With just a single spot all day on 6m from a station 33km away, I have left the 10m beacon still running (still Es about) and QSYed from 6m to 630m WSPR with the earth-electrode "antenna". In recent days 630m has not been brilliant.
UPDATE 1915z: PA3ABK/2 (306km) being spotted on 630m (472kHz) WSPR.
UPDATE 2256z: On 10m WSPR I have been reported at incredible strength (+4dB) by DF4UE (758km) when running 500mW. This implies he would copy me at uW levels!
22 May 2016
Dad's Army Van - NOT amateur radio
IC7300 video
This was received from Steve G1KQH yesterday. I think he expects me to buy one. With no FT817 replacement shown at Dayton, he may well be right, when the price drops and the bugs are ironed out, but I am in no hurry. It uses 15 band-pass filters in the front end. These stop overload in most, but not all, cases.
73
Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
15
bandpass filters Roger?
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
Sunspots and 10m - Sun May 22nd 2016
Solar flux is 99 today. Sunspot number is just 17 (K=2). The 10m propagation forecast remains "poor". I doubt we will see better F2 conditions until the autumn. Come that time we will be falling solar activity so F2 openings to the USA will be much less often.
Sunday 10m WSPR Es
Today I put the 500mW (TX only) beacon on 10m WSPR. As well as lots of spots by local G4KPX (14km) I was spotted at 1008z by I4ZTO (1185km). This is quite early in the day for Es.
Although also active on 6m WSPR (TX and RX), there have been no spots (yet) on 6m.
UPDATE 1140z: Quite a few 10m WSPR spots (Es) received in the last few hours, but still no spots on 6m WSPR. Either people are using SSB/CW or there is no Es on 6m.
Although also active on 6m WSPR (TX and RX), there have been no spots (yet) on 6m.
UPDATE 1140z: Quite a few 10m WSPR spots (Es) received in the last few hours, but still no spots on 6m WSPR. Either people are using SSB/CW or there is no Es on 6m.
21 May 2016
10m WSPR Es here
Around teatime there was a widespread 10m Es opening with spots from all over western Europe on 10m WSPR. It is not at all unusual for Es to peak at lunchtime and teatime.
I think tomorrow I shall try 6m WSPR with the FT817 and stick the 500mW beacon (TX only) on 10m.
I think tomorrow I shall try 6m WSPR with the FT817 and stick the 500mW beacon (TX only) on 10m.
Even fewer G3 calls
In the Silent Keys list in June RadCom I see another 4 G3 stations have died. Most months there are 4-6 who have died. My G3XBM call was issued in December 1967. Some date much earlier, probably just after WW2? If the G3s are a dying breed then those issued between the wars must be even rarer. In 20 years there will be very few of us left. There is a real chance that our hobby will just die unless the younger generation is enthralled. I very much hope I am wrong.
Young people get excited by different things. As a youngster, amateur radio was the only way to communicate around the world. TV was limited to Europe. Short-wave was magic: hearing Radio Australia with heavy QSB early in the morning was very exciting. These days young people can video conference for nothing with any part of the world. No, amateur radio is no longer magic as it was to me. Getting my G3 call was a passport to worldwide communications. This is no longer the case.
We are not alone: many churches seem to be totally unattractive to young people and the bulk of their congregations are old women. In time, these will die and these churches will die too. There are some exceptions.
Young people get excited by different things. As a youngster, amateur radio was the only way to communicate around the world. TV was limited to Europe. Short-wave was magic: hearing Radio Australia with heavy QSB early in the morning was very exciting. These days young people can video conference for nothing with any part of the world. No, amateur radio is no longer magic as it was to me. Getting my G3 call was a passport to worldwide communications. This is no longer the case.
We are not alone: many churches seem to be totally unattractive to young people and the bulk of their congregations are old women. In time, these will die and these churches will die too. There are some exceptions.
472kHz antenna calculator
See http://www.472khz.org/pages/tools/antenna-simulator.php for a very useful tool to estimate the performance of antennas on 472kHz. This tool was produced by Rik ON7YD. Based on my own limited experience you do not need big ERP at all to have fun with WSPR on the band.
If you know your antenna current you can use it to work out your ERP or EIRP. The tool will show how much power you need to reach the ERP or EIRP limit for the band.
If you know your antenna current you can use it to work out your ERP or EIRP. The tool will show how much power you need to reach the ERP or EIRP limit for the band.
Home again. Active on 10m WSPR
After 9 nights away, we are now home again. I have turned on the 10m WSPR (20% TX 2W, 80% RX). As the gear has only just been turned on, it may be some time before 10m WSPR spots are given or received.
UPDATE 1338z: Just 10m WSPR spots exchanged with G4KPX (14km) at good strength so far.
UPDATE 1540z: Still just exchanging 10m WSPR spots with G4KPX (14km). No Es or F2 seen here today. The best report was -9dB S/N. This was probably aircraft reflection as there was a lot of Doppler. I seem to exchange spots with Richard more typically at -11dB S/N to -20dB S/N.
UPDATE 1338z: Just 10m WSPR spots exchanged with G4KPX (14km) at good strength so far.
UPDATE 1540z: Still just exchanging 10m WSPR spots with G4KPX (14km). No Es or F2 seen here today. The best report was -9dB S/N. This was probably aircraft reflection as there was a lot of Doppler. I seem to exchange spots with Richard more typically at -11dB S/N to -20dB S/N.
10m Es and F2
This morning there is Es on 10m WSPR already and N-S F2 propagation. A promising start.
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