Sunspots - Tuesday November 12th 2019

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN 0.  A=7 and K=2.

70cm activity contest this evening

A reminder that the 70cm leg of the RSGB 's UKAC activity contest is this evening starting at 2000z.

VLF amateur radio experiments

8.97kHz earth-mode TX

The conventional wisdom is that VLF requires huge antennas and enormous powers. This not the case and radio amateurs have spanned thousands of kilometres with back garden antennas and modest powers. With utilities assisted earth mode (what I tried) just a few watts is enough to span very useful distances. For RX only, VLF antennas can be very small indeed.

In the past I have copied radiated signals from amateurs below 10kHz from several Western European countries.

Sadly my poor health has put a stop to my earth-mode experiments in recent years.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vlf/8-97khz-earth-mode-transmitter

Sunspots - Monday November 11th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

2m FT8

For a change, I am on 2m FT8. I may go QRT later.  A recent 2.5W FT8 CQ using the big-wheel omni was spotted by 3 G stations. On RX only 2 stations spotted so far with best DX spotted being DK1VC (503km).

UPDATE 1025z: Just 3 stations spotted this evening on 2m FT8 RX. Time to go QRT.

Hospital visit - G3TFX

This morning we went to visit Richard G3TFX who is in hospital. He seems in good spirits and hopes to get home soon. He is awaiting the fitting of a stent. In the meantime he has to listen on the internet to webSDRs such as Hack Green. For a useful site of web SDRs see http://www.websdr.org/ .

He doesn't want to be there and the overheads of keeping him there are about £1700 a day!! In the meantime he is, against his will, blocking a bed in a teaching hospital. Surely there is a lower cost way of doing a daily blood test and calling him in for his appointment? Yes, our NHS is wonderful but they do waste money. From my own experience they do seem to waste a great deal and the NHS needs reform and accountability.

Six years ago I was in hospital for 3.5 months. My treatment was first class, but I am aware that they need better management. In the private sector, they would run as good or better service at far lower cost.

One thing that seems missing is accountability.  Yes, we all want good service for patients but at lower cost and without waste. In my view they can save money and offer patients a better service. Their inefficiencies lead to poorer services for patents. Apparently a blood pressure monitor costing around £40000 can be bought for about £10 in a local chemists. Does no-one check value for money? In the private sector this would be a sackable offence.

Another person, a D-day veteran and SWL, is terminally ill in a local hospice. I worked with him and he is a real gentle man.

Very successful session on 472kHz WSPR

In the last 2 weeks, 45 stations have copied my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Last night alone, 22 stations spotted me including 2 stations in Norway. LA2XPA (1310km) copied me 20 times last night! So, getting to Norway is no "one off" thing.

I have an oddity: G3KEV who is a very strong 472kHz WSPR signal has been received several times this morning. This is odd as my FT817ND dial says 3.6742MHz which is the input frequency for my transverter! It would appear I am receiving on 472kHz WSPR in split mode, despite what the dial says. All very odd.

Stations spotting my 472kHz WSPR 

(10mW ERP) in the last 24 hours

10m FT8

As is normal, I have QSYed to 10m FT8. My initial FT8 (2.5W) CQ call was copied by no-one and I have not yet copied anyone else.

UPDATE 1820z: Just 5 10m FT8 RX spots all day with best DX spotted RA2FL (1343km). Nothing outside Europe spotted today.

Sunspots - Sunday November 10th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Back to 472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

As it is dark I have again QSYed to 472kHz WSPR TX. My first 2 minute transmission was spotted by several stations. LA2XPA (1310km) has already spotted me twice, which is very early.