The rise of FT8

Looking on John's blog I see the recent Bouvet Island DXpedition did not use SSB on some of the major bands, concentrating on FT8 instead. 

No wonder some bands appear quiet. Because of my poor voice, I use FT8 quite a bit. However, in the long run, I can see few coming into the hobby by just chancing upon radio amateurs. FT8 needs special (free) software. If our hobby is to be there in 20 years' time, we need something else to attract and keep people.

In truth, far smaller amateur bands could accommodate us in future. I know to say this is heresy, but is it true? Personally, I would prefer more, smaller, bands throughout the spectrum for the Amateur Radio Service. In 20 years'time I can see many differences coming.

ICOM's IC-905 microwave transceiver price

MLS has just announced the expected price of the ICOM microwave transceiver , the IC-905. It is expected to be £3549.95.  It covers 2m,70cm, 23cm, 13cm and 6cm. 3cm needs another transverter.

At this price, I really cannot see huge sales.  Remember the GPS receiver and a 10 GHz transverter are extras on top. I cannot see change from £4000. This sort of price is only for the well off. Also, microwave antennas are on top as well!

No, I predict this will flop and be withdrawn within 2 years.

ICOM make some very good products and I really hope I am wrong. Sadly these manufacturers and dealers are, ultimately, in business to made profits. I just cannot see how this will make them money. They will sell a few to the well off, but I cannot see this ever becoming a mass seller.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/icom-ic-905-vhf-uhf-shf-transceiver-deposit-only .

Rose pruning - NOT amateur radio

Just realised that the roses must be pruned! They will soon be growing.

UPDATE 1547z:  Front roses pruned. 

OFCOM updates

 A reminder that OFCOM updates the data it holds every week. Check the OFCOM website for the latest.

Spectran V2

It is many years since I last used this program. It runs under Windows and allows a spectrum view in narrow bandwidths. I used it both for VLF and optical tests. It is now at version 2. It proved very useful in the past. I must download it again.

 See https://www.sdradio.eu/weaksignals/spectran.html

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

At the moment I am on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1258z: No spots. Just switched to second period TX.

UPDATE 1333z:  Still no spots today.

UPDATE 1940z:  Just G9PUV (158km) spotted today. QRT.

Talk ....without the talking

 Next Friday, I am giving a "talk" at the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC). This is a bit of an experiment as I have prepared the slides and someone else is doing the talking. These days, my voice is pathetic!!

CDARC is experimenting with hybrid talks so those of us unable to attend can watch on Zoom. Let's hope there are not too many questions! The talk is entitled, " Fun in Amateur Radio". I have been blessed with over 60 years of fun in the hobby and my greatest wish is that others can have as much fun. We all enjoy our hobby in different ways and that is one of the things that make it great.

10m QRP WSPR (Friday)

 As the 10m antenna is available, I am again on 10m WSPR with my 500mW TX beacon. At 0935z, just a single spot from EA8/DF4UE (2876km).

UPDATE 1237z:  3 unique stations spotting the 10m QRP WSPR today.

UPDATE 1535z: 5 unique stations spotting me today.

UPDATE 1920z:  QRT. 6 unique stations spotted my QRP today. Quite a poor day.

481THz tests

These days I am just too wobbly to do optical tests "out in the field". However Bernie G4HJW has offered to put up an optical beacon so I can see if I can copy it "over the horizon" 10 miles away at my QTH. It is many years since I did optical experiments and this will be a challenge on many levels. 

VLF tests

Years ago I did some drive around tests in my car with an E-field probe on the roof. I was trying to see where my 5W signal could be received. This map shows where it was possible. 

Sunspots - Friday March 3rd 2023

Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 103. A=9 and K=3. 

United Eire? - NOT amateur radio

In the end I can see Eire becoming one nation again. I doubt this will be in my lifetime however. 

The DUP (the Unionists) appear very much in the minority and this will go down further in the years ahead. No, Northern Ireland was a convenient political outcome in the last century and I can see a united Ireland this century. Clearly the DUP need appeasing, but this is the 21st century not a long time ago.

10m QRP WSPR TX

Since mid afternoon, I have been on 10m WSPR with my 500mW beacon. So far, 5 stations have spotted me. I forgot that when on 8m, the 10m antenna is free so that I can use the 10m WSPR TX beacon.

