472kHz WSPR

Since just after 1900z I have been on 472kHz WSPR with my usual 10mW ERP (20% TX, 80% RX) from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far 3 stations have spotted me with best spot being by PA0O (440km). So far, not a bad evening.

10m FT8

Although I called CQ (2.5W) late this morning, I got no 10m FT8 TX reports. On 10m FT8 RX, just one G spot. So far, dire!

160m FT8 RX overnight

160m FT8 RX was monitored overnight. It was a good night.  In all, 22 North Americans and 1 Caribbean station were copied with best DX spotted being KI5BLU (7636km).

160m FT8 RX overnight

Sunspots - Thursday March 21st 2019

Solar flux is 73 and the sunspot number 28. A=5 and K=1. This is the best solar flux and SSN for some time. Fingers crossed!

Rallies

Sunday 24 MARCH : HAMZILLA RADIO FEST AND ELECTRONICS FAIR - hosted by Dover Amateur Radio Club

Discovery Science Park, Gateway House, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9FF. Open 10am to 4pm. Online ticket entrance £3.00; Limited early bird tickets £5.00. Tables £10.00. Online purchase/bookings now available. Attractions: Bring-and-Buy Sale, Catering, Lectures/Seminars, RSGB Bookstall, Special Interest Groups, Trade Stands, Guest speakers, Digital village, Demos. Icom, SDRPlay and many more exhibitors. RSGB examinations will be held at event - visit website for more details, or email: club@darc.online. Disabled Facilities. 1000s free parking. Contact Aaron Coote, M0IER on 0771 465 4267, M0IERDX@gmail.com www.hamzilla.uk.


Sunday 24 MARCH : CALLINGTON RADIO RALLY

Callington Town Hall, Callington, Cornwall PL17 7BD. Doors open 10am - 1pm and admittance is £2. There will be a Bring & Buy (10% commission) and trade stands. Catering available on site. Ample free parking in the adjacent carpark. Rally organised jointly by the Devon & Cornwall Repeater Group and Callington Amateur Radio Society (CARS). More information and bookings from Roger 2E0RPH on 07854 088882 or email 2e0rph@gmail.com.



Sunday 24 MARCH : CAUSEWAY COAST GLENS ARC RADIO RALLY

Bushmills Community Centre, 14 Dunluce Road, Bushmills, Co. Antrim BT57 8QG. Doors open from 11am. Admittance is £3. More details from stephen769@talktalk.net.


A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

160m FT8 RX

For the last few hours I have, again, been on 160m FT8 RX.  Yet again loads of Europeans (150 so far this evening) with best DX RW4PU (3362km).

Stations spotted this evening, so far, on 160m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2222z: Bedtime!  So far this evening 192 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Best DX spot on 160m FT8 RX is RV0AR (5577km) in Asiatic Russia.  Nothing yet from North America.

Oscar 100 (geosynchronous satellite) commercial gear

At the moment, most users of this successful geosynchronous satellite transponder are using semi homebrew kit. This often consists of a PLL locked LNB, an ex satellite TV dish and an SDR at the IF, together with an upconverter, which is often based on 2.4GHz wi-fi parts and amplifiers.

As news of its successful deployment spreads, it is likely that more dedicated commercial gear will become available. I wonder who will be first to offer a complete "solution in a box"? I guess someone will combine an upconverter at the right SSB power with a phase locked LNB down-converting to 432MHz. After all, this is far cheaper than an HF beam and tower. With an expected lifetime of 15 years or more, this will appeal to many DXers.

Flowers on the approach to Kings - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year the flowers on the Backs (of colleges) in Cambridge, UK look their best. The ones in the photo are on the approach to Kings.

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

Well, the rest of the world must be looking at the UK in utter disbelief thinking how can they make such a mess of leaving the EU. Have they completely lost it?

Like many in the UK, I am rapidly losing the will to live over BREXIT. On one thing we all agree: this is NOT how you do things. Mrs May, the UK Prime Minister, has handled this badly.

Sticking with 2m FT8

Today, I have decided to stick with 2m FT8 RX. So far today, 18 stations in 6 countries already spotted in just the last 3 hours! There is no doubt that FT8 has completely transformed 2m for me: unheard of DX is always within range. When I call CQ (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna) I always seem to be spotted at great range. Propagation is often ordinary "flat band"  tropo, with some aircraft reflections at times. I am pretty convinced much is tropo and not aircraft reflections as every time I call CQ with real QRP I get spotted in Cornwall or Northern Ireland.

UPDATE 1510z: 21 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX so far today with the best DX being DK1FG (815km).

UPDATE 1632z: 45 stations in 7 countries spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted here in last 12 hours on 

2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna.