So Radio Shack has filed for bankruptcy protection.
See http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-radioshack-sprint-shops-bankruptcy-20150206-story.html .
This had been on the cards for some time, but the USA's famous radio store has been in trouble for some while. It was formed firstly in 1921. Radio Shack filed for bankruptcy protection last Thursday.
9 Feb 2015
10m USA WSPR spots today (and South America)
The first USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was KC1AWS (5308km) at 1214z today. With all the DX spots from Australia this morning, it make the USA seem like just the back door and hardly DX at all!
UPDATE 1420z: 10m is wide open today. YV5ESN (7294km) spotted my 500mW beacon at 1412z.
UPDATE 1900z: USA stations are still spotting me, The last was W9ZOC (6259km) at 1854z. This may not be the last.
UPDATE 2115z: W9ZOC at 1854z was the last USA station to spot me from the USA today.
UPDATE 1420z: 10m is wide open today. YV5ESN (7294km) spotted my 500mW beacon at 1412z.
UPDATE 1900z: USA stations are still spotting me, The last was W9ZOC (6259km) at 1854z. This may not be the last.
UPDATE 2115z: W9ZOC at 1854z was the last USA station to spot me from the USA today.
Handheld of the future?
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/february/ht_of_the_future_at_orlando.htm#.VNi6BC4WKPc .
Southgate News reports that Bruce Perens K6BP will be demonstrating a handheld platform that can cope with many modes at VHF/UHF at the Orlando Hamcation in Florida. This looks like a demonstrator at 100mW RF. With SDRs, quite a flexible, and low cost, architecture is possible.
I wonder which of the "big names" will be first to market with a real SDR design? This could enable them to sell very low cost units, but maybe they would rather shaft us and make big profits?
Southgate News reports that Bruce Perens K6BP will be demonstrating a handheld platform that can cope with many modes at VHF/UHF at the Orlando Hamcation in Florida. This looks like a demonstrator at 100mW RF. With SDRs, quite a flexible, and low cost, architecture is possible.
I wonder which of the "big names" will be first to market with a real SDR design? This could enable them to sell very low cost units, but maybe they would rather shaft us and make big profits?
10m WSPR - multiple spots from Australia
It is now 1140z. Already this morning VK6XT (14719km) in Western Australia has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR 13 times so far on 10m! This is far from over too! This is now. In a few years this will be stuff of dreams. In the last few minutes he has spotted me yet again.
UPDATE 1246z: VK6XT (14729km) has spotted me 21 times so far today. This for 500mW seems amazing, but WSPR is amazing. That the WSPR beacon is totally contained in a tiny box (no PC needed) I find quite staggering. As you can see, most of the reports were good ones, certainly not "on the edge" at all.
472kHz WSPR this morning
I am being spotted well by G8HUH (250km) this morning. I know he has a good system as he has even copied me on 136kHz from the old QTH. If I can succeed on 472kHz with no antenna in the air, then I am sure anyone can! Mine is a far from optimum set-up.
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| Early morning on 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP earth-electrode "antenna" |
Sunspots and 10m
Sunspot number has risen to 94 today and 10m propagation is expected to be "good".
I have only just switched on my 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon, so it is still stabilising. My first spot (still showing stabilisation) was at 0916z from local G4IKZ (18km). To avoid drift and interference, the beacon is on TX 100% but the frequency is randomised to avoid warm-up drift and the risk of sitting under a stronger signal all day. This works well. Even on my 10m version there is no drift after the first 20 minutes..
UPDATE 0954z: Surprisingly, no spots yet from Israel, Russia or continental Europe and only a single spot (so far this morning) from G4IKZ.
UPDATE 1008z: Spots are coming thick and fast now with best report so far from VK6XT (14719km) in Western Australia at 1002z.
UPDATE 1012z: OH7AZL (2000km) was spotting me at 1006z at an enormous -2dB S/N. I think this was F2 propagation. Such strengths suggests he might still have spotted me at the uW power level rather than the 500mW I was using. So far today, he has spotted me 5 times already. Other stations in Finland are also spotting me very strongly.
I have only just switched on my 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon, so it is still stabilising. My first spot (still showing stabilisation) was at 0916z from local G4IKZ (18km). To avoid drift and interference, the beacon is on TX 100% but the frequency is randomised to avoid warm-up drift and the risk of sitting under a stronger signal all day. This works well. Even on my 10m version there is no drift after the first 20 minutes..
UPDATE 0954z: Surprisingly, no spots yet from Israel, Russia or continental Europe and only a single spot (so far this morning) from G4IKZ.
UPDATE 1008z: Spots are coming thick and fast now with best report so far from VK6XT (14719km) in Western Australia at 1002z.
