Ageing dangers

For quite a while now, I have been concerned about the ageing amateur radio population. Before my stroke in 2013, I visited quite a few radio clubs giving talks. All had one thing in common: ours was a male, old aged population with few young people and girls. From a recent report from Germany reported on Southgate News, this would appear to be a worrying trend. Within 20 years most active amateurs will be very old. I can see several dangers:

• The hobby could just die out.
• Amateur radio magazines will get hard to find (they are hard enough to find now!).
• There will be fewer ads in magazines for new gear.
• Manufacturers will stop making amateur gear as the volumes are too low to make a profit.
• Dealers will close.

Now, I very much hope I am wrong, but unless we attract and keep younger people, who see no magic in radio as most of us did, our hobby is doomed. Sadly, I do not have a magic bullet.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/november/germanys-darc-faces-an-aging-membership.htm#.Xd0n6e2TLnE

QSL cards

These days I do not seek paper QSL cards. Mostly I use eQSL for QSLing, although I often forget! These are a few of my many paper QSL cards. 10m QRP SSB DXCC was achieved many years ago.

They include one for reception of SAQ (17.2kHz CW) and a QSO with K1TOL for a QRP 6m VHF CW 2-way contact many years ago. This one, is probably my best ever QSO.

10m FT8

As usual in the daytime, I am on 10m FT8.  My 2.5W FT8 CQ (2.5W) was copied by no-one and, so far,  no spots on RX.  Mind you, it is early at 0952z.

UPDATE 1640z: Just 1 spot on 10m FT8 RX all day. That was RA2FL (1343km). A recent 2.5W FT8 10m CQ was again spotted by no-one. This again looks a dreadful 10m FT8 day here.  Well equipped stations may do better, although I would not bet on this. A good high beam might be 10dB better, but if the propagation is not there, no amount of power would help. This evening I'll give 2m FT8 a go.

A good session on 472kHz WSPR TX

Last night and overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR TX with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. This is totally invisible! Even the XYL cannot see it!

In the end 19 stations spotted me with the best DX being LA8AV (1035km) in Norway. It seems that if anyone in Norway is on I have a good chance of being spotted, despite my low ERP and, basically, poor antenna and ground. It goes to prove, with WSPR, most things are possible.

UPDATE 0955z: Yet again, despite the dial of the FT817ND saying 80m, I am still copying 630m WSPR signals. So, it is as if the rig is operating in split mode, even when the display says I am not! Just now G0MRF was copied on 630m (472kHz) WSPR.

Stations spotting my 10mW ERP 

WSPR on 472kHz overnight.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 26th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

472kHz WSPR TX again

Yet again I am on 472kHz WSPR TX with my 10mW ERP  from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far this evening 8 stations have spotted me with the best DX being PA3ABK (306km). No reports from Norway this evening!

Disability, what disability? - NOT amateur radio

When I first came out of hospital after my 2013 stroke I had a blue disability badge. This went several years ago as I knew it would not be renewed because I could walk. To assessors I would appear perfectly fine.

Six years later, I still find speaking and being understood hard. Driving is still possible, but I do not enjoy it. All the time I feel giddy on my feet. I tire easily. Compared with how I was before my stroke I am disabled.

Now I am not after the sympathy vote! What I want to say is there must be thousands of people who look perfectly healthy on the outside yet are not healthy on the inside. So, do not judge.

6m in Region 1

As reported earlier, the WRC-19 has ended. One of the outcomes, as reported in Southgate News, should be more countries on 6m in Region 1, as this is to become a proper Region 1 amateur allocation.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/november/more-countries-gain-access-to-50-mhz.htm#.Xdu0P-2TLnE

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

About 10 days ago, I bought an Asus C213NA Chromebook. It is NOT a Windows PC. Instead it uses Chrome OS.

It is blisteringly fast.  Every time I open the lid it is there in a blink. So far, it has been mainly used for web browsing, but I am not in the least disappointed. At the moment, it has far exceeded my expectations.

It runs Android apps (used) and Linux apps (not used) and the battery seems to last all day. The screen is bright and clear. The laptop has a touch screen and the whole thing can be used as a tablet if need be. It came with a 3 year on-site warranty. It is small and light. Perfect.

Oh, by the way, I am using it to write this.

Pleased? You bet!

ICOM IC-705

Although I have been keeping my "ear to the ground", I have not got any more information on this new radio due to be released in 2020.

As we know, this will be an SDR based 10W HF-70cm radio based heavily on the IC-7300 and IC-9700. Personally, I think they should include a wide range auto-ATU inside, especially as they are marketing this as a field radio. This seems a huge omission. If I was ICOM, I'd make it slightly bigger and, at the very least, offer this as an option. OK it will cost more, but many will be prepared to pay.

If you have heard any more, please share it here.