After many many years of good service our HP "all in one" low cost printer, scanner and copier has finally died: it would probably cost far more to mend than replace. So, a few days ago I bought the nearest equivalent. It was delivered today. An HP Deskjet 2540, bought as I was so impressed with the original HP machine.
Why is it that things seem to go backwards? OK, the new machine also supports wireless printing, but I found the set-up more difficult and far less intuitive. The "easy start" guide which was purely diagrammatic was confusing. Even installing the cartridges seemed more tricky. In one of my 2 laptops the CD failed to read.
They call it progress.
14 Nov 2014
10m USA - again
Yet again, 10m is open to the USA even with my 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon. Not sure when it first opened but several USA stations were spotting me around tea time including KB9AMG, KF4FX and WA0JYF, all over 6300km.
For most of the day UR/SWL56 was spotting my 500mW beacon (76 spots!) at strengths up to an amazing +2dB S/N. For most of the afternoon, the USA stations were not spotting me. I did a re-sync at tea time and since then they have been copying me. This may be purely co-incidental and just "conditions". If I had not been spotted so consistently by UR/SWL56 I would suspect a small buglet in the WSPR-AXE software, but somehow this seems unlikely.
Anyway, now I am getting plenty of USA reports.
UPDATE 1910z: WG2Z (5600km) was still spotting me at 1850z, but since then just local G4IKZ (18km). We'll soon see if there are later USA spots, but I suspect that is it.
UPDATE 2045z: The last spots from the USA of my 500mW beacon were KC2GMM, N2NOM and WG2Z all at 1850z. 10m has opened to the USA every afternoon for weeks and weeks now.
For most of the day UR/SWL56 was spotting my 500mW beacon (76 spots!) at strengths up to an amazing +2dB S/N. For most of the afternoon, the USA stations were not spotting me. I did a re-sync at tea time and since then they have been copying me. This may be purely co-incidental and just "conditions". If I had not been spotted so consistently by UR/SWL56 I would suspect a small buglet in the WSPR-AXE software, but somehow this seems unlikely.
Anyway, now I am getting plenty of USA reports.
UPDATE 1910z: WG2Z (5600km) was still spotting me at 1850z, but since then just local G4IKZ (18km). We'll soon see if there are later USA spots, but I suspect that is it.
UPDATE 2045z: The last spots from the USA of my 500mW beacon were KC2GMM, N2NOM and WG2Z all at 1850z. 10m has opened to the USA every afternoon for weeks and weeks now.
Sunspot number - Nov 14th 2014
The sunspot number is 104 today with 10m propagation forecast to be "good". Although 10m opened to the USA yet again yesterday, it has been quite quiet here so far today.
13 Nov 2014
Ten Tec Argonauts
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| http://www.eham.net/data/reviews/images/10849.jpeg |
The image on the LHS (above) resides on the www.eham.net site and will be removed if linking to it is an issue.
To identify the older Argonaut models, Ten Tec have a "knowledge base" page to help. See http://www.tentec.com/pages/Identifying-the-Argonaut-transceivers.html . Although the latest version is said to be very good, I am afraid I'll not be buying one. Price needs to be £799 or less in the UK and it needs the missing bands before I'd even look.
There are 22 reviews of the Argonaut VI on eHam.net. See http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10849 . At an average of 4.5 out of 5, the score is not that good. The FT817 scores much better. People seem to love it or hate it. It apparently has a very quiet receiver and a very simple user interface.
I see that Ten Tec have dropped the USA price of the Argonaut VI to $849 for a package that now bundles the mic and 700Hz CW filter too. I suspect this is a desperate measure to shore up sales. It would not surprise me if they went bust. Personally, I think the latest Argonaut VI was a mistake that Ten Tec now regret. These are personal views. I hope they survive and thrive, but please reduce the Argonaut VI price outside the USA too and, for goodness sake, add those missing bands!
Their Rebel open source CW rig sounds far more likely to succeed in my personal view.
Ten Tec is reputable make, not Japanese or Chinese, and I wish them well for the future. The commercial world is a tough place, so take nothing for granted.
Stateside reports yet again
Yet again, 10m opened to North America this afternoon. The earliest USA spot for me was at 1212z. In a way, I was expecting to get some real, very long distance 10m DX spots today with my 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon but "only" Europe, Middle East and USA so far. I still remain very pleased with the little beacon.
UPDATE 1755z: The last 10m WSPR spot of my 500mW beacon seems to have been at 1722z by WG2Z (5600km). Since then just spots from local G4IKZ (18km).
UPDATE 1840z: My little W5OLF 10m beacon has just been switched off.
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| Unique 10m WSPR spots received so far today (500mW) |
UPDATE 1840z: My little W5OLF 10m beacon has just been switched off.
Multi-band WSPRing?
Now I have my fully stand-alone 10m WSPR-AXE unit, I should be able to WSPR on MF (with the earth-electrode antenna) or on 6m at the same time. I have yet to try this out but this means I can WSPR on 2 bands at once should I want. 6m might be fun although I've had no success to date lately on 6m.
