QRP 10m JT65 only

Today, I am just on 10m JT65 only using 2W. I have just been spotted by IZ0AIS (1506km) by Es. I am afraid 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR will have to wait for a different day. I am still using WSJT-X V1.6, although I gather there is now a V1.7 out.

QSYed - now on QRP 10m JT65

As on previous days, I have gone QRT on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR and am just on 10m JT65 (2W) hoping for some South American spots later. Already I have had an Es spot from Germany by DO4CP (915km).

UPDATE 2106z: At the moment, a couple of spots from South America this evening, but as yet no-one there has spotted me from South America.

Pye Telecom - NOT amateur radio

http://www.pyetelecomhistory.org/prodhist/portables/chiefexec/jan31-2005-0020-800p.jpg

Please note the picture above is at the Pye Telecom History Site and NOT on this blog. The link will be removed if a problem. This link may not work with https links to this blog.
My first job was with Pye Telecom in 1970 in the Portables Lab. I had to put 12.5kHz channel spacing into the PF1 receiver. My boss was a John McLean and his boss was, now SK, Mike Gotch (later G0IMG). At the time I did not know that Mike was interested in amateur radio. In his latter years he was keen on 10m and 6m.

The 2 unit PF1's sold in good volumes to the UK police. These were the first common UHF portables in the world.  A few specials were made for chief constables and the like.

Work was very different then! These days people would not get away with what we did back then. There was very little competition and work was easy.

Sepura - NOT amateur radio

Since a profits warning earlier in the spring, Sepura share have tumbled. This was my old company before I retired in 2008. Nowadays I have no connections with the place. These days the shares are probably well undervalued. There have been takeover rumours which would probably mean a change in top management.

Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

Every time we visit here there is something to see. It changes through the seasons although some things are beautiful at any time of the year such as the bark on this tree on the winter walk.

QRP on 10m and 6m today

I restarted the PC at breakfast time and am currently on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m transceive JT65 (2W). Nothing yet on 10m here, but I was spotted in Norway on 6m JT65 2 hours ago, presumably by Es, by LB5JE (1152km). On 6m I just use a simple V2000 vertical omni fed with RG58 coax. On 10m the antenna is just a low Par 10/20/40m end fed i.e. nothing special.

UPDATE 0932z: Still nothing on 10m WSPR. Funny, if I just had 10m WSPR I'd have concluded the 10m band was "dead". Yet I have already had spots of my JT65 on 6m including one which was almost certainly Es. Never give up! A dead band may not be dead at all.

UPDATE 1254z:  No further 6m spots. 10m WSPR? Not sure as I have been unable to contact the WSPRnet database yet again!

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday September 14th 2016

Solar flux is 84 today. Sunspot number is 27. K=2. The 10m F2 propagation forecast is (again) "poor".

Burwell windmill - NOT amateur radio

Lovely to see the Burwell windmill 4 sails turning in the wind earlier. It is the first time these have been working for a long time.

See  http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/.

70cm UKAC tonight

This evening, the second Tuesday in the month is the RSGB's UK activity contest for 70cm. I often go on for a little while and work a few stations, although I only have a 2m omni antenna which radiates after a fashion. The contest runs from 1900z to 2130z, although I shall probably be on for about 30 minutes only because of my poor voice. Activity levels are usually good. With the hot weather in most of England, there could be a few more portable stations out on hilltops too this evening.

Yesterday I sent in my modest entry for last week's 2m UKAC. I was only on for about 20 minutes but still managed to work decent distances with just my QRP and omni antenna.

These contests are good fun and a good way to work more squares.

70cm QSOs this evening using 5W and a 2m halo with lossy coax

UPDATE 2010z: Well I made 5 QSOs  in 30 minutes with my poor voice, 5W and a 2m halo fed with lossy coax. Best DX was JO03 square. Fun and surprising with such a poor antenna! Great.

Soon be time to change band and mode

With WSPRnet still struggling, I think I'm going QRT on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65 and QSYing to just 10m JT65 for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Clearly there is Es about on 6m, but on 10m I don't (yet) know.

UPDATE 1806z: A few hours ago I QSYed and am now only on 10m JT65. With German and French stations copying me, there is clearly Es about on the band. Nothing from South America yet. When I eventually managed to access the WSPRnet database I see that I was spotted in Spain, Germany and Sweden on 10m WSPR earlier. As usual. I was using 500mW.

UPDATE 1840z: Several spots of South American stations on 10m JT65 (CE and PY), but no-one there has yet spotted me on 10m JT65.