Rallies

 The following rallies have been notified to me. Please check that this information is correct.

*  Saturday March 4th - Lagan Valley ARS. No contact details.

*  Sunday March 5th - Exeter Radio and Electronics Rally.  No contact details.

As I have no contact details, please check on a search engine.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

At 1325z, my 8m QRP FT8 was turned on. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1505z:  Still no spots.

UPDATE 1540z:  ZS6OB (9099km) spotted strongly on 8m FT8, but no spots of me sadly.

UPDATE 1649z:  No spots of me and no further spots on RX.

15m

At the moment 15m is a very useful band. It stays open longer than 10m and with the high sunspot count, it is capable of worldwide DX.  Although many people have migrated to FT8 to chase DX, some may still go on CW.

Back in the mid 1970s I designed the QRP Pipit CW transceiver. For many months it was the only rig used. It worked really well with just a low dipole.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/15m-qrp-cw-pipit.

First grass cut - NOT amateur radio

Just cut the grass for the first time this year. 

More Dalham - NOT amateur radio

This collage shows more of the village of Dalham not far from us. As you can see, it is very attractive. 

Yaesu FT7

My first ever Yaesu rig was the 10W FT7, which I bought second hand in 1979. By modern standards it was big, but it was a great rig, enabling me to work 10m SSB QRP DXCC in the 1980s. Being this old, WARC bands were not included and on 10m, it only covered 500 kHz. 

Later, they brought out a 50W version (the FT7B) that covered all of 10m in 4 switched bands. Synthesizers and memories were in the future, so it had an analogue VFO. The RX was very quiet. It was one of the best rigs I have ever owned.

Several Yaesu rigs have been owned and I like Yaesu products, but feel they lost their way in recent years. Let's really hope they survive.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft7 .

Re-thatching - NOT amateur radio

Thatched cottages need new roofs from time-to-time. They keep houses warm, but new thatch cannot come cheaply. We saw this a few days ago.

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 

Spots of my QRP 10m FT8 to 1035z today

At the moment, I am on 10m FT8. So far 42 stations spotted at 0855z and I have been spotted by 4 stations.

UPDATE 1035z: 166 stations spotted by me and I have been spotted by 22 stations.

UPDATE 1335z:  561 spots of others and 106 spots of me, plus a few QSOs, although I have not called others.

Sunspots - Thursday March 2nd 2023

 Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 105.  A=8 and K=1.

Those royals - NOT amateur radio

Allegedly, according to unconfirmed reports, Harry and Megan have been served an eviction notice on their 10 bedroomed cottage on the Windsor estate. This has been offered to Prince Andrew who lives in a 31 bedroomed house. How hard life must be!!! Just think of the heating costs and the dusting. 😉😉

Solar data updated

My favourite site for solar data has been updated. It still expects solar maximum November this year. If correct, this is very early.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

First car memories - NOT amateur radio

On the way to Cambridge, this Morris 1000 was spotted. As our very first car in 1971 was a green Morris 1000 just like this, it triggered some happy memories.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

At the moment, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. Just 3 stations spotting me. Openings to the USA seem to have dropped off of late.

UPDATE 1535z:  Still just those 3 stations spotting me today on 10m WSPR.

Wicken - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken some years ago at Wicken about 5 km away. 

Sunspots - Wednesday, March 1st 2023

Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 100.  A=28 and K=1.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My QRP 10m WSPR 500mW WSPR beacon was turned on at 1154z.

UPDATE 1211z: Copied by FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion, so it works.

UPDATE 2130z:  A really poor day with spots by just 3 stations

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

After several days absence, I am again on 8m QRP FT8. Conditions on 10m looked promising, so it was worth a go. My 8m FT8 gear on 40.680 MHz was turned on at 1141z. As the USA has not been spotted on 10m FT8, I am not too hopeful of getting "across the pond" on 8m today.

Just remembered! I can go on 10m QRP WSPR TX at the same time with my 500mW beacon.

UPDATE 1407z:   No spots yet on 8m FT8. Interestingly, I had to change my PC. The power on 8m seems to be holding up better over time. This suggests the audio level into the FT817ND was dropping, not the FT817ND losing power as it got warmer.

UPDATE 1454z:  No 8m spots. Nothing seen from the USA on 10m WSPR TX, so I suspect my 8m FT8 QRP stands very little chance now until the Es season starts again.

