I think there is a contest as the FT8 chunk is very busy. On RX, 40 stations already spotted and my very brief TX session was spotted by 4 stations.
The photo shows the activity on G0LRD's grabber a little while ago - busy!!
See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/ .
UPDATE 2225z: 118 stations in 9 countries spotted on RX.
You will be pleased to hear that I will get over $360k in my account if I just tell them my bank details.
Oh yes!! ...I am in such a rush to tell them.
Since just after 1200z, I have been on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far, 9 stations have been spotted on RX and 2 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being CU2GI (2575km)
UPDATE 1710z: 17 spots on RX and 4 stations have spotted me on TX.
As my fine motor skills are not as good as they were, I have decided to start with a receiver based on WISPY for 10m FT8 using 14.040MHz crystals pulled very slightly to 14.037MHz and a Polyakov mixer. Polyakov mixers need oscillators running at half the received frequency. This also means the radiated signal from the oscillator is very low.
At some point later, I will extend this to a full FT8 transceiver. The receiver will work with free WSJT-X software running on the PC.
As 10m gets better, the whole world should be spotted on a receiver that is unbelievably simple costing the same as a few drinks out. Of course during the Es season 10m is good out to about 1500km at any point in the sunspot cycle, so this RX may be used at other times too without tying up the "big rig".
We have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
One of the aspects of quantum mechanics that fascinates me is quantum entanglement. According to quantum theory, quantum entanglement suggests that particles completely separated (even at the other ends of the universe) can share something in common. One day, this may be a clue to teleportation. There are aspects of this which are totally weird.
In my view, we still have a lot to learn about physics. Quantum mechanics and relativity seem to be imperfect descriptions and I can imagine in the next 100 years we will find other more integrated, theories that better describe things.
In 100 years you can imagine our descendants looking back at our theories in amazement.
Despite this, it still feels like a village. It has some lovely quiet corners as the photo shows. Here, they have really blended new houses with the old.
Nostalgia time again....
Later, it was replaced by the IC202S. Many still use these today to drive microwave transverters. I used mine on 10m with a homebrewed transverter. It worked some impressive DX with 1W pep on 10m SSB with just a low wire dipole antenna.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/ic202 .
As this is my old website and not maintained, do not follow the links on the left as these are not maintained.
Every month OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" with the latest statistics it holds. See the OFCOM website for more details.
Although I am as guilty as others for not using the band as often as I once did, I have created a webpage about 2m operation on my main G3XBM website. 2m is a good, but much under-used, band.
Yesterday evening and overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 9 stations were spotted with the furthermost being EA4GHB (1300km).
At 2000z this evening is the March leg of the 2m UKAC activity contest run by the RSGB. Although the contest runs for 2.5 hours I usually stop on for less than an hour with my 10W, poor voice and omni antenna.
It is not like most contests - it is fun and activity is usually very high on SSB. With conditions likely to be good tonight, you may want to give it a go.
Although I usually submit a score, you do not have to. Exchange is just report, serial number and QTH locator e.g. 59012, IO91FB.
In the end 11 QSOs made before I had to go QRT.
At the moment I am on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. 17m FT8 is usually quite good and is often open when I go on during the day.
So far, just a single spot on RX of TA2UIL (2826km) and nobody spotting me on TX.
UPDATE 1116z: 28 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost 5Z4VJ (6858km) in Kenya. Still no spots of me on TX.
UPDATE 1140z: 41 stations spotted on RX and 2 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being RA3BE (2437km).
Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 0. A=26 and K=4. Pretty poor again.
This evening I am on 630m WSPR RX from about 2045z. So far this evening, 3 stations spotted with furthermost LA8AV (1012km). Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
I am keen to have a go at this, but fear my energy levels and fine motor skills may not be up to it these days. Years ago, this would have been trivial for me.
Imagine, working the whole world on a very simple rig, low cost, smaller than a pack of cards that you have built yourself!
I just hope QRPguys take this further and do a kit. It would be so popular that someone has to do it.
