In more recent times there have been other activations. EME takes real dedication but recent advances in digital techniques have made EME more accessible to smaller stations. It still needs a lot more power and antenna gain than I have! Some of these activations are on YouTube. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1agnioRKJw .
10 May 2016
Arecibo EME in 1964?
Way back in my youth, I recall that USA amateurs got access to the huge 1000 foot dish at Arecibo in Puerto Rico for early EME (moonbounce) tests. This was extensively reported in QST and the RSGB Bulletin at the time. I think this was 1964 or 1965. As the dish was huge, it gave smaller stations a chance with EME. EME started soon after WW2 I believe but for many this was their first chance.
In more recent times there have been other activations. EME takes real dedication but recent advances in digital techniques have made EME more accessible to smaller stations. It still needs a lot more power and antenna gain than I have! Some of these activations are on YouTube. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1agnioRKJw .
In more recent times there have been other activations. EME takes real dedication but recent advances in digital techniques have made EME more accessible to smaller stations. It still needs a lot more power and antenna gain than I have! Some of these activations are on YouTube. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1agnioRKJw .
Rain - NOT amateur radio
Well, perhaps we have had the good weather for the year! Our nice dry and warm spell came to an end after dark last night with rain. The big high we had has slipped away and we are now (once again) in a stream of wet and windy weather dominated by low pressure systems. It is not that cold but several degrees lower than the highs we saw in the last few days. The sun has gone.
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| Part of the rear garden yesterday |
Returned to 10m WSPR
About 20 minutes ago I returned to 10m WSPR (2W TX 20%, 80% RX) hopeful of some Es or even F2 propagation on the 10m band. As yet, no 10m spots given or received.
Just G8LCO (58km) was spotting me on 630m WSPR. I have now gone QRT on MF (630m). It is doubtful I shall bother with this band again now until the autumn in better conditions with a lot more active stations.
UPDATE 1056z: Still no spots on 10m WSPR, although it remains early in the day.
UPDATE 1115z: Still no spots on 10m WSPR. If there is to be any Es on 10m today, then I would expect it soon.
UPDATE 1348z: OH5XO (1943km) spotted a few times around lunch on 10m WSPR, so some Es today again. No F2 seen here today. No Es since lunchtime.
UPDATE 1922z: EA1FAQ (1249km) spotted me very strongly on 10m WSPR at teatime. Es definitely. Against my better judgement I have returned to 630m WSPR (QRT on 10m now) and am being spotted on 630m WSPR by M1GEO (65km) and G8LCO (58km). I think M1GEO is a new reporter.
Just G8LCO (58km) was spotting me on 630m WSPR. I have now gone QRT on MF (630m). It is doubtful I shall bother with this band again now until the autumn in better conditions with a lot more active stations.
UPDATE 1056z: Still no spots on 10m WSPR, although it remains early in the day.
UPDATE 1115z: Still no spots on 10m WSPR. If there is to be any Es on 10m today, then I would expect it soon.
UPDATE 1348z: OH5XO (1943km) spotted a few times around lunch on 10m WSPR, so some Es today again. No F2 seen here today. No Es since lunchtime.
UPDATE 1922z: EA1FAQ (1249km) spotted me very strongly on 10m WSPR at teatime. Es definitely. Against my better judgement I have returned to 630m WSPR (QRT on 10m now) and am being spotted on 630m WSPR by M1GEO (65km) and G8LCO (58km). I think M1GEO is a new reporter.
472kHz overnight
Last night I went on 472kHz WSPR again overnight. Unlike earlier in the year when I spotted lots of stations and lots spotted me, I only spotted one station last night (a German) and just one station spotted me. At this time of year and through the summer I think I am wasting my time. Maybe I should chose a different band for WSPR overnight now?
Sunspots and 10m - Tues May 10th 2016
Solar flux is 88 today and the sunspot number 68 (K=4). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor", although there was F2 propagation on 10m WSPR yesterday.
9 May 2016
Life on Mars? - NOT amateur radio
See http://www.theworldweekly.com/reader/view/magazine/2014-12-18/there-may-be-life-on-mars-after-all/2909 .
It is just possible there is life on Mars.
It is just possible there is life on Mars.
