Sunspot number has climbed back up to 99 (K=3) today and 10m is expected to be "fair".
So far, just EA8BVP (2986km) who has been spotting my 500mW all morning and local G4IKZ (18km). No real DX to report as yet. Whenever EA8BVP is active he seems to copy me on 10m.
6 May 2015
5 May 2015
Churches blog updated - NOT amateur radio
See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/.The East Anglian Churches blog has been updated to include Exning, St Martin, church which dates back to the 1100s.
Exning is older than nearby Newmarket which is world famous as the home of horse racing. Exning is about 2 miles from us and Newmarket about 4 miles away from us.
We do most of our food shopping in Newmarket as it is the nearest main town with the main supermarkets like Waitrose, Asda and Tesco. There is also an M&S.
Amateur radio as a gateway to a career in engineering?
See http://www.kb6nu.com/is-amateur-radio-still-a-gateway-to-electrical-engineering/ .
At one time, amateur radio was a good gateway into an engineering career, but I have real doubts this is true today. In my younger days, when I started as a professional radio engineer nearly everyone who was any good was a radio amateur. When I left 7 years ago, I was the only person doing any amateur radio building over my lunch break. The magic is no longer there. In fact people are embarrassed to admit they are radio amateurs. We need to find what connects with the younger generation or the future of our hobby is at great risk.
I think I have mentioned on my blog before that when interviewing potential RF design engineers with good honours degrees I was appalled to find that most knew nothing about radio. I knew more as a schoolboy. This is a sad indictment of our times. It was not that I was good (I was not) but the quality of good engineers was not there any more. There was little intrinsic interest in radio - if it was in the course they might know about it. As youngsters, we were excited about radio! Where is that spark today?
At one time, amateur radio was a good gateway into an engineering career, but I have real doubts this is true today. In my younger days, when I started as a professional radio engineer nearly everyone who was any good was a radio amateur. When I left 7 years ago, I was the only person doing any amateur radio building over my lunch break. The magic is no longer there. In fact people are embarrassed to admit they are radio amateurs. We need to find what connects with the younger generation or the future of our hobby is at great risk.
I think I have mentioned on my blog before that when interviewing potential RF design engineers with good honours degrees I was appalled to find that most knew nothing about radio. I knew more as a schoolboy. This is a sad indictment of our times. It was not that I was good (I was not) but the quality of good engineers was not there any more. There was little intrinsic interest in radio - if it was in the course they might know about it. As youngsters, we were excited about radio! Where is that spark today?
Heathkit coming back?
There are rumours suggesting that Heathkit is being resurrected and may yet again sell kits. I sincerely hope this is correct as Heath made some of the very best kits in its time. When it stopped selling amateur radio kits it left a big hole.
In my time I owned the HW8 (15, 20, 40 and 80m QRP CW transceiver), plus an Electronics Workshop when I was first interested in radio way back in the early 1960s. The Electronics Workshop enabled me to do some Medium Wave broadcast DXing around Christmas 1961) and some decent DX was worked with the HW8 in the late 1970s.
Although the Heathkit website (www.heathkit.com) worked yesterday it does not appear to work today, at least not when I tried. Http:/heathkit.com does work. It does not like the www. Try deleting this if it appears in your browser.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit .
See also http://www.amateurradio.com/heathkit-2/ - post by Neil W2NDG.
See http://stores.ebay.com/datapro/_i.html?rt=nc&LH_BIN=1
In my time I owned the HW8 (15, 20, 40 and 80m QRP CW transceiver), plus an Electronics Workshop when I was first interested in radio way back in the early 1960s. The Electronics Workshop enabled me to do some Medium Wave broadcast DXing around Christmas 1961) and some decent DX was worked with the HW8 in the late 1970s.
Although the Heathkit website (www.heathkit.com) worked yesterday it does not appear to work today, at least not when I tried. Http:/heathkit.com does work. It does not like the www. Try deleting this if it appears in your browser.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit .
See also http://www.amateurradio.com/heathkit-2/ - post by Neil W2NDG.