10m WSPR-AXE reports
So far this morning (it is now 1045z) I have received 50 separate reports using my 10m WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon (sent to me by W5OLF). The little, fully self-contained, beacon (no PC needed) works very well indeed. After about 20 minutes settling time, the drift is essentially zero. Some of the reports below show the beacon still settling. I thoroughly recommend this unit. It is such FUN to use and see all the reports coming in. Just a single small PCB and it fits in a small enclosure. With my poor voice, it is an excellent way of enjoying the hobby and checking propagation - all at very low cost too. What I like is that it is all on a single PCB. Although the Ultimate 3 kit from Hans Summers covers more modes and is less expensive, it is on several PCBs and is slightly more complex. The W5OLF WSPR-AXE beacon matches my needs perfectly.
UPDATE 1148z: Spots this morning being received from right across Europe from Finland (OH) in the north to Italy (I) in the south and Ukraine (UR) and Bulgaria (LZ) in the east, plus Israel (4X), all with the tiny WSPR-AXE 500mW unit. Further afield later?
UPDATE 2000z: Apart from the very many spots from the USA, no other DX was spotting me. I was hoping for a spot from Australia, but that will have to be on another day. Judging by my reports so far, I think this is just a matter of time.
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| Unique 10m WSPR spots to 1045z today with WSPR-AXE beacon |
UPDATE 2000z: Apart from the very many spots from the USA, no other DX was spotting me. I was hoping for a spot from Australia, but that will have to be on another day. Judging by my reports so far, I think this is just a matter of time.
Sunspots
Sunspot number is a little up on yesterday at 89. 10m propagation is expected to be "good" so I am very hopeful of some really long distance F2 reports of my little W5OLF WSPR-AXE 10m 500mW beacon. Already it has received 50 spots from Eastern Europe and Israel.
12 Nov 2014
QRP radios
I continue to be surprised by how few affordable QRP radios are on the market. The FT817ND continues to be the favourite, but recent exchange rate changes have not been matched by decent falls in the UK retail prices. I think we are still being ripped off by dealers in the UK. The IC703 is no longer made and the KX3 from Elecraft is very expensive over here. There are a few lower cost Chinese HF radios appearing. Overall, there remains little choice in QRP transceivers at sensible prices. I am sure the KX3 is a very good radio but for the same price I can buy 2 FT817 transceivers, and these are all mode and to 70cms.
A multi-band, all mode, 5-10W radio would be a killer in this age where people take lots of holidays and are on the move frequently. I still fail to understand why the big Japanese manufacturerers have not got a raft of low cost units on the market. It seems a gold mine opportunity is being wasted. Maybe I have misread the market?
I know if there was a new, attractively featured, QRP transceiver on the market now at a sensible price I'd be in the line to buy. I am sure very many others would be too.
A multi-band, all mode, 5-10W radio would be a killer in this age where people take lots of holidays and are on the move frequently. I still fail to understand why the big Japanese manufacturerers have not got a raft of low cost units on the market. It seems a gold mine opportunity is being wasted. Maybe I have misread the market?
I know if there was a new, attractively featured, QRP transceiver on the market now at a sensible price I'd be in the line to buy. I am sure very many others would be too.
10m stateside
Conditions on 10m today definitely seem poorer than yesterday. I am still using my little 500mW WSPR beacon by W5OLF. There were spots all day from UR/SWL56 and this afternoon from 4X1RF (3519km), all afternoon. So far, 4X1RF has spotted me 20 times.
My first USA spot was WG2Z (5600km) at 1220z. Since then I have had USA spots from several USA stations, but I think fewer than yesterday. The W5OLF WSPR-AXE 10m 500mW beacon really does work, without a PC. I am still in awe that something so small and beautiful is copyable so far away. It would fit in an Altiods tin - a real favourite with QRPers.
The beacon is still on and running, but I don't expect any magically far DX between now and switch off, which will probably be around 1830z.
UPDATE 1902z: I am just about to turn off my little W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon. The last stateside station to spot my 500mW was KB9AMG (6300km) at 1712z - no other spots since. Definitely conditions on 10m were not as good as yesterday. Still, yet again the 10m band was open to the USA and 500mW was quite enough. Worse report was -25dB S/N with most reports in the teens suggesting even less power would have been enough.
UPDATE 1910z: 10m WSPR beacon is now off.
My first USA spot was WG2Z (5600km) at 1220z. Since then I have had USA spots from several USA stations, but I think fewer than yesterday. The W5OLF WSPR-AXE 10m 500mW beacon really does work, without a PC. I am still in awe that something so small and beautiful is copyable so far away. It would fit in an Altiods tin - a real favourite with QRPers.
The beacon is still on and running, but I don't expect any magically far DX between now and switch off, which will probably be around 1830z.
UPDATE 1902z: I am just about to turn off my little W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon. The last stateside station to spot my 500mW was KB9AMG (6300km) at 1712z - no other spots since. Definitely conditions on 10m were not as good as yesterday. Still, yet again the 10m band was open to the USA and 500mW was quite enough. Worse report was -25dB S/N with most reports in the teens suggesting even less power would have been enough.
UPDATE 1910z: 10m WSPR beacon is now off.
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