Back on 474.2kHz TX

Partly as a result of damage to the Par HF antenna, I decided this morning to connect my earth electrode antenna on 474.2kHz and TRANSMIT for the first time in around 6 months. It works OK, although the baseline will be extended later. with spots exchanged with G4KPX (Ely), G3WCB (101km) and G6AVK(78km) at sensible levels. It will be interesting to see the results this evening with some sky wave. UPDATE 2230z: No sky wave reception reports yet received.

For reasons I don't understand, I have received NO reports of my signal since 1550z. I have rebooted the PC, reloaded the WSPR software,changed frequency (several times),  checked internet time synchronisation, checked antenna current, checked just about EVERYTHING.  Received signal levels of other stations are as before. The only change is it has been raining. A puzzle as if the earth-electrode was behaving differently I would have expected changes to antenna current and received signal strength. I'll leave everything running to see what happens. Or is it just that my weak signal is being clouded out by higher band noise as afternoon becomes night? I'd still expect to receive some reports, especially considering how good some stations are on RX.

Eventually I got a -31dB S/N (just copied) report at 2034z from M0EMM in IO82sq at 192km. Shortly afterwards I was copied at -23/-24dB S/N by G3WCB (101km) several times.

Maybe it IS that my signal is right down in the noise for most people a lot of the time?  If so, significantly lengthening the earth-electrode baseline is a priority (see next post).

These are the unique reports so far on the short baseline earth-electrode system up until 2150z this evening.All stations reported me many times:

Par 10/20/40m antenna - storm damage

Looking out of the window I see my Par HF antenna has come apart and is dangling on the back lawn.  I shall be unable to re-erect it until my son next visits.  In the past (before my stroke) I would have had it fixed in 5 minutes! A quick trip up a ladder. I now have to be patient.  It looks like it has broken at the 40m trap, so should be easy to mend.

GB3VHF - storm damaged?

See http://www.gb3vhf.co.uk/GB3VHFservicenewsannouncements.html .. GB3VHF was off air 0900 on Sat Feb 15th due to suspected damage in the recent storms. The outage is being investigated. This is a well used beacon normally.

10m Band Plan - some movement?

The RSGB is seeking views on band plans currently via their website forums (hard to navigate to in my opinion) and the outputs will go to the IARU later this year.

One possible recommendation is the extension of the wider band mode section on 10m from 29.1MHz down to 29MHz. 29 to 29.2MHz is the well used 10m AM sub-band, but changing the bandwidth allowed 29-29.1MHz (i.e no longer 2.7kHz) would mark a great advance over the current confused status of AM on 10m. It would be nice to have the words AM in the bandplan, but this is, sadly, unlikely. As I said before, it would appear the RSGB and IARU believe AM is a dead mode - if only they would actually listen 29 to 29.2MHz in a band opening.

If you have views, please share them on the RSGB's website.

This was John G3WKL's email pointing me to the right place on the RSGB's site. It is not exactly easy to find. The RSGB needs to make this easier if it wants peoples' comments! :

"Roger,

The relevant consultation topic is at

http://forums.thersgb.org/index.php?threads/band-planning.23/

but if you are not registered for this new “forum” application it would be better to go in via

http://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-consultations/active-consultations/iaru-2014-consultation/

as that gives you the “register” link.

You’ll see that Ian has picked up on our earlier discussion concerning 29.1 MHz but you are welcome to post further comments.  Suggestions for new HF topics should be put in

http://forums.thersgb.org/index.php?threads/c4-hf-matters-consultation.11/

and VHF matters in the appropriate topic under “C5 – VHF/microwave Matters”

73 John, G3WKL"

IC703 and FT817 Mk II

Some years ago I sold my mint 10W IC703 (with 50MHz and auto ATU) to a local ham at well below market price. Without doubt, the IC703 is an excellent radio and an ideal main station rig for QRPers and Foundation licence holders. Power can be turned down to 500mW or up to 10W. There was a PA design fault that was corrected on my radio.  The DSP does a credible job as does the TX RF based speech processor. The IC703 is no longer being made.

I sold it as I have an FT817 that gets well used and basically does all I want, but I do regret selling then IC703 really. If I had my time again I would still be owning the unit, but it IS getting well used with the fellow ham locally. Before he was stuck with just 1-2W on 20m.

http://www.mclnet.org/on3zl/images/ic703_front_big.jpg

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ic703 for more about this rig. In my view, the internal ATU matches lots of different antennas. It really is a pretty well self-contained radio apart from the external battery or PSU.

