472kHz WSPR

Another disappointing 472kHz WSPR session with just 6 unique spots of my 5mW ERP in the session which started last evening and lasted until 1010z this morning.

Fewer stations are spotting me this season. Maybe the noise floor is rising and my QRP is just not getting copied so easily? Activity levels are higher than last year, so there must be a good reason. I really must have a better antenna for 472kHz WSPR TX. I know an E-field probe would be better on RX but I want to TX as there are too few active TX stations on the band. Even a few dB extra ERP would help.

10m JT65

I have been on 10m JT65 (2W) since about 1023z after an overnight session on 630m WSPR (5mW ERP). As yet, no 10m JT65 spots. There are quite a few Europeans active I see.

UPDATE 1448z: Es on 10m with SB7W (932km) spotted. G4CJC (73km) spotted by tropo or aircraft reflection.

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday January 7th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number zero again. A=16 and K=3. Unless we get some winter Es I think we'll be lucky to catch much DX on 10m today, but I am often wrong.

Lightwave Comms

Because of my poor health I have not been able to pursue 481THz (lightwave) experiments especially "over the horizon" NLOS tests. Thankfully, others are "carrying the torch" .

See http://qsl.net/ve7sl/westcoast%20lightwave%20project.pdf

Crystal Sets

It is some years since I last made a crystal set, but I well recall a UK book called "The Boy's Book of Crystal Sets" which I think was first published in 1954. It is available on-line.  At the time "Boy's" was OK. If published now, we'd have to say "Young Person's".

Years back I made a short-wave crystal set and heard some impressive DX with it including Radio Australia and Radio Havana. Both these and many others were NOT more local relays. Radio Australia was a real catch and totally amazed me at the time.

See http://www.vintageradio.me.uk/crystal/boys_book_xtal.htm .

There is also some information on my main website. Crystal sets are easy to make and capable of surprising results.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/crystalset .

Ducks at Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

We got very close to a couple of mallard ducks at Anglesey Abbey a few days ago as the picture shows.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday January 6th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is again zero.  A=18 and K=3. Luckily there is winter Es around to lift the gloom on 10m.

Is 5G a myth? - NOT amateur radio

 Is 5G all a myth? A new book seems to suggest this. This was on the Elector site today.

No solar data - yet

As of 1247z, my source of solar data has still not been updated, so I will post this later, assuming it comes!

Bike - NOT amateur radio

We are lucky to have 4 grandchildren aged 4 to 9 years old. When they come to stay, they enjoy going on their bikes as our quiet Close is ideal. As our smaller bike was too small, we've just got a bigger one that our granddaughters can use.