As 15m seemed pretty quiet here, I have QSYed to 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. It is now 1358z. So far, just 2 stations spotted on RX and nobody has spotted me on QRP TX yet.
UPDATE 1445z: 9 stations spotted on RX with furthermost E21EIC (9481km) in Thailand. Nobody has yet spotted me on QRP 17m FT8 TX.
If you use over 10W, the new OFCOM rules on EMF may apply to you, especially if you are investigated over complaints by neighbours. As a QRP man, I am not bothered!
If you have a big tower, beam and full power you may have issues. You have to show that people can't be harmed by excessive EMF. If I had my way, all UK licencees would be limited to 100W, or even 10W!
See the OFCOM website for more details.
I quite like the Eire approach. In Eire, amateurs have access to much of the Band 1 spectrum. Why not grant all UK radio amateurs access to big chunks of spectrum at, say, 100mW ERP on a strictly non-interference basis? If you cause interference you get closed down, otherwise carry on. Oh silly me, this requires people with brains!!
Personally, I'd like access to some VLF spectrum and 40MHz. I guess the main issue is military access. I still don't understand why so much UK spectrum is reserved for the military when most is unused for most of the time. Views?
It is now 1050z. Today, I am on 15m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. So far, 7 stations spotted on RX and 1 spot of my QRP on TX by SV1HAB (2412km).
UPDATE 1211z: With just 8 stations spotted on RX and just 1 spot of me on TX, I may QSY to 17m FT8.
My favourite website for solar data is usually updated early each month. Often this is on the 1st or 2nd of the month. Included, usually, is a forecast of the climb towards the next solar peak. It is worth checking.
Inspired by "Hot Iron" edited by Peter Thornton GW6NGR I see reference to Rick Andersen KE3JJ. He has several very simple designs on his site.
See http://www.ke3ij.com/ .
Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 13. A=6 and K=6.
It is hard to think we are in March already. According to the UK Met Office we are now in spring. The Es season is only a few months away now.
My 2013 stroke left me outwardly looking fine, but it has had a lasting impact on me. Before I was quite active and healthy, but these days things are far harder.
In many ways I am more fortunate than many. My voice is poor and driving, and being driven, is far harder. A few years ago I could drive 300 miles to Devon. Even 10 miles is hard these days.
As an experiment I tried to join the CDARC (Cambridge club) 80m net this morning with my 2.5W and the earth-electrode antenna. Although I had no problem hearing people, I could not be heard. My noise level is very low on this antenna, but I needed more power to overcome noise others were probably suffering.
The SWR is too high for the auto-ATU on my FT991A. It just says "High VSWR" and gives up. On the FT817ND it works fine.
Often the skies are amazing and the land watery. My wife took this photo a few days ago.
One of my ideas is for an ultra simple crystal controlled FT8 transceiver for 10m probably. Another option is 15m. Crystals can be quite expensive, but bought in quantity the price comes way down.
My health rather precludes me designing and building one these days, but I would be more than happy to share my ideas with anyone who could take this on seriously. Ideally, a PCB could be made as a simple kit.
In my mind this could be a really simple rig that would be able to work the world very soon once 10m really gets going. Don't forget that 10m is always good in the Es season at any part of the solar cycle. Even very low power FT8 would get all across the world. 10m is an excellent band with small antennas and QRP. I can imagine such rigs being incredibly simple and low cost. In this version I used a 2N3866 PA, but I would use paralleled 2N3904s as these are far less expensive. For greater TX power, further 2N3904s PAs could be paralleled with low value emitter resistors. This is a very low cost way of getting useful output.
Very few controls are necessary, probably none! It would need a BNC connector and probably something to show it is on RX or TX. I can imagine it fitting in a low cost, small, plastic box.
QRPguys are offering something similar on lower frequencies. Maybe they will offer higher frequencies later as the sunspot cycle gathers pace?
See https://qrpguys.com/ .
UPDATE 2020z: Steve G1KQH has told me of some low cost crystals that would certainly work: https://kc9on.com/product/14mhz-hc49u-tall-crystals/
156 stations in 9 countries spotted by teatime.
UPDATE 2250z: QRT.
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