70cm activity contest tonight from 2000z

Although I am not really equipped for 70cm SSB, I shall have a go again using the 2m big-wheel and 10W SSB. Because of my poor voice I usually stop after about 40 minutes.

The band can be quite active, although with strong winds and rain, I expect some /P stations will stay at home! Often I manage over 100km on 70cm with this less than optimum set-up. If taking part, have fun. If you are really keen, the contest lasts 2.5 hours I think. My log is usually submitted by 2130z!

UPDATE 2100z: Well tonight with the high winds and rain, conditions were dreadful. After just 2 contacts I gave up and returned to 160m FT8 RX.

Return to topband FT8

A sort while ago I decided to QSY to 160m using the earth-elecrode "antenna" in the ground. My 10W CQ was spotted by 16 stations with best DX being SP1FJZ (1086km). On 160m FT8 RX 24 stations spotted within a few minutes with best DX being 9K2HN (4567km) in Kuwait.

UPDATE 1920z: Now 159 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2200z:  313 stations so far spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX. Nothing from North America spotted yet.

UPDATE  2317z:  378 stations so far spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with best DX WP4G (6803km) in Puerto Rico. No North Americans yet.

ERP solutions? - NOT amateur radio

Today I got an email advertising Microsoft's ERP solutions.

OK, I have been retired now for almost 12 years, but I have no idea at all what this is about!  Perhaps I am out of touch with modern acronyms used in industry. To me ERP stands for "effective radiated power".

Please would someone enlighten me, and some others?

UPDATE 1015z:  Enterprise Resource Planning. I Googled it!  Sounds a similar idea to throwing cushions to break ice at meetings - equally stupid.

6m FT8 RX

As I am out later at my U3A course, I am on 6m FT8 RX only, so I can monitor the band on my phone. I only go on TX on any band when I am at home and can turn things off within a few seconds. I prefer FT8 on HF, 6m and 2m as I can have basic QSOs.

At the moment, no spots.

UPDATE 1038z: A brief 10W 6m FT8 CQ using the V2000 vertical was spotted by one station G0SYP (222km). Otherwise, no spots.

A better session on 160m FT8 RX

Last night was better with far more North Americans spotted plus a couple of Caribbean stations.

Stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight 

with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Lundy - NOT amateur radio

Years ago I was fascinated by this island in the Bristol Channel. It has no cars and a turbulent history.

These days it is owned by the Landmark Trust and managed by the National Trust.

At one time it had a black rat problem which decimated some of the bird life. For some years it has been rat free and many of the bird populations have recovered.

See https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/Lundyisland/

2019 70cm activity contests

The results of the 2019 UKAC activity contests have just been published. In the low power section I came 78th out of 155 stations. Considering I was running QRP and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna and always on for less than 40% of the contest time, I am very happy with this. With a beam I am sure a lot better could be achieved.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2019

The home QTH

The photo shows my QTH next to the windmill. You can just make out the V2000 triband vertical antenna on the side of the bungalow. Mind you, you have to know where to look!

CQ100 .io group

If you are a fan of "virtual" ham radio, you may want to join this group. As sunspot count is currently very low, this may appeal to some people who enjoy chatting. Although I have tried "virtual" ham radio, it did not appeal to me. It uses software and the internet to simulate the ionosphere.

Sunspots - Tuesday January 14th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=0.