The G3TFX experiment - 2m FT8 RX vertical

As promised, today I am monitoring 2m FT8 but using my V2000 vertical instead of the horizontal big-wheel. This was suggested by my old work colleague Richard G3TFX in Cambridge.

Already I am surprised by the number of stations still being received. This suggests that these stations are less dependant on polarisation than I thought, suggesting either aircraft reflection or random MS rather than tropo.

UPDATE 1015z: 12 uniques in 4 countries, despite being vertically polarised.

UPDATE 1130z: Now 19 uniques in 4 countries.

UPDATE 1405z: Now 28 uniques in 4 countries.

UPDATE 2105z: Well, the experiment has ended. Conclusion? Polarisation does not matter, so probably most DX received by aircraft reflections. Amazing. Map show stations received on 2m FT8 today with vertical polarisation.

Best bus rides in England (video)? - NOT amateur radio

With the closure of the A379 along Slapton Line, Devon we lose one of the best bus rides in England. I hope they repair this road, although I have my doubts as the storm damage is bad.

Head for heights?

Just watching this video made me feel sick! You would never catch me up there! I'd be terrified. Good job I've not got a large tower in my garden.

A short while later I found a video of someone going up an even taller tower!

Snowy windmill - NOT amateur radio

It is about 5 years since we had real snow. It has attempted to snow over the years, but last week we had real snow falling several times and, for us, very cold temperatures. Others may laugh! As some will be aware, we live next door.

Solar data for February

Data for February is now available.

Although we are on the long fall to the next solar minimum, there was a small rise in solar activity last month. This is a blip on the slow decline, but serves to remind us that there are good days as well as bad days. Even now there are days with real DX on 10m.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Endings - NOT amateur radio

I am not good at endings. Life goes on normally, then something happens to change the routine: things that had gone on for years and taken for granted come to an end. When this happens it is a real shock.

In reality, life is all about coming to terms with change. Change is always happening, yet we are often unaware or not looking. No, we have to accept change and move on. Change is a reality. As they say, "the past is another country". Enjoy things while they are there, accept them, and then move on. Change is part of life, whether we like it or not. For some of us this is hard.

Sunspots - Sunday March 4th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number back to zero. A=6 and K=2.

2m FT8 RX (again)

This is getting addictive! Again, I am monitoring 2m FT8. In the last 6 hours 6 unique stations in 3 countries with best DX F6EAS (387km) in Normandy. Again I am using my big-wheel horizontal omni antenna. Gain is about 2dBd.

UPDATE 1030z: Already 14 uniques in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1400z: Now 24 uniques in 5 countries in the last half a day on 2m FT8 RX. I can honestly say that 2m FT8 has been a revelation. Every day seems to result in spots of stations at great distance, even though my antenna is nothing at all special and with hardly any gain over a dipole. Imagine the results with a 9 element beam!

UPDATE 1430z: Now 28 uniques in 7 countries on 2m FT8 RX with best DX DK2DTF (644km).

UPDATE 1622z: Now 30 uniques in 7 countries today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1905z: A local friend G3TFX has suggested I try vertical polarisation to see how much difference this makes, especially with DX signals. If tropo, I'd expect about 15-20dB polarisation loss. If aircraft reflection, the difference should be far less. The overall gain of the big-wheel with feeder loss is probably about 0dBd. The feeder loss and gain of my V2000 vertical is probably much the same. So, tomorrow I'll try 2m FT8 RX with vertical polarisation.

Eddystone Receivers

When I first got interested in the hobby in the early 1960s Far Eastern transceivers were unheard of. Many used war surplus receivers like the AR88 or CR100. For years I coveted an Eddystone EC10. One day I got one. The IF was low and the bandspread on 10m was abysmal! As a tuneable IF for VHF and UHF converters it was fine. Overall, it really was not a very good receiver. These days they are hard to find and really not worth the money.

The 840C was a much better radio. At one time they even did an amateur band only receiver called the EA12.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ec10

Slapton Line - NOT amateur radio

This is also known as Torcross Line, Devon. In WW2 is was used as a place where D-day landings were rehearsed.

Sadly, a big stretch of the road along it was washed away and it is quite possible it will never be repaired. In the end the sea will inundate the freshwater lake known as Slapton Ley. This could be soon or in 50 years' time.

The question is how long do you keep re-building the road (A379) that runs along it? This stretch is one of the best views in the UK.