433MHz superhet modules - dirt cheap

Although my health precludes doing much RF design and construction these days, I see you can buy TX and RX module pairs for 433MHz for about £3 with free postage on eBay.  I guess a half capable designer could build a useful pair of transceivers for local 70cms AM comms for under £10. There may already be designs published, although I've not seen these. If you have, please share a link.

Try looking on eBay for "433MHz RF modules". To a capable designer, these could be quite useful. No doubt with a bit of digging you can get these for even less!

UPDATE 1345z: Check out the YouTube videos by VK3YE who has done some interesting tests with similar modules. It appears you can get FM or AM with these and some useful ranges.

Sunspots - Monday April 29th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number is again zero. A=6 and K=1. Pretty poor!

472kHz WSPR

A few moments ago I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground). As usual, I am 20% TX with the remainder of the time on RX.

So far, 1 station has spotted me and 1 station spotted here.

Maggie - NOT amateur radio

Maggie is now a very old horse. She has been a favourite with grandchildren who like to find her grass to eat.

She is in a new paddock. I'm sure she loves attention from children. She is part of our lives.

What polarisation for VHF and UHF DX?

Ever since I started in the hobby I was told, "vertical FM for locals and horizontal for SSB/CW". Now, like many things, I have found that so called "experts" are not! My own, albeit limited, experience on 2m and 70cm is, at best, inconclusive. On 70cm FM I have made some great DX QSOs and also on 2m FM with vertical polarisation.  At the same time I have worked some great DX on 2m SSB with horizontal polarisation.

According to Southgate News, someone has done some recent research. It would not surprise me if there was actually little difference! Funny how old wives tales become facts. Don't always believe what so called "experts" have to say.

Many said my own earth-electrode "antennas" in the ground would not work, but these have now been used from ELF-MF successfully and I am pretty sure at least one VLF grabber is now using such a structure. No, experts are often wrong. Always challenge! That is part of the fun of our hobby.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/horizontal-versus-vertical-antenna-polarisation-the-debate.htm#.XMVi2PZFy00

This was a talk on the polarisation of 6m signals given to the Reading club. The link worked for me, even though I am not a club member.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/radarc/3mWN6Pc-Buw/D4OQZi8NBAAJ

472kHz WSPR

Well, I have come to the conclusion that the band is still quite decent, but stations are abandoning it at the moment. Overnight 6 stations spotted my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground and I spotted 7 others with my best DX a spot of EA4GHB (1300km).

472kHz WSPR here overnight

10m FT8

For a change today I am on 10m FT8. A before breakfast time CQ (2.5W) was spotted by no-one, but since then I have been RX only and there is Es evident with several eastern and southern Europeans spotted. So far, 9 stations spotted (0812z).

UPDATE 1526z:  Currently 137 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. Almost all are EU. One supposedly in Morocco has a Spanish EA1 call and may have his QTH locator details wrong. Another is in Ceuta, which is a small Spanish enclave in North Africa. Most of these are Es propagation I think.

UPDATE 1915z:  It looks like just Europe and North Africa on 10m FT8 RX here today. There is no sign of any "real DX" on the band here today. No doubt better equipped stations will do better.

Sunspots - Sunday April 28th 2019

It seems hard to believe Easter was a week ago, even though very late and we are nearly in May already!

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

Mystery object - NOT amateur radio

We spotted this on a walk around the village yesterday. It was about 4 inches (11cm) across and very light, so not stone. It could be wood.

I think the colours are a mix of old paint and lichen. Whatever it is, it was odd.

When I picked it up the green bits lit up and it said, "take me to your leader". OK, I am kidding!  👻

6m FT8

Although I briefly called CQ (2.5W) earlier and got one spot from a G station 65km away, I have been mostly RX only. So far today, 7 spots with best DX DK8NE (702km). This could be Es or aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1347z: Now 35 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today with best DX OH6DX (1918km) who was an amazing +10dB S/N.