No real voice

Although I (just about) get onto the East Cambs 2m FM net most Mondays on 144.575MHz for about 20 minutes and I get on for about 1 hour in the 2m and 70cm legs of the RSGB's Tuesday evening UKAC contests, I find using my voice hard work, so I avoid talking on the radio too much currently.  CW is not easy either. 

I certainly hope my (stroke affected) voice improves this year.  In the meantime I tend to use WSPR a lot, currently on 10m and 6m as this gives me a good indication about propagation and can be monitored elsewhere in our home via WSPRnet.

Tenner - a 500mW CW transceiver for 10m

This was a rig I built and used a few years ago for 10m CW.  As you can see, the design is simple but it worked across the Atlantic many times. Pull the crystal too much and the RX-TX offset becomes too great. Ideal as a simple rig for 10m CW.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10m_tenner .

Sunspots and 10m/6m - Sun May 31st 2015

Sunspot number is little changed from yesterday at 27 (K=1) and 10m is expected to remain "poor". Apart from local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me there was a little Es evident mid morning with my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon being spotted in France and Sweden.

UPDATE 1145z:  On 6m this morning no F2 or Es seen here but plenty of G stations spotting me or being spotted.

East Anglian Churches blog updated - NOT amateur radio

We actually visited Wiveton Church in North Norfolk a couple of weeks ago,  but I have only today updated the blog to reflect our visit.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/.

MOSFET crystal sets

Some years ago, QST had an article on a crystal set based on a zero bias MOSFET.  Although I have yet to try this sort of design I have no doubt they will work well.  Crystal sets derive all their power from the TX and in the past I have achieved some remarkable (well for me!) results.  Best was receiving Radio Australia (from Australia) as well as some amateur Gs on 80m and 160m at a considerable distance. In the USA some 75m AM amateur stations are regularly heard at great distances.

See http://makearadio.com/visitorsprojects/ralf-mosfet.php .

GQRP Club and SPRAT magazine

Several times in the past I have said that, if all other magazines had to be cancelled I'd keep GQRP Club's SPRAT magazine. This small format magazine comes out quarterly and is excellent value for money. You don't get the endless adverts by the few remaining national radio companies in the UK, just a few adverts from companies selling bits.  Every quarter there are articles showing things to build or ideas on which to base your own projects.

SPRAT really is first class and all produced by unpaid volunteers who love our hobby. As much as I enjoy browsing PW and RadCom, I look forward to getting SPRAT far more.

See http://www.gqrp.com/ .

10m Es, no Es on 6m today so far

There was Es propagation on 10m WSPR with spots from Sweden and Portugal starting before lunch, but, so far at least, no signs of any F2 propagation. Quiet on 6m WSPR so far with just G stations up to 134km (G4BRK) and no signs of any Es on 6m so far today here.

UPDATE 1625z: EA8BVP (2986km) has been spotting me several times this (late) afternoon. This is single hop F2.

CCS - NOT amateur radio

My wife sings in a local choir and I do their website. You do not want to hear me sing, believe me!

See www.cambschoral.org.uk  for details of the choir. If local you may want to join the choir and sing? Otherwise you may want to attend the next concert?

6m WSPR this morning

On 6m WSPR this morning I have only seen GDX spots and no sign, yet, of any Es propagation. It is early days and Es later is entirely possible.  Best DX so far is G0OQK at 98km. Some of this GDX may only be possible via aircraft reflections, evidenced by lots of Doppler traces on the received traces.

6m WSPR this morning so far (overnight spots not included)

Sunspots and 10m - May 30th 2015

Sunspot number has risen to 23 (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor".

UPDATE 0925z:  Only local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me overnight and this morning so far on 10m WSPR.  I reset the 10m beacon clock to internet time just before breakfast time.  No F2 or Es spots seen yet on 10m WSPR here.

UPDATE 1835z:    EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me 32 times so far today by F2, but no further DX.