OFCOM and short range devices

Today, OFCOM published a new document about short range devices.

I have no idea if this affects the access by amateurs to different parts of the radio spectrum, but I think not. OFCOM would have to think, and make decisions. Surely not possible!

Like many OFCOM documents it looks like it was written by a 1st year Law student who hides behind the law as he/she knows nothing about RF. If I am being grossly unfair, I am sorry, but that is how I read it.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/111677/Implementing-the-Commission-Decision-on-Short-Range-Devices.pdf

Still snowing - NOT amateur radio

As I write, it is still snowing here. This is the heaviest snow we have had for several years. Definitely a day to stay at home and keep warm!

WRC-19 and amateur radio

The next World Radio Conference is next year (2019). At it, spectrum will be discussed. I have to admit that I have not been following preparations too closely, but I expect the amateur service will be way down the list of priorities. Much more important to the national administrations will be spectrum for satellite services and for 5G. Basically, if it generates money they will be interested. If not, it will play second fiddle.

For the amateur service what would I like to see?

• Extension of the 5MHz allocation made at WRC-15.
• A 4m band throughout region 1 (possibly elsewhere too).
• A 6m band everywhere 50-52MHz minimum (50-54MHz ideally).
• Clarification that spectrum below 8.3kHz can be used by anyone anywhere on a non-interference basis.
• Access to 40MHz and 60MHz for Es research. Even a very small allocation would be useful.

Now, probably most of these will not happen!

10m FT8 RX

At the moment, I am monitoring 28.074MHz FT8 RX. Realistically, I am not expecting great things, but I have been surprised in the past.

UPDATE 1025z: No spots as yet.

UPDATE 1347z: Just spots of G4CJC (73km) in north London so far.

UPDATE 1654z: SQ4OJD (1359km) spotted earlier this afternoon. So far the only no-G spotted.

UPDATE 1735z: Now CT1GFQ (1684km) being spotted.

UPDATE 1826z: ZP5FIA (10287km) in Paraguay copied. There is still DX on 10m.

630m WSPR RX overnight

In all, 17 unique stations spotted on 630m WSPR in the last day. Nothing outside of EU, but a couple of new countries for me in the form of 9A3KB (1290km) and HF7A (1294km).

Snow - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of our grandson enjoying the snow on his birthday. It is still snowing now and this winter has been the coldest for several years.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 28th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 15. A=19 and K=2.

More on WSJT-X V1.9.0

Southgate News has more information on the latest version of WSPR-X, free software available for download. The FT8 weak signal, narrowband, mode has really "taken off" and has amazed me. The software for this is in WSJT-X and is totally free. All you have to do is sit on a given USB dial frequency and watch the DX appear. QSOs are formulaic, but the mode allows low power to reach great distances. Yesterday for example my 2m 4W ERP was spotted in north Devon quite easily.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/february/wsjt-x-version-1-9-0.htm#.WpXVPkx2vIU

Joining the dots - NOT amateur radio

This may be because I am getting older or an artefact following my 2013 stroke.

Sometimes I mishear things or simply misunderstand and my brain tries to make sense of it by subconsciously "joining up the dots". Sometimes I completely get the "wrong end of the stick". Today, I misunderstood my wife saying an old friend was coming tomorrow afternoon when in fact he was coming this morning. I guess this happens several times a week.

The moral is to make sure I heard correctly and don't interpret things incorrectly. At times my brain plays tricks.

Cambridge bikes - NOT amateur radio

When crossing roads in Cambridge you have to be careful: there are lots of bikes and often cycles are allowed to go down roads against the traffic flow. It is all too easy to walk into bikes. I have the dubious distinction of causing a cyclist to crash off his bike when I was a pedestrian buckling his front wheel. That was in 1971, but the nickname "crash" was still with me well into the 2000s! Cambridge is synonymous with bikes.