472kHz WSPR TX overnight

Overnight was another good session on 472kHz WSPR TX. My 10mW ERP was spotted by 2 stations in Norway plus many others. There appear to be more stations monitoring this season.

UPDATE 1147z: At the moment, I am still on 472kHz WSPR TX, although I may QSY to 144MHz  (2m) FT8 soon.

Stations spotting my 472kHz WSPR
10mW ERP signal overnight

Big-wheel 2m antenna.

Most of my 2m activity is FT8 for which I use my big-wheel horizontal antenna.  This works very well. It has a few dB of horizontal gain and being omni-directional does not need a rotator.

Although this has been mentioned before on this blog, some may be interested.

It is mounted on the side of our bungalow at about roof height. If higher it might be even better.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/bigwheel

Another LW broadcaster closes

According to Southgate News another LW broadcaster (Europe 1)  is closing.

As a recent purchaser of a small internet radio, I can see more and more people moving to these: my unit is able to receive 40000 stations like locals from right across the planet. There is no interference, no fading - perfect. It is as easy to listen to a station in Sydney or Capetown as the BBC and the quality is as good.

Does this mean a greater chance of access to some of this spectrum for radio amateurs? In the USA people can get access to LW frequencies even without a licence with 1W and antennas shorter than 50 feet. It would be good if OFCOM allowed some limited access to some LW frequencies even if by NoV, with very limited power and with antenna restrictions, on a strictly non-interference basis. I have advocated a more liberal approach to spectrum generally before.   If power is limited and no interference is caused why not? If users are traceable they can be closed down very quickly if there is a problem.

In my view radio amateurs in the UK should be given access to all frequencies on a low ERP basis with an NoV and on a strictly non-interference basis. I guess this is too radical! Imagine the real value to radio science if this was possible. There would be few takers with an NoV, so not hard to police.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/europe-1-on-183-khz-closure-confirmation.htm#.XgS2Q-iTLnE

SPAM emails - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, I got a couple of spam emails from "friends". I suspect these friends are totally unaware. Usually my Gmail spam filter catches these. I regularly check and delete. If you get any emails from "friends" with odd links just delete them! Do NOT open them, ever.

Some words of advice:

• Change passwords often.
• User virus protection - update this often.
• Use an email service that tries to remove spam links.

Sadly, the internet can be a nasty place these days with all sorts of crooks trying to get viruses and malware on to your PC.

Oscar 100

Periodically I check activity levels on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous  satellite. I do this by looking at the webSDR at Goonhilly Downs in Cornwall, UK. In the UK yesterday was a public holiday. At the moment activity seems lower than a few weeks ago. As this is the holiday season throughout the coverage area, I would have expected to see more activity. Perhaps all operators are busy with families.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Christmas day walk - NOT amateur radio

Christmas day was bright and sunny so we went for a walk in the village. This cat seems to have taken a liking to me! In all, we walked 1.68 miles according to my phone.

Sunspots - Friday December 27th 2019

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 11. A=5 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

At about 2000z, I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR TX using my usual 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far 10 stations have spotted me including LA8AV (1035km) at 2012 (early).

QSYed to 2m FT8

It never fails to amaze me just how far 2m FT8 reaches: in just a few minutes I was spotting stations in the Netherlands and Germany on just the omni antenna!  I seem to get this at any time of day and irrespective of conditions. Occasionally there are signals coming in by aircraft reflections, but I am pretty sure the majority are by "flat band tropo", so they are there at any time even with no lifts.

Already 12 stations in 4 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna.  On 2m FT8 TX with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni I have been spotted by 3 stations with the best DX being G4RRA (333km) in Devon.

UPDATE 1328z:  Now 20 stations in 5 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1515z:   Now 30 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1913z:  44 stations in 8 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2000z: QRT on 2m.

New HF antenna

In my quest for a new higher HF antenna, my attention has been drawn to the Solarcon Imax 2000, which was designed as a CB 5/8ths wave vertical, but works well on many of the higher HF bands even without an auto-ATU. It seems to be well made, if tall. Some have painted the fibre glass to better hide it when erected.

As mentioned before, whatever antenna I eventually choose, I shall need help with erection. Although someone some way away has already kindly offered, it would be great to get help from someone more local. A few years ago this would have been trivial for me, but sadly not now. I feel embarrassed to ask for help!

See https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=1376