Pixie and Micro 80

These little QRP transceivers first made an appearance some 20 odd years ago. They are extremely simple transceivers that use the TX PA as the RX mixer to save parts.

I built a Micro 80 some years ago and my best QSO was around 300km.  Biggest issue (for me) was broadcast breakthrough from strong broadcasters just above the 80m band. Variations included the Pixie 2 which added some refinements at the expense of more parts. Kits are available, but the circuits are so simple it is not work paying over the odds for these. The Micro 80 uses all discrete components whereas the Pixie and Pixie 2 use an LM386 for the RX audio.

If you build one, be prepared to fight for contacts. It is not the TX power that is the problem: it is the receiver that is the limitation.Given good conditions and little broadcast breakthrough, these rigs work.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/pixie .

The same basic schematic will work on any HF band with changes to the output filter. Watch out for chirp on the higher HF bands: don't be tempted to try to pull the crystal too much, especially on the higher HF bands.

6m - quiet so far today

So far today it has been very quiet on 6m with just locals copied. No Es seen here yet today on 6m.

Sunspot count today is very high at 213 and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "normal". Conditions on 10m should be good for F2 N-S propagation, although expect blackouts.

UPDATE 1505z:  still no Es on 6m here today.

6m transatlantic

Looking on the internet, the better equipped stations measure the number of  transatlantic 6m QSOs each year in hundreds (to Spain). With my very modest 6m set-up I am still pleased to have worked just a single USA station on Es CW back in 2007.

I am still surprised not to have caught 6m Es transatlantic on WSPR as I've been monitoring 24/7 more or less (with occasional breaks) since late April. I know there have been transatlantic Es openings on other modes, so it may have been down to a lack of WSPR activity. I''ll continue monitoring and TXing through July, but will probably QSY to 10m after that. I am still hopeful.

WSPR software closed itself down yesterday PM (Win 8.1)

Some time between 1440z and 2124z yesterday, my WSPR software decided to close down, so all reports in that period were lost. I think the PC decided to update Windows 8.1 software.  I should have noticed it had closed sooner, so I blame myself and no-one else. I like to leave updates running so I get the latest Windows updates as soon as I can. WSPR closing when updates come in seems a common issue with Win 8.1.

Since 2124z yesterday only locals and GDX on 6m, no Es here.

6m - no super-DX overnight, CN8LI "pipe" open again

Overnight, no super-DX seen here I'm sorry to report, but spots have been exchanged between CN8LI (2113km) and me 11 times already starting at 1134z. It is now 1335z as I write. This path seems to be an Es regular. I have no idea why this path seems to be open so well and so often.

Just  realised I'd had the power shown wrongly - forgot to change from 33dBm (10m) to 30dBm (6m). Now rightly shown as 1W ERP on 6m.

Also spotted this morning was HB9FGQ (very strongly). OH6GKW spotted me.

In addition, G0OQK seems to be always there at 98km.

UPDATE 1532z: No further spots of CN8LI since lunchtime. Maybe the Es will reappear teatime?

6m WSPR - CN8LI (2113km) yet again (and super-DX?)

Since turning 6m WSPR back on again, CN8LI is again a decent signal here and my 1W ERP is good with him. Ten spots all together to 1622z. The "pipe" between us is there yet again!

Still no sign of super-DX on 6m WSPR though. There are several active stations in the USA towards the east coast (W2, W3, W4, W0, W8, W9 areas) and today is July 4th a public holiday in the USA. Put WSPR on 6m then go have a BBQ? If on a beam, make sure it is firing towards Europe! Vertical omni's are OK too.

At the last count, there were 8 stations in the USA that might be copied if the 6m band opens including 2 N2s which would be the closest.  Please may today be the day!

Plenty of GDX with several calls not seen in the logs before on 6m.

FG5LA is spotting W8AC (3380km) at 1602z, so there is hope!

UPDATE 2034z:  14 spots exchanged with CN8LI  with the latest spot at 1836z. And most of the day I was on 10m! No super-DX seen on 6m from here and, although I'll leave the kit running overnight, I'd be surprised if we now see transatlantic DX tonight. Plenty of GDX still with G0OQK at 98km as best DX.

K3NAL (5930km) - 10m WSPR

As K3NAL has just been spotted here on 10m WSPR at 1444z, I have at , 1455z, decided to QSY back up to 6m, ever hopeful of some stateside 6m DX! This is E-W propagation so almost certainly multi-hop Es, not F2.

At some point I must get lucky and see some multi-hop Es on 6m. Will today be the day? Who knows.

X108 20W transceiver

G1KQH informs me this Chinese transceiver is available for an introductory prce of £399.99. Personally I think this is MORE than I would expect. To me it still looks like a "back shed" design. I notice this supplier has sold out.

See http://www.sinotel.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=183&zenid=oi6qsdgfla6p73q0c5vhs40kj3 .

This is an introductory price for the basic version without TCXO and noise blanker. The FT817ND is now available for well below £500 with cash back offers and, to my mind, is a well proven MF-UHF design.

The X108 claims " minimalist industrial design". Read NO industrial design in my book! Still waiting for the Chinese "killer" radio to out-smart the Japanese. This, in my opinion, is not it.

CX2ABP (11127km ) - 10m WSPR

It had to happen sometime today.  CX2ABP (5W) was spotted on 10m WSPR today at 1326z. I suspect there will be more spots later. This is N-S F2 propagation.

T61AA (6940km) - 10m WSPR

Several spots of T61AA on 10m WSPR today (Ross was actually in Mogadishu, Africa and not Afghanistan but is using the same callsign - very confusing!). I assume it is F2 propagation but it could be multi-hop Es I suppose. No South Americans copied (or copying me) as yet.