See http://stores.ebay.com/datapro/_i.html?rt=nc&LH_BIN=1
QRP Kits reopens
That font of all knowledge Steve G1KQH reports:
"Hendricks QRP Kits http://www.qrpkits.com has re-opened for business under its new proprietors, James Bennett and Kathy Long of Pacific Antenna. James writes:
"We are excited to resume operations as of May 1 providing Hendricks QRP Kits and in the very near future, we will be bringing back the entire Pacific Antenna line of antenna kits and parts. We very much appreciate the patience that has been shown as we worked through this transition and we look forward to serving the QRP community. 73 James and Kathy"
6m WSPR - very quiet
Apart from a spot yesterday evening at 2002z from G6AVK (78km), 6m WSPR has been very quiet here. I am still using an ERP of around 1W from my V2000 vertical. This should reach most DX stations on WSPR. No GDX spotted, or spotting me, overnight. I'll stick with the band today in the hope of some Es later.
UPDATE 1110z: I spotted 2E0BMG (62km) several times this morning. Doppler suggests aircraft reflections were involved. Judging by the Doppler, I think aircraft were involved.
UPDATE 1820z: G4FGJ (44km) has been exchanging 6m WSPR spots with me around teatime.
UPDATE 1110z: I spotted 2E0BMG (62km) several times this morning. Doppler suggests aircraft reflections were involved. Judging by the Doppler, I think aircraft were involved.
UPDATE 1820z: G4FGJ (44km) has been exchanging 6m WSPR spots with me around teatime.
472kHz transverter
Over the winter I have been using my simple, small transverter for the 630m band on WSPR with my earth-electrode "antenna". It has been widely copied with best DX on TX being over 1000km. 630m is an interesting band.See my website for more details: http://www.g3xbm.co.uk (lots of QRP stuff) and specifically https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr.
Sunspots and 10m - May 5th 2015
Sunspot number has rebounded to 85 (K=1) and the forecast for 10m is "fair". Things just might be a little better on 10m today? Well will know later.
UPDATE 0900z: So far only locals G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km) spotting my 10m beacon, but it is still very early.
UPDATE 1316z: Some 10m Es in evidence with OE6PWD (1232km) spotting me around lunchtime. No sign of any real DX yet.
UPDATE 1442z: EA8BVP (2986km) has yet again started to spot me. I have totally lost count how many days he has spotted me on 10m, but it is a lot.
UPDATE 1552z: EA8BVP continues to spot me lots of times, but still no sign of any "real" DX today on 10m WSPR. No North or South Americans.
UPDATE 2150z: No sign of any spots from the USA.
UPDATE 0900z: So far only locals G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km) spotting my 10m beacon, but it is still very early.
UPDATE 1316z: Some 10m Es in evidence with OE6PWD (1232km) spotting me around lunchtime. No sign of any real DX yet.
UPDATE 1442z: EA8BVP (2986km) has yet again started to spot me. I have totally lost count how many days he has spotted me on 10m, but it is a lot.
UPDATE 1552z: EA8BVP continues to spot me lots of times, but still no sign of any "real" DX today on 10m WSPR. No North or South Americans.
UPDATE 2150z: No sign of any spots from the USA.
4 May 2015
Cuckoo - NOT amateur radio
We visited West Stow today with 2 of our young grandchildren. This is a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village. We heard a goldcrest and the first cuckoo whilst there, but saw neither. A cuckoo is a sign if the return of spring. I have yet to see house martins or swifts and have only seen 2 swallows so far this spring.
6m - only just gone on
I have not been on 6m WSPR most of the day. In fact I have only just gone on after our regular 2m sked in East Cambridgeshire on 144.575MHz FM.
At this late time I only expect to get spotted (or to spot) GDX stations off aircraft, or locals. I have been on 10m all day TX only. On 6m I expect I will have missed any Es that may have been around. It was my error that the 6m kit was off. I had not planned to be off 6m.
UPDATE 1938z: No spots given or received on 6m so far this evening.
At this late time I only expect to get spotted (or to spot) GDX stations off aircraft, or locals. I have been on 10m all day TX only. On 6m I expect I will have missed any Es that may have been around. It was my error that the 6m kit was off. I had not planned to be off 6m.
UPDATE 1938z: No spots given or received on 6m so far this evening.
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