29 Dec 2020
15m QRP CW
6m FT8 (QRP) Tuesday
After a really good day yesterday, I am again on 6m FT8 with 2.5W (FT817ND) and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. It is now 0940z and I have been on for about 3 minutes. Already spotted by G0PQO (50km), with just G0DYW (77km) spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1149z: 4 spots of my QRP TX in 2 countries and 17 spots in 4 countries on 6m FT8 RX today. Definitely winter Es about on 6m FT8.
UPDATE 1435z: 27 stations in 6 countries spotted so far on RX, and I have been spotted by 8 stations in 3 countries on 6m FT8 QRP TX.
28 Dec 2020
USA spoilt child? - NOT amateur radio
Without mentioning any names (I am sure you can guess) there appears to be a really spoilt child throwing his toys out of the pram in the USA. Does this person not realise the harm to his future reputation? Please, stop being so childish!! Just grow up.
Label making video
Jason M0NYW has sent me this video on how to make professional looking labels. Well worth looking at. Look at Jason's example, which looks good to me.
G3XBM video channel
Some of the videos on my YouTube channel may be of interest, as are some of the pages on my main website. Many of these are quite old and probably are in need of an update!
See https://www.youtube.com/user/G3XBM
See also http://www.g3xbm.co.uk
Memories - NOT amateur radio
At breakfast my wife and I were counting up how many walks we had been on this odd year. We keep a record each month. At one point she said a figure and I said she had miscalculated. Without a recording, we can never be sure who was wrong.
This makes me wonder what other memories may be wrong. Memory is an odd thing: as I said some weeks ago, we think we remember things in the past, but it is entirely possible time is a human construct and each day is new with memories we think we have. This is getting too heavy!
My apologies - 136kHz transverter
Some time ago, I was asked by email if the technique to make this into a full TX-RX transverter as used on 472kHz could be adapted on 136kHz. What happens sometimes with emails is that they get filed and forgotten about. I do not remember replying to this question. So, if I did not answer this please accept my sincere apologies. I just cannot remember.
Yes, the same techniques would work on 136kHz, suitably scaled. This could be a simple way to get on this band. I have to confess I have never been on 136kHz TX from this QTH!
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/137khz_tvrtr .
6m FT8 QRP (Monday)
After breakfast I hope to go on 6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. This is now the winter Es season, so it is possible some European stations will be spotted. Yesterday was very promising on 10m.
UPDATE 0907z: Already spotted in Sweden by SM4CHK (1138km) on QRP FT8 TX and 16 stations spotted on RX from Scandinavia. This definitely looks like winter Es.
UPDATE 1100z: Already spotted by 6 stations on QRP 6m FT8 TX right across Europe! No QSOs. 27 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX again right across the continent with the furthermost being LB7FA (2008km).
UPDATE 1316z: I have been spotted by 10 stations across Europe with my 2.5W QRP 6m FT8 TX and I have spotted 45 stations on 6m FT8 RX.
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| Stations spotted to 1515z on 6m FT8 RX |





