23 Jan 2020
BREXIT - NOT amateur radio
At the end of next week the UK officially leaves the EU. In the transition year ahead not much should change. In the UK-EU trade negotiations, I hope both sides work constructively to forge a good relationship. We are still Europeans and it is surely in both parties interest to work for a good outcome.
6m FT8
A few minutes ago (0944z) I QSYed to 6m FT8 calling CQ (10W to the V2000) initially. As yet, no spots on RX or TX. There seems less aircraft scatter on 6m than on 2m. Occasionally I spot Gs by tropo and winter Es on occasions on 6m.
UPDATE 1420z: Well, so far it has been pretty dismal on 6m. Altogether, just 6 stations (5Gs+ 1F) spotted on 6m FT8 RX and no spots at all of my recent 10W 6m FT8 CQ.
UPDATE 1505z: A recent CQ resulted in not a single spot!
UPDATE 1533z: Just one spot of my recent CQ by G4RDC (127km). Now QSYed to 160m.
UPDATE 1420z: Well, so far it has been pretty dismal on 6m. Altogether, just 6 stations (5Gs+ 1F) spotted on 6m FT8 RX and no spots at all of my recent 10W 6m FT8 CQ.
UPDATE 1505z: A recent CQ resulted in not a single spot!
UPDATE 1533z: Just one spot of my recent CQ by G4RDC (127km). Now QSYed to 160m.
160m FT8 RX overnight
Not a bad night with 619 stations spotted in 5 continents. Yet again, fewer North Americans, but 1 in the Caribbean and 1 in South America. Best DX was CX6VM (10767km). The latter was greyline propagation.
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| Stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX in the last day |
Cambridge - NOT amateur radio
22 Jan 2020
Prejudice?
This evening, I had a new subscriber to my YouTube G3XBM channel. When I checked I noticed that this person's videos had Arabic titles. At first I was suspicious, so I put some through Google Translate. Those I checked looked perfectly fine.
I guess it was the Arabic text that got me concerned. I guess I did "the right thing" although it is so sad that I was suspicious. I am sure the vast majority of Muslims wish nothing but peace.
I guess it was the Arabic text that got me concerned. I guess I did "the right thing" although it is so sad that I was suspicious. I am sure the vast majority of Muslims wish nothing but peace.
Hope?
"It seems we have crossed a threshold. Though solar activity remains low, recent history shows no Solar Cycle 24 sunspots, only Solar Cycle 25 activity. I remain optimistic."
From the K7RA propagation website.
From the K7RA propagation website.
160m FT8
As 6m was quiet, I have QSYed to 160m FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Best DX on RX is RU1AB (1966km). At the moment (1744z) 29 stations have been spotted on 160m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1839z: Now 70 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX with best DX RV6ADY (2980km).
UPDATE 2209z: Very early spots of VO2AR (3823km). So far this evening 348 stations spotted. Best DX on 160m FT8 RX is RV0AR (5577km).
UPDATE 1839z: Now 70 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX with best DX RV6ADY (2980km).
UPDATE 2209z: Very early spots of VO2AR (3823km). So far this evening 348 stations spotted. Best DX on 160m FT8 RX is RV0AR (5577km).
Sub-9kHz amateur radio on TV
How good is your German?
A recent ARD TV program had a bit on sub-9kHz amateur radio. Even though my German is almost non-existent it was good to put some real faces to people I had previously only known as callsigns. Even without any German language skills you can look at the pictures!
A recent ARD TV program had a bit on sub-9kHz amateur radio. Even though my German is almost non-existent it was good to put some real faces to people I had previously only known as callsigns. Even without any German language skills you can look at the pictures!
MX-2 - 2m SSB portable
It was used as a handheld on 2m and to drive a homebrew 10m 1W transverter. As I recall, for a while it was the only rig I had. Plenty of DX contacts were had on 10m and some handheld DX with just a whip on 2m SSB. The battery did not last long and by modern standards it would be considered slightly large.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/mx2
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