UPDATE 1012z: OH7AZL (2000km) was spotting me at 1006z at an enormous -2dB S/N. I think this was F2 propagation. Such strengths suggests he might still have spotted me at the uW power level rather than the 500mW I was using. So far today, he has spotted me 5 times already. Other stations in Finland are also spotting me very strongly.
8 Feb 2015
Stroke update
I went for more blood tests last week. Results should be back late this week.
I still have trouble speaking, swallowing thin liquids, feel drunk when walking and I tire easily with any physical activity. Although I am still mending it is taking much longer than I was expecting. To be honest, I am frustrated at the slow progress. My wife and I want the old "me" back.
I still have trouble speaking, swallowing thin liquids, feel drunk when walking and I tire easily with any physical activity. Although I am still mending it is taking much longer than I was expecting. To be honest, I am frustrated at the slow progress. My wife and I want the old "me" back.
472kHz WSPR puzzle
Last night and overnight more stations copied me than I copied. Since 1030z today I have copied lots of WSPR stations on 472kHz but no-one has copied me!
About 20 minutes ago I re-set the clock to internet time and changed frequency about 20Hz lower. I also closed and re-opened the WSPR software. Still I am copying plenty but no-one has so far copied me still since 1030z.
The 5mW ERP TX to the earth-electrodes will remain on overnight.
I checked frequencies and power into the ground loop. All looks the same as yesterday. Odd.
UPDATE 2237z: Panic over: G6AVK (78km) is copying me at -20dB S/N.
About 20 minutes ago I re-set the clock to internet time and changed frequency about 20Hz lower. I also closed and re-opened the WSPR software. Still I am copying plenty but no-one has so far copied me still since 1030z.
The 5mW ERP TX to the earth-electrodes will remain on overnight.
I checked frequencies and power into the ground loop. All looks the same as yesterday. Odd.
UPDATE 2237z: Panic over: G6AVK (78km) is copying me at -20dB S/N.
Wellbrook RX loop review
See http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/review-wellbrook-ala1530s-loop-antenna.html .
Some stations have splashed out on this RX only loop in an attempt to overcome man made noise sources. This is a review of one person's results with this 1m diameter loop. Like many, this Australian was well satisfied. In Australia it is even more expensive as the shipping costs from the UK are high.
I have wondered about the LF loop as a possible RX only antenna for 136 and 472kHz. I believe the loop is balanced and being a loop, it has directivity. It has to be positioned some distance for any TX antenna and ideally rotated.
Some stations have splashed out on this RX only loop in an attempt to overcome man made noise sources. This is a review of one person's results with this 1m diameter loop. Like many, this Australian was well satisfied. In Australia it is even more expensive as the shipping costs from the UK are high.
I have wondered about the LF loop as a possible RX only antenna for 136 and 472kHz. I believe the loop is balanced and being a loop, it has directivity. It has to be positioned some distance for any TX antenna and ideally rotated.
Digital repeaters
As I have mentioned before, I am a rare repeater user, partly because my voice is so poor currently and I don't find operating through repeaters that satisfying. Each to his/her own and if this helps you enjoy the hobby go ahead!
At the moment it is far from clear which form of digital repeater will win: there are several competing digital standards and all have their advocates. For now I shall sit back and wait. A bit like the video standards war in the 1980s, the best system may not win. Let's see. Up to now I have only used FM repeaters.
When I do use voice I use SSB, FM and AM. All modes have their places on our bands. SSB is good on the crowded HF bands, FM useful for nets on VHF, and AM rigs simple to build and there is space on all bands from 10m upwards for all analogue voice modes. A well designed AM rig should occupy less than 6kHz, far less most FM transmissions on our bands. 10m AM, just above 29MHz, is a great mode. I have worked quite a few stateside stations on 10m AM. And I have only used QRP AM. Let no-one tell you AM is a dead mode!
At the moment it is far from clear which form of digital repeater will win: there are several competing digital standards and all have their advocates. For now I shall sit back and wait. A bit like the video standards war in the 1980s, the best system may not win. Let's see. Up to now I have only used FM repeaters.
When I do use voice I use SSB, FM and AM. All modes have their places on our bands. SSB is good on the crowded HF bands, FM useful for nets on VHF, and AM rigs simple to build and there is space on all bands from 10m upwards for all analogue voice modes. A well designed AM rig should occupy less than 6kHz, far less most FM transmissions on our bands. 10m AM, just above 29MHz, is a great mode. I have worked quite a few stateside stations on 10m AM. And I have only used QRP AM. Let no-one tell you AM is a dead mode!
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