630m OPERA RX

Last evening and overnight, I tried 630m OPERA RX. It is supposed to spot weaker stations even than WSPR, which is pretty good. For the first time ever at this QTH I spotted "across the pond" on 630m: VO1NA was spotted twice on "deep search". Activity is lower than 630m WSPR, but LA3EQ was spotted and a few others.

Tonight, I may well try 630m OPERA TX, although I shall also try 630m WSPR as EA5DOM is reported back on the band and mode. He is usually a very good WSPR signal here.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 21st 2017

Solar flux is 73 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=8 and K=4.

Mugabe - NOT amateur radio

Many years ago, just after WW2, my dad was in S.Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, posted there by the RAF.  Whilst there he met King George VI and our future queen.

What has happened to that country in recent times is saddening. What will happen to Robert Mugabe is anyone's guess. He appears as an old man clinging to power. Whatever happens, I hope it benefits the people of that country.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42048412 .

630m OPERA RX

OK, I may give this a try tonight. The software needs downloading and I  have to find the right frequencies, but it is more sensitive than WSPR, so seems worth a try. My noise floor (S7) may limit what I can decode.

UPDATE 2040z: So I downloaded OPERA software, set the AGC to "off", set the frequency to 477kHz DIG (i.e. USB), set the RX to "wide", but so far nothing received!

UPDATE 2220z: 3 stations copied on 630m OPERA with best DX so far being LA3EQ (768km). I might give OPERA TX a try tomorrow evening. Others with a lower noise floor might be able to spot me on OPERA but not on WSPR?

630m WSPR overnight

In all, 12 unique stations spotted my 10mW 630m WSPR in the last day. In turn, I spotted 8 uniques.

Amateur licences - rising or falling?

This probably depends on which country you are in.  Southgate News picked up a WIA story that reported roughly static numbers in Australia. In the UK, unless a trend is reversed, we are likely to see numbers rapidly fall in the next 20 years. People are getting older and die. Sadly there are too few young people and women in the hobby here in the UK.

Call me sad but every month I look in RadCom to see how many G3s are now SK. It averages about 5 a month. At this rate we'll soon all be dead!

What is it like in your country?

10m FT8

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. The last few days have been disappointing with little or no DX copied here. So far this morning just MM0HVU (479km) spotted. Aircraft reflection ?

UPDATE 1045z: Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is currently 4Z4DX (3544km) in Israel. I assume this is F2.

UPDATE 1624z: Two South Americans on 10m FT8 RX! Things are looking up. Best DX is LU4VZ (12459km).

How much better is WSPR compared with 12wpm CW?

It is very hard to calculate this as you have to compare "apples with apples". A calculation by PA3FWM suggests this could be 17dB!!

See http://www.pa3fwm.nl/technotes/tn09b.html .

Sunspots - Monday November 20th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number zero again. It seems to be zero quite often now.  A=5 and K=1.

Driverless Cars - NOT amateur radio

It seems we are going to see driverless cars on our roads in the UK sooner rather than later. The UK budget is this week and rumours suggest the go-ahead will be given for more on-road tests. Already the collision avoidance software is very good, but the main issue is consumer (driver) confidence. Somehow we find it hard not to still want to drive, even though the software driven car is probably safer!

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856  .