472kHz (630m) WSPR last evening

Until bedtime, I was monitoring 472kHz WSPR RX.  In all, 14 uniques spotted, although no new stations that I'd not spotted before. Once again, I was using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

4m (70MHz) band

For some time now I have been after a new challenge. A band I have hardly tried is 4m.

At the moment I have no 4m antennas and my QRP transverter is somewhere! The transverter has not been seen since we moved shortly before my 2013 stroke. It may be somewhere in a box in the loft.

4m sounds like a good band to try as I should be able to work by Es all the EUs allowed access. Also, much of the UK should be workable under normal conditions with a halo and say, 20W SSB. I guess all the UK would be possible with just a few watts on FT8.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr .

Sunspots - Tuesday March 20th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 0. A=16 and K=1

137kHz

This winter, I went on 137kHz WSPR RX for the first time at this QTH. I used my earth-electrode antenna in the ground. Really, I ought to try TXing from this QTH. One possibility is my TX transverter on my website (see schematic). I used this at the old QTH before my 2013 stroke with best DX 250km.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/137khz_tvrtr

Daytime 472kHz

For about 20 minutes now, I have been on 472kHz WSPR RX in the daylight. So far just several spots of G8GPO (36km) and one of  PA3ABK (306km).

UPDATE 1944z: LA2XPA (1340km) is the best DX spotted so far. 8 uniques so far today.

Trumped? - NOT amateur radio

Someone I know works for Qualcomm in California. Apparently President Trump was worried by a possible takeover by Broadcom of Singapore. They have now withdrawn their offer I understand according to the BBC.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43401675 .

472kHz WSPR RX last night

Yesterday evening I was on 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX. In all, 9 unique stations spotted, although I went QRT at bedtime and did not look overnight.

King's - NOT amateur radio

Living near Cambridge, we see many famous places that people travel the world to see. We can get in free too. One such is the world famous King's College Chapel shown here.

Sunspots - Monday March 19th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 13. A=25 and K=4.

Friedrichshafen - June 2018

Although I have never been, this "rally" in Germany is probably the biggest in Europe.  It is often the place where new products are introduced to Europe for the first time. I expect Yaesu will have the underwhelming FT818 there. WiMo will not be there sadly. Perhaps ICOM will announce a new product? The other "big one" is in the USA at Dayton, Ohio. Again, I have never been.

See http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/ham-en/