All I want is for Yaesu to do an FT817 Mk II with a similar spec and internal battery pack but this now seems unlikely any time soon.

Return to 10m and rubbish band plans

I am concentrating on WSPR currently as it does not require me to use my voice, something I find very tiring with my stroke. Just a few sentences and I get quite exhausted. I am told this is to be expected and it should improve over time.

As 474.2kHz is quite quiet in the daytime, I have QSYed up to 10m where I have already been spotted in LZ, RA3,  DK, PA,  G,  GM and 4X  this morning at 2W. This afternoon, I expect the band will be open to the USA. and Canada.

If my voice was better I'd be trying 10m AM, which despite the absolute rubbish in recent IARU and RSGB band plans is still 29 to 29.2MHz. The band plans, surely written by non-users (?), shows 29-29.1 as for use by modes 2.7kHz wide or less. AM gets  a begrudged and confusing  throw away comment in the footnotes. Reading the band plans it reads as if AM on 10m never happens, whereas when the band is open I regularly hear and work (with real QRP)  stateside AM in the 10m AM window, mainly 29 - 29.1MHz. Sorry, but these poorly thought through band plans ANNOY me.

Why can't the 10m band plan reflect what ACTUALLY happens on the band? 28-29MHz is quite enough space for narrow band modes leaving AM where it is (and SHOUT THE FACT that AM exists and is a good  and fascinating mode on 10m), as well as space downlinks and FM  where they are now. Why do these know-alls have to interfere unless they actually understand what actually happens? Band plans are usually a good idea when they actually help. The current 10m band plan is plain WRONG in my view above 29MHz. Write to the RSGB, ARRL etc.. and tell them. AM is 5-6kHz wide NOT 2.7kHz or less and at 29-29.2MHz this is fine. Just damn well leave AM where it is please. Stop messing about!

I also feel it is daft having SSTV and FAX channels mentioned in the 2m band plan but AM only gets a (begrudged?) comment in a footnote. 2m AM is a minority interest but surely deserves a "centre of activity" spot on 144.55MHz so AM folk know where to gather? Ex-PMR AM gear is almost given away and AM gear is simple to build and test. When did YOU last hear a FAX station on 2m? At best, the 2m band plan is a mess. Either leave "special interest" channels out or add an AM CoA in please. AM is NOT the pox, but a good and useful mode!

RANT OVER,but these errors do get my goat.

UPDATE 1745z: lots of 10m WSPR spots this afternoon including plenty from across the pond and at good range:

The band closed transatlantic (for me) at 1840z, well after dark with copy of W8QYT. It may have been even later as my PC shut down the WSPR program after doing some updates!

Portable and fixed mobile DXing

One of the things I'm looking forward to when I overcome my stroke is being able to enjoy portable and fixed mobile operation once again.

The image here is of operation last year from the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.  Several stations were worked in the USA with just a base loaded whip and 2W SSB from the FT817.

I am likely to be denied a driving licence for 12 months, so I have a long wait! My wife drives the car but does not like driving too far.

Ultimate 3 Beacon

The Hans Summers kit(s) for this are about to be dispatched so I can build a 10m WSPR TX beacon. In my current state of health I may wait a few months before attempting the build. At present even the smallest project tires me out completely. My building skills are at best clumsy. Winding a 472kHz loading coil, a simple task, really took it out of me a few days ago.

More 474.2kHz WSPR RX

Since late yesterday I have been WSPRing on 474.2kHz RX. Plenty of Europeans being copied including IQ2CJ,   F5WK,   DK7FC and LA1TN as well as EI,  PA and G stations. When I am fitter I shall return to 474.2kHz WSPR TX but at the moment I don't have the energy levels to set everything up.

6m WSPR - a disaster!

For the last few days I have been TXing and RXing on 6m WSPR with 2W and the V2000 vertical but apart from G4IKZ 18km away I have been copied by absolutely no-one and I have copied no-one either.

There were a couple of other G's on but too far away to copy and no luck from the few continentals active. My hopes of GDX or even wintertime Es were thwarted.

I have now returned to 630m RX and am already seeing LOTS of good European DX.