Riccardo IW4DXW has been doing more 8.27kHz VLF TX tests, but most stations in Europe have failed to decode him.
Inspired by DK7FC, Stefan, he hopes to do some "guard rail" loop tests soon.
See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/
6 Oct 2018
Transformation
The VHF station here on 2m is very modest consisting of an FT817ND and a big-wheel omni antenna on the side of the bungalow. For FM a V2000 triband vertical is used. There are no beams. The most power that can be run is 5W, although most times 2.5W is used.
Despite these restrictions, decent DX is worked in UKAC activity contests, no problems are experienced working 2m FM nets and 2m DX on FT8 RX and TX seems quite easy. The latter mode seems to have transformed the band: DX that would never have been expected is now workable in flat conditions. Sometimes this is aircraft reflection and other times it is just flat band tropo i.e. normal flat conditions. Today, for example, my 2.5W 2m FT8 has been copied in Cornwall and Ulster.
FT8 worries many. Although it is a great mode for simple stations to spot and work DX, it needs a PC and special (albeit free) software. Years ago many chanced on amateur radio by picking up a local 160m AM station. These days this is very unlikely. Our hobby is changing and the appeal of new modes may not be enough to save it. There is no doubt that modes like FT8 are overall "a good thing", but we have to be careful.
Despite these restrictions, decent DX is worked in UKAC activity contests, no problems are experienced working 2m FM nets and 2m DX on FT8 RX and TX seems quite easy. The latter mode seems to have transformed the band: DX that would never have been expected is now workable in flat conditions. Sometimes this is aircraft reflection and other times it is just flat band tropo i.e. normal flat conditions. Today, for example, my 2.5W 2m FT8 has been copied in Cornwall and Ulster.
FT8 worries many. Although it is a great mode for simple stations to spot and work DX, it needs a PC and special (albeit free) software. Years ago many chanced on amateur radio by picking up a local 160m AM station. These days this is very unlikely. Our hobby is changing and the appeal of new modes may not be enough to save it. There is no doubt that modes like FT8 are overall "a good thing", but we have to be careful.
BREXIT deal? - NOT amateur radio
Negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU were always going to be fraught and last minute. Both sides want the best compromise. It now looks a bit more hopeful with more positive noises from the EU.
I am sure that most people in the UK were less than happy with unrestricted movement within the EU, but were happy with free trade within the EU.
If the EU had been a bit more willing to compromise on this, I suspect the referendum outcome might have been different. For this I blame David Cameron (UK Prime Minister at the time) and the EU officials who could not read the "mood music". The UK has always been on the edge of the EU experiment.
In many countries the people of that nation want to have the final word over who works and lives in a particular nation. The UK does not want unrestricted immigration. It wants to have the final decision and, in my view, this is quite reasonable. I say this as someone who voted "remain".
This does not mean stopping low skilled workers coming to work in fruit picking, hospitals and hospitality. It means they do not have an automatic right to stay here for ever just because they are EU citizens.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45768848
I am sure that most people in the UK were less than happy with unrestricted movement within the EU, but were happy with free trade within the EU.
If the EU had been a bit more willing to compromise on this, I suspect the referendum outcome might have been different. For this I blame David Cameron (UK Prime Minister at the time) and the EU officials who could not read the "mood music". The UK has always been on the edge of the EU experiment.
In many countries the people of that nation want to have the final word over who works and lives in a particular nation. The UK does not want unrestricted immigration. It wants to have the final decision and, in my view, this is quite reasonable. I say this as someone who voted "remain".
This does not mean stopping low skilled workers coming to work in fruit picking, hospitals and hospitality. It means they do not have an automatic right to stay here for ever just because they are EU citizens.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45768848
Homo Deus - NOT amateur radio
You may not agree, but the latter is certainly thought provoking. What is approaching is undeniable: vast amounts of data are known and now, or very soon, machines will be able to process and analyse these data far better than the human brain. Perhaps Homo Sapiens is not the ultimate being we once thought.
The main problem remains consciousness. What is it? What is its purpose? Can we ever understand why it exists?
All the time I am aware of how limited our world view is. According to these books religions are human inventions.
What is clear is how little we understand.
St Ives (Cambs) - NOT amateur radio
Solar cycle 25
Having scanned what is available, my conclusion is that solar cycle 25 is expected to be much the same as cycle 24 i.e. not great. Perhaps it will be very slightly weaker. The experts are also expecting the minimum to be quite long. Predictions are getting better, but this by no means an exact science.
This is probably the last peak I shall be around to see, so I hope it is reasonable.
See https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2018GL078387
This is probably the last peak I shall be around to see, so I hope it is reasonable.
See https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2018GL078387
2m FT8
My XYL had an early optician's appointment in Cambridge, so we were up early.
Yet again an early QRP CQ call was spotted in Cornwall as well as in the West Midlands. At the moment, at 0754z, 8 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX F6DBI (501km) in Brittany.
UPDATE 1038z: Now 24 stations spotted in 4 countries on 2m FT8 RX with the best DX IU2KXV (1004km). GI6ATZ (479km) was called, he spotted me on 2m FT8 with my 2.5W to the omni, and I gave him a minus 4dB S/N (strong). Then, before we could complete, he completely vanished. Could this have been aircraft reflection? I called and called but no luck.
UPDATE 1556z: Now 40 stations in 8 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1830z: Now 45 stations in 8 countries on 2m FT8 RX. A brief CQ (2.5W to the omni) resulted in no QSOs but several spots. Best DX on 2m FT8 TX (2.5W) was G4RRA (334km).
UPDATE 1950z: A brief CQ (2.5W) was copied by 9 stations including G7RAU (461km), yet again, in Cornwall. This path rarely fails, although I have no explanation why this seems to work with such consistency.
UPDATE 2025z: Another good day on 2m FT8 RX.
Yet again an early QRP CQ call was spotted in Cornwall as well as in the West Midlands. At the moment, at 0754z, 8 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX F6DBI (501km) in Brittany.
UPDATE 1038z: Now 24 stations spotted in 4 countries on 2m FT8 RX with the best DX IU2KXV (1004km). GI6ATZ (479km) was called, he spotted me on 2m FT8 with my 2.5W to the omni, and I gave him a minus 4dB S/N (strong). Then, before we could complete, he completely vanished. Could this have been aircraft reflection? I called and called but no luck.
UPDATE 1556z: Now 40 stations in 8 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1830z: Now 45 stations in 8 countries on 2m FT8 RX. A brief CQ (2.5W to the omni) resulted in no QSOs but several spots. Best DX on 2m FT8 TX (2.5W) was G4RRA (334km).
UPDATE 1950z: A brief CQ (2.5W) was copied by 9 stations including G7RAU (461km), yet again, in Cornwall. This path rarely fails, although I have no explanation why this seems to work with such consistency.
UPDATE 2025z: Another good day on 2m FT8 RX.
 |
| Stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX |
5 Oct 2018
Low cost spectrum analysers
In my working life spectrum analysers were very useful, but expensive. MLS do mail shots near the weekend and this is no exception. I see this time they are featuring certain accessories including some low cost spectrum analysers. I expect these are a poor substitute for the machines I used, but these are just a fraction of the cost.
See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/
See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/
St Ives (Cambs) - NOT amateur radio
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