (11336km). 4 continents spotted so far in this session. 88 stations so far spotted this afternoon. 179 stations spotted on 20m FT8 today.
Stations spotted |
Stations spotting me |
2m big-wheel omni antenna
As mentioned in the last post, I use a Wimo big-wheel omni antenna for 2m SSB and FT8. This is horizontally polarised and has a slight gain (2-3dB?) in all directions. It works very well. It was erected some years ago by David G0LRD.
It is also used on 70cms for SSB and FT8.
It suits my operating perfectly as no rotator or beams are needed. It is ideal for FT8 and monthly activity contests on 2m and 70cm SSB. For FM I use a vertical V2000.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/bigwheel
2m FT8 (10W to big-wheel omni antenna)
Cromer church - NOT amateur radio
20m FT8 Thursday (4W to the indoor loop)
At about 0700z, I turned on my 4W 20m FT8 to the tiny indoor loop. The loop is about 0.5m across, made of thin wire (1mm diameter?) and sits on the shack windowsill. It is hardly a great 20m antenna!! So far, after 15 minutes, 14 stations have been spotted and 1 station has spotted me.
UPDATE 0925z: So far, 97 stations spotted with the loop on 20m FT8 RX with the best DX being RV0AR (5577km) in Asiatic Russia. On TX, 6 stations have spotted my 4W (see map).
Yesterday on 20m FT8
A total of 226 stations were spotted with the tiny indoor loop antenna yesterday and 7 stations spotted my 4W. See maps.
16 Sept 2020
20m FT8 (4W and the indoor loop)
As 15m FT8 here was dreadful here, I QSYed to 20m FT8.
Although I did a total reboot of the PC and reset the clock to internet time just now, still nothing on PSKreporter. Locally I am spotting loads of stations.
I wonder if there is a problem, albeit probably temporary, with PSKreporter? My RX and TX spots were fine on 2m FT8 earlier. I am pretty sure the internet connection is fine as I was able to do a time sync.
UPDATE 1506z: 1 spot on TX and 41 on RX now, so all is now fine.
Salthouse beach, Norfolk - NOT amateur radio
15m FT8 with 4W and the indoor loop
Since 1300z, I have been on 15m FT8. No spots given or received yet.
UPDATE 1430z: No spots still on RX or TX. I may try 20m FT8.
Solar Cycle 25
According to spaceweather.com, solar cycle 25 has started. At the moment it is hard to believe as we have had no sunspots for several weeks.
The latest NASA/NOAA predictions show the next cycle just a tiny bit better than the last one. They are forecasting a weak cycle and peak.
See https://www.weather.gov/news/201509-solar-cycle
See also https://blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/
Village magazine - NOT amateur radio
Our political leaders
Certainly in the UK, Russia, Belarus and the USA it would appear our leaders are out of touch with reality. I am not a political animal, but it would help if they were honest. Honesty and the ability to admit mistakes seems in very short supply.
As mentioned before, I find it very hard indeed to find anyone in politics these days who is there for anything other than their vested self interests. We desperately need real leaders with backbone and integrity.
Oh, there's another pig flying by......
Beach Huts - NOT amateur radio
These colourful beach huts were photographed earlier in the week at Sheringham, Norfolk. We spent 5 nights at Sheringham.
2m FT8 (10W and big-wheel omni antenna)
For about an hour I have been on 2m FT8 with 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna. 50 stations in 7 countries have already spotted me. It is now 0955z.
On 2m FT8 RX 36 stations in 6 countries spotted the furthermost being DL3TW (655km) not far from Denmark. One G QSO so far.
UPDATE 1211z: 67 stations in 10 countries have spotted me with 2 QSOs. On RX 57 stations in 8 countries spotted. 2m dead?
Joint Zoom meeting
One of the positives of lockdown is the proof that clubs can come together even though they are miles apart. Someone from the Antrim club mentioned that they had had a speaker from the USA on a recent Zoom meeting.
15 Sept 2020
2m FT8
My 10W to the big-wheel omni on 2m has been spotted by 31 stations already (after about 20 minutes) in 6 countries. So far, just one Welsh station spotted on RX.
Although this could be aircraft scatter, I suspect some other sort of scatter as it seems to work at almost any time.
UPDATE 2140z: 59 stations in 10 countries have spotted my 10W to the big-wheel 2m omni today. Now QRT. Although not shown on PSKreporter, the most distant station copied was in Sweden.
Home again
For the last few days we have been in north Norfolk on holiday. I am about to turn on 2m FT8.
2m activity contest results published
The 2m UKAC activity contest results for September have been published. In the low power section I came 62nd out of 204, despite being on for under an hour with an omni antenna.
Zoom quiz
This evening the Cambridge and Antrim radio clubs are joining forces by Zoom for a quiz at 1830z. This is one of the positives of the current odd times as people are brought together. Certainly I have seen far more lectures by the Cambridge club by Zoom than I would have if I had had to journey into Cambridge at night.
Simple pleasures - NOT amateur radio
When in Norfolk we eat at the Old Reading Room in Kelling. This is a second hand bookshop and tea room. The food is nothing special, but it has been run by the same people for many years. These are simple Norfolk folk who are just themselves. One of the pleasures is it never changes.
14 Sept 2020
Solar predictions
The forecasts for the next solar cycle maximum varies from smaller than the last cycle to a huge high! All we can say is no-one really knows. I hope it is a decent one.
Narrow band TV
We have a very diverse hobby and there is only so much we can enjoy. One of my interests, although I have never tried it, is narrow band TV. This is how the first TV was sent with 30 lines on ordinary radio channels. These days there are digital scan converters to make NBTV from wideband signals. There certainly used to be a net on 80m where NBTV was sent. I suspect there are systems and software that allows NBTV to be watched on a PC.
Warning! NOT amateur radio
This photo appeared as a FB memory today. It is 10 years old. I remember being amused at the time and thinking people at the time would be pleased they did not drink!! :-)
Still no sunspots!
For several weeks now we have had no sunspots. By now I was expecting a few. It is not uncommon for this to happen, but we have seen no significant unturn yet.
13 Sept 2020
Beginning of the end?
According to Southgate News, the Brazilian authorities are considering abolishing all exams for radio amateurs. I think they are treating amateur radio as CB. I can see this happening around the world. From an administrative perspective you can understand that amateur radio is too much hassle.
North Norfolk Railway NOT amateur radio
A walk today took us to Waybourne station on the North Norfolk Railway. This was a 4.4 mile walk though Sheringham Park. We heard steam trains running.
12 Sept 2020
What a long way we've come
Baconsthorpe Castle Norfolk - NOT amateur radio
Just outside the sleepy village of Baconsthorpe in Norfolk is this hidden gem - Baconsthorpe Castle. It is about half a mile north of the village down a tatty farm track. There was hardly anyone there! It is maintained by English Heritage.
Blickling Norfolk - NOT amateur radio
Today we visited Blickling Hall in Norfolk. It is owned by the National Trust and has extensive gardens and a lake.