Sunspots - Saturday February 18th 2023

 Solar flux is 343 and the SSN 86. A=6 and K=2.

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

This "special operation" (in the West we call it war) is almost a year old. It seems President Putin was surprised by the reaction especially when the West did nothing when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. He probably thought he could just walk in and the war would be over in days.

I have nothing at all against the Russian people: they have been fed a line by state media. At the height of the cold war many Russians were worked on amateur radio and, in a small way, barriers were broken down. After all, they were just people like us.

This war has to stop. It will. Let us all hope that everyone is able to think it a victory. 

In the end, wars rarely solve problems. Most can be traced to earlier grievances. In the end, true justice for all is the only way.

FT-710AESS and 4m

Until today, I did not realise that 4m has to be enabled on this rig.  As it comes, both 70 MHz and UK 5 MHz bands have to be enabled. I thought these already were!

A very helpful phone call and email from Steve Venner at MLS explained how to do this (it was very easy), and I now have power on 4m. It is also meant to enable 60m UK allocations with the same mods although I have not yet checked.

I have still to test the rig fully. Steve is also checking the AESS functionality on the MLS demo rig. I must say, Steve was very helpful.

Apart from the AESS function, I am very pleased with the rig so far.

I traded in my IC-705, but have not yet received a credit on my card. I guess they have to check it all first. It is mint. It was a very good rig.

UPDATE 1529z: The 2m big-wheel and feeder does match on 4m (I am pleased to say) using the internal auto-ATU on the FT-710. No doubt a dedicated 4m antenna would be much better, but this is a start. I have not even started on the DSP and filter options! I hope to go on the 4m activity contest (March 15th) with this compromise antenna. I think this is a Tuesday.

OFCOM updates

As usual, OFCOM has updated the information it holds on licences etc.. See the OFCOM website for details.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Friday)

Been on with my 500mW WSPR TX beacon about 10 minutes. No spots yet.

UPDATE 0950z: First spot of the day from Finland. Presumably by F2?

UPDATE 1311z: Following the usual pattern with east in the morning and transatlantic later. 11 stations have spotted my 500mW WSPR so far today on 10m.

UPDATE 1751z:  22 unique stations have spotted me today.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

At the moment, I am again on 8m QRP FT8. Time will tell if anyone sees me.  I am TXing first.

UPDATE 1005z:  Just exchanged FT8 reports with OD5KU (3468km) and copied EI2IP and 4X1BG (3532km) in Israel who was incredibly strong! Obviously the F2 MUF is above 40.680 MHz!

UPDATE 1058z:  4 stations have spotted me this morning. Until this morning, I had never been spotted in Asia on 8m QRP FT8. Now spotted by 4 Asian stations with the furthermost UN7MVB (3446km).

UPDATE 1132z:  QRT at the moment so rig cools. Hopefully, the USA will copy me on 8m FT8 later, despite the QRP.  Incidentally, I have never copied a transatlantic 8m station.

UPDATE 1306z: The latest station to spot my 8m FT8 QRP was RA9FMT (3503km), who got me at an incredible -9dB S/N. This is one of my best days yet on 8m.

UPDATE 1322z: I have lost count of the countries and continents in which my QRP 8m FT8 has been copied. I think it is now 21 countries and 4 continents. Even with real QRP, there is a lot to be find out on 8m. When the MUF gets high enough, it seems virtually anything is possible. My article about beaconing legally (in the ISM band) on 8m without a licence should be in PW either April or May.

UPDATE  1758z:   No USA spots today.

Across the fields - NOT amateur radio

 

A view of Chippenham village and church (near Cambridge) earlier this week.

Sixbox 6m transceiver

This design, from many years ago, was designed as a simple rig for local natters. It is ideal for use when the band is not open for DX.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/sixbox .

Sunspots - Friday, February 17th 2023

 Solar flux is 163 and the SSN 101. A=24 and K=2.

Getting taller - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows our elder grandson in 3 years. In 2021 he was a child. In 2023 he is a young man. Either I am shrinking or he is growing. It is mostly the latter!