My website and blogs
Every now and again I like to remind people of my main website and blogs. My main website (not updated too often) has details of my projects. The blogs get updated most days and are where I put news or things that are of interest to me.
www.g3xbm.co.uk - Main website
g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.co.uk/ - Amateur radio (mainly) blog - updated most days
qss2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Miscellaneous Musings blog - updated most weeks
eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ - East Anglian churches blog - updated when we visit a church in the area
www.g3xbm.co.uk - Main website
g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.co.uk/ - Amateur radio (mainly) blog - updated most days
qss2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Miscellaneous Musings blog - updated most weeks
eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ - East Anglian churches blog - updated when we visit a church in the area
Back on 10m WSPR
At about 0936z I resumed my 10m WSPR activity. It will take a few minutes before I am ready to give and receive spots.
Let us hope today is better than yesterday, which was dire here. At least the sun is shining, although this has nothing to do with Es!
There has been some work correlating some thunder activity with sprites and Es, but I don't know the details. Es is fascinating and there is still a lot to learn. May, June, July and August are the best Es months in the northern hemisphere with a much smaller peak December and January. Es can occur at any time though, to a lesser extent which is another good reason to use WSPR.
Years ago I remember getting into trouble with my mum and dad when I used the one domestic TV we had to hunt for Band 1 DXTV by Es. In those days (1960s) you could see all over Europe on Band 1 TV in the summer months. On tropo I could always see the Band 3 819 line transmission (weakly) from Brittany. The antenna was totally in the wrong direction. On a 405 line TV (unmodified) there were 2 pictures side by side.
UPDATE 1142z: Some Es on 10m WSPR. No F2 seen here.
UPDATE 1642z: Much to my surprise, I exchanged spots with FR1GZ (9724km) this afternoon and spotted PU3WSF (10416km) this afternoon by F2. I was not expecting F2 today.
Let us hope today is better than yesterday, which was dire here. At least the sun is shining, although this has nothing to do with Es!
There has been some work correlating some thunder activity with sprites and Es, but I don't know the details. Es is fascinating and there is still a lot to learn. May, June, July and August are the best Es months in the northern hemisphere with a much smaller peak December and January. Es can occur at any time though, to a lesser extent which is another good reason to use WSPR.
Years ago I remember getting into trouble with my mum and dad when I used the one domestic TV we had to hunt for Band 1 DXTV by Es. In those days (1960s) you could see all over Europe on Band 1 TV in the summer months. On tropo I could always see the Band 3 819 line transmission (weakly) from Brittany. The antenna was totally in the wrong direction. On a 405 line TV (unmodified) there were 2 pictures side by side.
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| 10m WSPR so far today |
UPDATE 1642z: Much to my surprise, I exchanged spots with FR1GZ (9724km) this afternoon and spotted PU3WSF (10416km) this afternoon by F2. I was not expecting F2 today.
Sunspots and 10m - Mon May 9th 2016
Solar flux is 83 today. Sunspot number is 42 (K=4) and the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".
I have yet to turn on my 10m WSPR. I shall probably use 2W TX on 10m and listen for others 80% of the time. Although F2 is very doubtful, Es is more likely on 10m today.
I have yet to turn on my 10m WSPR. I shall probably use 2W TX on 10m and listen for others 80% of the time. Although F2 is very doubtful, Es is more likely on 10m today.
Declining swallow numbers - NOT amateur radio
See http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swallow/population.aspx
Certainly over here in East Anglia there are fewer swallows about than previously. They have appeared on sightings in Devon, but I have seen very few so far. Swifts seem to be plentiful. I think I have seen as many house martins as swallows and that is just a handful. The RSPB says swallow numbers have been declining since the 1970s. As a harbinger of summer, I hope this is just a blip. Certainly we had a mild, wet winter but spring was late.
Certainly over here in East Anglia there are fewer swallows about than previously. They have appeared on sightings in Devon, but I have seen very few so far. Swifts seem to be plentiful. I think I have seen as many house martins as swallows and that is just a handful. The RSPB says swallow numbers have been declining since the 1970s. As a harbinger of summer, I hope this is just a blip. Certainly we had a mild, wet winter but spring was late.
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