BREXIT - not amateur radio

With a probable election in the UK on December 12th, it is anyone's guess what will happen regarding BREXIT.

If the Conservatives manage to get a big majority they will probably try to get their current withdrawal agreement passed into law.

If the Labour party gets to form the next government they will probably go for a new, softer, withdrawal agreement and probably push for a people's vote (referendum) to either approve this or remain in the EU.

If the Lib Dems win then BREXIT will be cancelled and we will remain in the EU.

Somehow I cannot see the BREXIT party doing well. They may have some followers, but if they stand against Conservatives they could lose the seat to Lib Dems or Labour.

Like many, I personally favour remaining in the EU or a much softer form of BREXIT. After 3.5 years, like many, I am tired of BREXIT! Years ago we joined a common market. That is what we have always wanted, plain and simple: nothing more and nothing less.

Personally, I doubt if this UK election will make matters clearer.

28MHz (10m) WSPR TX - 500mW

As I have my outdoor 10m antenna erected again, I thought I would connect my W5OLF WSPR beacon. This puts out 500mW and transmits 100% of the time, but changes frequency every 2 minutes.

If anyone copies me I shall be amazed.  The Es season is over and we are at sunspot minimum. Still, it is easy to connect and you never know!

UPDATE 2048z: After a whole day, not a single 10m WSPR spot. Maybe tomorrow I should try FT8 instead on 10m?

Museum Party - NOT amateur radio

At the end of the season, our local museum next door has a party for volunteers. I am on the left.

It is one of the best local museums in the UK. It heavily depends on volunteers. Many people think it is just the windmill, but it goes on and on!

See http://burwellmuseum.org.uk/

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR TX : 20 stations spotted my 10mW ERP!

Overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR transmit using 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In all, 20 stations spotted me with the best DX spot being by LA8AV (1035km)in Norway overnight. In the last 2 weeks, I have been spotted by 40 stations on 472kHz WSPR TX when running 10mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

UK General Election on Dec 12th - NOT amateur radio

So here in the UK we are set for a general election before Christmas.

Although this is largely about BREXIT, I fear the outcome could result in even more of a muddle!

The people in the country, and most parties in government, are largely divided over BREXIT. What my gut tells me is no single party will win an overall majority and the party forming a government will have to consider coalitions, or at very least consider working with the smaller parties. This is not a recipe for strong, decisive government. What might happen is a softer BREXIT.

One thing is certain:  nobody knows what will happen.

SAQ (17.2kHz) VLF - no transmission Oct 24th

If you were listening for the special UN Day CW transmission from the historic alternator VLF 17.2kHz TX SAQ you would have been disappointed as it did not happen. They hit a problem, so the transmission had to be abandoned. I think they are trying to find out what the problem is.

Somewhere I have a QSL card for a transmission about 10 years ago.

Sunspots - Wednesday October 30th 2019

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number still 0. A=8 and K=2.

Oh to be young again! - NOT amateur radio

Whilst going through some old pictures I came across this one of me when about 18. Then I had hair and life was mostly before me. Good old days in autumn 1967.

This was the photo on my Liverpool University Student's Union card. Gosh, I do look a fresh faced country bumpkin!

End fed 10/20/40m antenna re-erected

After being down for all the summer, I have re-erected my 10/20/40m end fed antenna. It broke earlier in the year and I thought some ladder work was needed. I am wobbly on ladders these days. Luckily I could reach the parts that mattered without a ladder and it is now strung to a different tree in the back garden. Getting the wire over the tree was surprisingly hard for me. Years ago this would have been trivial, but not any more.

Although I get a good match on 10m there is a high VSWR on 20m and 40m even with the tuner. At least I am able to WSPR and FT8 again on 10m. Most of the far end (after the 10m choke) is in the tree. To get a decent match on 20m and 40m , I need to choose another end point. It is probably fine on RX on 20m and 40m.

472kHz WSPR TX

Just now I tested the 472kHz WSPR TX. It works, so I should be on TX (10mW ERP) this evening and overnight. It is a pity that I cannot listen between the TX transmissions currently, but at least I can TX and RX WSPR on 472kHz.

Amazingly, a couple of locals received my transmissions just now.

UPDATE 1421z: Now 2E0ILY (209km) copying me too.

UPDATE 2019z: Darn Windows 10 updates! As usual, I am on 472kHz WSPR TX and monitoring on a different PC in the lounge. I was wondering why no-one had spotted me in 3 hours. Closer inspection showed the shack PC had turned off all programs waiting to install a Windows 10 update it cannot do without an external hard drive attached (internal hard drive is too small). Darn Microsoft!! Once I close this message, resynced time and restarted WSJT-X, all is well and reports are flooding in again. I am seriously fed-up with Microsoft. If I try to open a spreadsheet it tries to get me to use Excel, which of course you pay for. Instead I prefer to use free Open Office. How do you close the Excel message? With great difficulty as there is no "X" to close it! Darn Microsoft again. As I said before, I am seriously considering a Chromebook for the next PC for the lounge. These now run Linux, if you want to, as well as giving access to the Google Play Store and loads of Android apps.

UPDATE 2037z: Already spotted by 9 stations this evening on 472kHz WSPR running 10mW ERP with best spot being by LA8AV (1035km) up in Norway. MX0NCA (100km) is a new spotter.

UPDATE 2130z: I shall stay on 472kHz WSPR TX overnight, assuming Microsoft allows me!