UPDATE 2120z:  Windows PC has packed up under warranty. So, needs to be fixed or replaced.

Pye Telecom PF8

In the end, we did not sell that many of these at Pye Telecom. It took a lot of time to get to market and, really, it was not worth the effort. It has some innovative ideas for its time: it used a multi-layer PCB (a first at that time), a DC-DC converter (what a nightmare!), an internal antenna, looked before its time like a cellphone, no external parts to break,etc..

It featured on TV in "The Professionals".  

Some were converted to 70cms. They are rare these days and I do not have one! Your best bet is eBay. There is a PDF manual on my website.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/pye-pf8 .

Solar conditions

The sunspot count remains respectably high with counts of over 100 most days. My favourite site for solar data is still showing the next solar peak as Nov 2023, which seems quite early. Figures are usually revised in the early days of the new month.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Super VHF DX

In July for many years, stations in Europe have been able to work stations on 6m (VHF) in Japan. A look at the map will show this is a very long way. 

The most credible explanation is this is caused by ionisation in the mesosphere linked to the formation of noctilucent clouds that form at this time. From research, this path could work at even higher frequencies, possibly microwaves! What is needed is for keen people at each end to try. 

This is definitely a case when research by radio amateurs could advance radio science. There is much to be gained from this research. I think noctilucent clouds are becoming more common as a result of climate change, but don't quote me on this. Certainly Far East stations have been spotted here on just a vertical omni on 6m FT8 for several years in July.

Now is the time to arrange some skeds on 2m, 70cm or 23cm. Records could tumble.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx .

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

After just a few minutes (it is now 0938z) 5 stations have spotted me and I have spotted quite a few stations in Eastern Europe using the QDX. This looks like single hop F2 propagation. To be honest, conditions are better than I was expecting.

UPDATE 1106z: 40 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 118 stations here. Conditions are definitely better than I expected, so 8m FT8 (or WSPR) is worth a try later.

Plans for Tuesday

At first, I shall try 10m FT8 using the QDX transceiver. If successful, I may try 8m FT8 later. I am toying with trying 8m WSPR at 1W around 40.680 MHz. 

Pye Telecom/Philips - NOT amateur radio

Most of my working life was in design in the Pye Telecom days. Although Philips bought Pye in the late 1960s, it was very "hands off" for years. Eventually we badged some products Philips such as this PF85 shown here. It was a good product with some truly great engineers. After the late 1980s I think most products were badged Philips. The PF85 and the PFX shared many modules.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 28th 2023

Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 192. A=94 and K=4. 

Tree stump - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we went for a delightful walk at the nearby village of Dalham in West Suffolk. On the way we passed through an avenue of trees up the hill to the church. We passed this old tree stump.  I bet this old tree had seen some history.

FT8 in the quiet solar years

At the moment, 10m FT8 seems to be able to deliver worldwide DX daily. In about 5 years' time we will be at the depths of the solar cycle and 10m may appear dead again. This is when WSPR and FT8 could prove extremely useful.

Both the WSPR and FT8 "watering holes" are quite small, but well monitored. I hope many will stick with these modes on 10m as there is a great deal for us to learn. Especially on N-S paths it would not surprise me at all to find paths open, even with very low solar activity.

Often low 10m activity is not because of conditions, but people going ever lower in frequency for an easier life. Just listen to CB nearby.

New 8m T&I licence obtained

Even though I wish the RSGB and OFCOM would see sense and grant real experimenters an NoV for 8m, I have shelled out (yet again) to continue research at 8m until April 2nd 2024.  In my view their position on this seems totally stupid in the extreme!!!   As before, I asked for digital only at QRP.

I really hope as many as possible come on the ISM band without a licence whilst ensuring they are fully compliant with any national requirements. As I said yesterday, it is my view that anyone in the UK can run 10mW ERP WSPR beacons in the 40.66-40.70 ISM band without a licence and with whatever callsign you like!!

Strictly  speaking, you do not need to give your location, even with the T&I licence either! Personally I think this is bizarre.

Callsigns are not a requirement of ISM use, although I think there is nothing whatsoever to stop you using your amateur radio callsign as an identifier. This is not the Amateur Radio Service. You could, of course, make up your own callsign like "your initials"123!  If using WSPR, it is advisable to make sure the format of the callsign will be reported to WSPRnet.