From my bank statement I see my 40m Pixie kit from China, that has shipped, cost a little over £7. This includes all parts including crystal and PCB. At this price it would be hard to buy the individual parts. I very much want to build this as it will be the first amateur radio construction here in a very long time. It is sufficiently simple and low cost that I should manage it, even if I am a little clumsy still with the soldering iron.
No doubt Andrew G6ALB (3km) will help with a first test.
6 Feb 2015
Not amateur radio again
Today we visited the next village, Swaffham Prior, 3km west of here, home to G6ALB where there are 2 churches and 2 windmills. Andrew G6ALB and I are testing low cost AM modules on 70cm. As yet these tests have only been partially successful. Tomorrow I need to check the sensitivity of my receivers.
After our visit, I have updated our blog http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ where you can follow our visits around East Anglia.
After our visit, I have updated our blog http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ where you can follow our visits around East Anglia.
UK National Grid status link
Again, from Steve G1KQH, a link that may well be of interest to UK readers:
In the left hand corner you can also check for France.
Many times we hear that closing old and polluting power stations is putting us at risk of power blackouts. Check the electricity capacity yourself.Did I send you this one Roger?
73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
In the left hand corner you can also check for France.
USA 10m WSPR spots today
Lots of USA stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today. The first USA station to spot me today was KC1AWS (5308km) at 1150z. The openings to the US A are starting earlier now.
UPDATE 1845z: KD6RF (7547km) at 1834z is the last USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon currently. I think it is unlikely I'll be spotted by others in the USA tonight, but we'll see.
UPDATE 2040z: The spot at 1834z by KD6RF did prove to be the last today from the USA. Still, at nearly 6 and 3/4 hours this was a decent opening.
UPDATE 1845z: KD6RF (7547km) at 1834z is the last USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon currently. I think it is unlikely I'll be spotted by others in the USA tonight, but we'll see.
UPDATE 2040z: The spot at 1834z by KD6RF did prove to be the last today from the USA. Still, at nearly 6 and 3/4 hours this was a decent opening.
Sunspots and 10m
Sunspot number today has fallen back to 86. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair".
So far this morning VK6XT (14719km) is my best DX report on 10m WSPR with my 500mW WSPR beacon at 1024z. Considering the "fair" 10m forecast, this is pretty good.
So far this morning VK6XT (14719km) is my best DX report on 10m WSPR with my 500mW WSPR beacon at 1024z. Considering the "fair" 10m forecast, this is pretty good.
5 Feb 2015
CB to ham
From Steve G7VFY:
Good use for old CB's.There is a Yahoo group, CB to ham.Stephen WaltersG7VFY
10m USA WSPR spots - Feb 5th 2015
The first USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today was WG2Z (5600km) at 1246z. Although open yet again across the north Atlantic - it has been open most afternoons now for months - today only feels "average" today on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1722z: At the moment KC1AWS (5308km) was the last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m beacon at 1714z. It is still quite early, so other stations may still copy me in the USA later.
UPDATE 1722z: At the moment KC1AWS (5308km) was the last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m beacon at 1714z. It is still quite early, so other stations may still copy me in the USA later.
UPDATE 1830z: I am still being spotted by USA stations. The latest spot was by KC1AWS at 1826z but there are others too. 10m is still open transatlantic.
UPDATE 2100z: The last USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today was W8QYT (5798km) at 1838z tonight. Time to go QRT on 10m WSPR. |
Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
See https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/radio-equipment-directive-proposal .
Quite soon this new directive will apply in Europe including the UK. Many low cost modules may cost a little more as receivers will need to be more carefully designed to meet RED requirements. It is likely that more stringent RX parameters will have to be met. I wonder if some of the very low module costs are as a result of the dumping of old stock? This could well impact super-regen receivers that are sensitive, but not very selective. Although fine in some markets this type of receiver is less than ideal in a very busy ISM band where they could easily be blocked. Listening around 433.92MHz recently, very many ISM devices could be copied. One of my old colleagues is involved in international committees working on RED.
The "internet of things" means very many devices will include radios in future, such as a basic internet terminal in washing machines or RFID tags.
Quite soon this new directive will apply in Europe including the UK. Many low cost modules may cost a little more as receivers will need to be more carefully designed to meet RED requirements. It is likely that more stringent RX parameters will have to be met. I wonder if some of the very low module costs are as a result of the dumping of old stock? This could well impact super-regen receivers that are sensitive, but not very selective. Although fine in some markets this type of receiver is less than ideal in a very busy ISM band where they could easily be blocked. Listening around 433.92MHz recently, very many ISM devices could be copied. One of my old colleagues is involved in international committees working on RED.
The "internet of things" means very many devices will include radios in future, such as a basic internet terminal in washing machines or RFID tags.
Sunspots and 10m propagation - Feb 5th 2015
Sunspot number today is 85. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". So far today, just LZ1OI (2153km) and local G4IKZ (18km) copying my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon this morning. No further DX as yet, although I expect 10m to open to the USA after lunch.
UPDATE 1045z: Just been spotted on 10m by 4X1RF (3519km).
UPDATE 1114z: 4X1RF has spotted me 3 times so far today.
UPDATE 1214z: 4X1RF (3519km) has, so far, spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 6 times this morning. No sign, as yet, of spots from stations in the USA.
UPDATE 1045z: Just been spotted on 10m by 4X1RF (3519km).
UPDATE 1114z: 4X1RF has spotted me 3 times so far today.
UPDATE 1214z: 4X1RF (3519km) has, so far, spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 6 times this morning. No sign, as yet, of spots from stations in the USA.
4 Feb 2015
Yet more transceiver modules!
A search on eBay has thrown up lots of useful RF transceiver modules, not as low cost as the AM ones found by G6ALB, but nonetheless very low cost and suitable for local communications, Some are 100mW and some 500mW or 1W. The ones I saw were data units, but these should be suitable for speech with simple mods. I am unclear how some of these are programmed to the correct frequency. There is usually a choice of either VHF or UHF and I think some are essentially FM.
Put "UHF transceiver module eBay" into Google to see what comes up. Or try "VHF" instead of UHF. I was amazed how low cost these were.
Put "UHF transceiver module eBay" into Google to see what comes up. Or try "VHF" instead of UHF. I was amazed how low cost these were.
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