Solar flux is 87 today. Sunspot number is 51 but K=7. The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor". With very disturbed conditions it is unlikely 10m will be any good today, although Es may liven things up. I have been on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR since before breakfast.
UPDATE 0858z: Unsurprisingly, no spots so far today! Maybe I'll spot, or get spotted by, some locals?
UPDATE 1454z: Still no spots at all on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR. Dire.I may go on 472kHz WSPR tonight.
8 May 2016
ICOM IC7300 first reviews
Steve G1KQH has brought to my attention the first reviews on eHam of the IC7300.
Because of the wide front end filters, some have reported front-end overload issues. Software/firmware updates will not fix this as it is an inherent issue with wide front-end filters: nearby BC or amateur stations can swamp the front end and the rig sensitivity nosedives. As long as the overload does not occur it is a fine rig. I can see no good reason why this rig should be any worse than others that use sub-octave filters rather than narrow bandpass filters for each amateur band. Such designs are common nowadays in front ends.
I think sensitivity starts to collapse if the rig sees more than 70mV in the front end. If you have a nearby 1kW station operating in the same band, you could have problems. You might also have problems with multiple very strong BC band stations.
Although without 2m and 70cms, the European version does have 4m, which is good. I still just prefer the IC7300 to the Yaesu FT991. The price needs to drop though!
73
Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
Because of the wide front end filters, some have reported front-end overload issues. Software/firmware updates will not fix this as it is an inherent issue with wide front-end filters: nearby BC or amateur stations can swamp the front end and the rig sensitivity nosedives. As long as the overload does not occur it is a fine rig. I can see no good reason why this rig should be any worse than others that use sub-octave filters rather than narrow bandpass filters for each amateur band. Such designs are common nowadays in front ends.
I think sensitivity starts to collapse if the rig sees more than 70mV in the front end. If you have a nearby 1kW station operating in the same band, you could have problems. You might also have problems with multiple very strong BC band stations.
Although without 2m and 70cms, the European version does have 4m, which is good. I still just prefer the IC7300 to the Yaesu FT991. The price needs to drop though!
Eham
reviews point to an overload in the front end:
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
7 May 2016
10m F2 DX
PU3WSF (10416km) has been spotted on WSPR 2 times in recent minutes. I shall stay on 10m WSPR a bit longer in the hope that my own signal will reach S.America before the band dies out. Good to see some F2 DX on the band. At this time of year it is possible some of these openings are a combination of Es and F2 further to the south. There has been Es right across Europe all day on 10m.
UPDATE 2135z: Nothing on 10m WSPR for over an hour now. I am staying on the band overnight, but think we have now seen the end of F2 and Es for the day.
UPDATE 2135z: Nothing on 10m WSPR for over an hour now. I am staying on the band overnight, but think we have now seen the end of F2 and Es for the day.
FT817 replacement announcement?
If the rumours are to be believed, this month we may get an announcement at Dayton on a replacement to the FT817. Of course, it is entirely possible we will not!
In my view, Yaesu have "missed the boat" and should have launched such a product on the approach to the sunspot maximum rather than on the downward slope.Yaesu certainly need some "must have" features if they are to be as successful as with the FT817.
In my view, Yaesu have "missed the boat" and should have launched such a product on the approach to the sunspot maximum rather than on the downward slope.Yaesu certainly need some "must have" features if they are to be as successful as with the FT817.
Plentiful Es on 10m
It will soon be time to get back on 6m as the Es season is really with us now. There is daily Es on 10m and I expect there will be Es openings on 6m too. I have not seen any F2 DX on 10m WSPR for a little while. It will be interesting to see if 10m opens to the USA this autumn. I think it will on a few occasions and certainly far less often than last year. Any USA 10m spots this autumn will be a bonus.
Stroke update - NOT amateur radio
2.5 years after my cerebellum bleed, I am still suffering. The worst are the poor speech, the profound exhaustion I suffer after most mental or physical exertion and feeling drunk all of my waking hours. To others I look fine. This is part of my frustration: everyone thinks I am fully back to normal, whereas I know different. It is very very hard to accept.
UPDATE 1528z: This afternoon I creosoted (actually a substitute these days) our garden shed. In the past this would have been a quick and easy job, but now it really exhausts me. There is still one side to do tomorrow as well as putting up a different bird box for next season.
Sunspots and 10m - Sat May 7th 2016
I have been on 10m WSPR since about 0715z (2W TX 20%, RX 80%).
Solar flux 89 today and sunspot number 56 (K=2). The 10m propagation forecast remains "poor". although withe the Es season we can expect some short-skip in 10m most days.
UPDATE 0908z: Plenty of Es short-skip on 10m WSPR already, plus locals. Today could be quite productive on 10m WSPR by Es. It would be good to see some N-S F2 propagation on the band too.
Solar flux 89 today and sunspot number 56 (K=2). The 10m propagation forecast remains "poor". although withe the Es season we can expect some short-skip in 10m most days.
UPDATE 0908z: Plenty of Es short-skip on 10m WSPR already, plus locals. Today could be quite productive on 10m WSPR by Es. It would be good to see some N-S F2 propagation on the band too.
Rally in Northern Ireland (Ulster)
Sunday 8 MAY : 35th LOUGH ERNE AMATEUR RADIO RALLY
SHARE Centre, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland BT92 0EQ Doors open from 11.15am to 4pm with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, car boot area, flea market, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. A licensed bar and catering will be available on site. Lectures will form part of the day's activities and there will be a prize draw during the day. Camping is available. More information from Michael Clarke, M5MTC on 0286 862 1436 or by email to mi5mtc@learc.eu. www.learc.eu.
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/
SHARE Centre, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland BT92 0EQ Doors open from 11.15am to 4pm with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, car boot area, flea market, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. A licensed bar and catering will be available on site. Lectures will form part of the day's activities and there will be a prize draw during the day. Camping is available. More information from Michael Clarke, M5MTC on 0286 862 1436 or by email to mi5mtc@learc.eu. www.learc.eu.
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/
6 May 2016
Secure blog connection if you want
Set your link to https://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com if you want a secure blog connection. This is a recent Google change. The old links should still work. Note the https not http:// in the URL.
All quiet on 10m and 6m WSPR so far today
So far, there have been no spots on 10m WSPR or 6m WSPR. No F2 DX and no Es in evidence. This quite different from yesterday when on 10m there was a lot of Es about.
UPDATE 2116z: EA1FAQ (1249km) was copied on 10m WSPR by Es earlier. I have now QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR for the night until after breakfast tomorrow.
UPDATE 2116z: EA1FAQ (1249km) was copied on 10m WSPR by Es earlier. I have now QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR for the night until after breakfast tomorrow.
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