ON4KST chat

This is a useful resource for arranging skeds and seeing what is happening on various bands. As often happens, I forgot my password so requested a new one. Nothing received.

So I tried re-registering. Again nothing received. I checked the SPAM folder - nothing.

Crap. I give up.

472kHz WSPR - no TX

For reasons I do not understand, it appears that my WSJT-X software decided to disable TX on 472kHz WSPR. I think this may have been the case for several hours. I manually enabled it again a few minutes ago. No reports resulted though!

G1GKN on 472kHz WSPR

G1GKN seems to be always copied. I am intrigued why the S/N is better now than earlier. It could be for several reasons. Has my noise floor dropped? I don't think so. Has the path loss dropped? I don't think so. Is he running more ERP? Not according to the WSPR database. Mystery.

New Beofeng 10W handie

My friend Steve G1KQH has sent me a link for a new 10W Beofeng handheld transceiver. How do they do it for the price?

See https://www.banggood.com/Baofeng-UV-9R-Plus-10W-Upgrade-Version-Two-Way-Radio-VHF-UHF-Walkie-Talkie-for-CB-Ham-AU-Plug-p-1402512.html?p=1T122389680562017027&custlinkid=588363&ID=43101&cur_warehouse=CN

Recalculating 472kHz ERP

Yesterday I said I would recalculate the ERP of my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground at 474kHz. This is proving much harder to work out, not helped by living in a continual "brain fog" since my 2013 stroke. Even simple tasks, whether physical or mental, are now so much harder.

I seem to be coming up with silly figures (much less than 10mW ERP) and these depend on some assumptions about the effective area of the loop in the ground, which are an educated guess. Either the effective loop is much bigger than I expect or the ERP is far less than 10mW!! A recalculation is needed.

472kHz FT8? and storm risks

At the moment, I have not had any interest in a 472kHz FT8 QSO attempt, so I shall remain on 472kHz WSPR unless I hear from anyone.

At the moment, the UK storm risks here look low.

I realise that my QRPP 472kHz WSPR signal has not been spotted since 0744z this morning.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?bo_page=map&bo_showmap=uk

Sunspots - Sunday October 6th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

Spotted in Norway on 472kHz WSPR

Overnight LA3EQ (769km) spotted my signal on 472kHz WSPR 3 times. This is the first time this autumn. Very pleased! At -30dB S/N I only just made it! Jan must have a very low noise level.

As usual, still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I shall work out the ERP later, but it is low milliwatts.

UPDATE 1000z: 7 stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR RX in the last day, including a couple of new stations.

472kHz FT8 QSO anyone?

If anyone would like to give this a try, I am happy to try 472kHz FT8 this Sunday. Unless anyone can tell me different, I shall use 474.2kHz USB dial as my setting frequency and transmit in the few kilohertz HF of that, as for other bands.

Please contact me at rogerlapthorn (at) gmail.com if you want to give this a try. FT8 is about 10dB worse than WSPR so I may copy you, but you may not copy me!

HF FT8

There is no doubt that FT8 is changing our bands.

Many are saddened that there are fewer casual chats these days, so our bands sound quieter. This has been especially noticeable on 6m, where many have deserted SSB and CW for FT8.

FT8 is a weak signal mode that does not lend itself to chats. An advantage of FT8 is that it works with weak signals (not as good as WSPR, but better than SSB and CW), occupies only 50Hz, all activity is concentrated within a few kilohertz and lots of people are monitoring.

So, if a band opens only briefly, it is more likely to be spotted. Using PSKreporter maps it is possible to see where your signal is reaching. Unlike WSPR, transmissions are only 15 seconds long. It is useful for quick QSOs. I think we has still to fully exploit this mode on HF.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hf-ft8