Going out - NOT amateur radio

Do you remember when you could "go out"?  Yes, an odd concept, especially if you live in the UK. We use to go "abroad" on things called "planes" on things called "holidays".  😏

One of our favourite places was the National Trust place called Ickworth about 17 miles away. Usually, we walked in the grounds, but occasionally we went in the house and famous rotunda shown in the photo. 

If you book in advance you can still walk around the grounds. We enjoy walking around nearby National Trust grounds. Sadly, houses are closed at the moment.

160m QRP (Monday)

At 1103z, I decided to try 160m FT8 QRP with 2.5w and the earth-electrode "antenna".  It is now 1109z and so far no spots, although it is daylight.

 (UPDATE 1434z:  3 G spots of my 2.5W QRP 160m FT8 TX. No spots yet on RX.

UPDATE 1532z:  The first DX has started to appear with DK3UA (869km) on the Baltic coast of Germany about 70 miles north of Berlin. Still just 3 G spots of my 2.5W FT8 160m QRP.

UPDATE 1818z: 12 spots of my 160m FT8 QRP on TX and all over Europe spotted on RX as shown in the map.

UPDATE 1945z: Already 31 spots of my 160m FT8 QRP TX has been spotted in 9 countries with the furthermost OE9GNV (869km). Amazing, with just the FT817ND and the small earth-electrode "antenna" which the XYL and neighbours don't even realise is there! This "antenna" system really works for me.

UPDATE 2120z:  37 spots this evening of my 2.5W 160m FT8 QRP on TX as shown on the second map. Quite astounding how something this poor works with such low power! It seems obvious to me that this setup is working remarkably well. I shall probably go RX only overnight.

UPDATE 2220z: 41 stations spotted this evening.

Black bears - NOT amateur radio

Several years ago we had a holiday in western Canada. One of the most beautiful roads I have ever driven on is the Icefields Parkway. It was very snowy when we were there in early summer.

We saw several black bears and black bear cubs. Coming from the UK this was really exciting. The one in the photo was only a few metres from the car.

HF conditions

We are now over a year since the end of solar cycle 24 and the start of cycle 25. 

So far, we have got off to a slow start. HF conditions are a little better, but it will be some while before we really notice a difference.  

I suspect this autumn we will see widespread openings from Europe to the USA on 10m again. 

With modes like FT8 we are finding openings more often. FT8 is not a mode for chatting. SSB and even 10m FM and AM are better for this. As much as I like FT8 because of my poor voice, I do hope people still stick with speech modes.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hfcondx . 

80m FT8 RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Since connecting up the 80m FT8 RX yesterday, 1122 stations in 5 continents have been spotted on RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" as the map shows. 

Yesterday, 16 stations spotted my QRP TX too. It certainly works!! 

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

Every few weeks I check activity levels on Oscar 100 using the on-line SDR at Goonhilly Down in Cornwall.

My very unscientific look suggests activity is similar to a few weeks ago. This was the situation on Sunday PM UK time. 

See: https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Sunspots - Monday February 22nd 2021

 Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 11.  A=20 and K=4.

Asus EEE PC - NOT amateur radio

At one time this was my only PC, but it had not been used for many years. 

Much to my surprise, it still booted up when connected to a charger. My grandson enjoyed a game on it. I must admit for years it served me well.

The PC has a small screen and runs under Linux, although you need no Linux knowledge to use it. You still find them on the secondhand market.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/asuseee. As this is my old website, the links may well not work still!

80m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

For a total change, I am trying 2.5W FT8 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 80m.  So far, nobody has spotted me and just 1 G spotted on 80m FT8 RX - G6KUI (136km).

UPDATE 1600z:  G6TEL (233km) has spotted me well on TX and 17 stations spotted here on RX.

UPDATE 1751z: 221 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost R7GW (3240km). On TX spotted by 5 stations with the furthermost being F5PGT (480km). The earth-electrode "antenna" obviously has an SWR just over 3:1 so the FT991A auto ATU will not tune, but the FT817ND is OK still. This odd "antenna" still works fine on 80m. As I have said before, the XYL and neighbours do not even know it is there!

UPDATE 1922z: 433 stations spotted so far on 80m FT8 RX and 15 stations have spotted me on 80m FT8 TX with the furthermost EA1N (1076km) in northern Spain.

UPDATE 2120z:  596 stations spotted on RX in 3 continents. 18 stations have spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 2235z: 660 stations spotted on RX. Now RX only for the overnight period. 

Not quite - NOT amateur radio

 

Our grandson yesterday on a walk not quite in the sleepy village of Reach. 

Reach was an important inland port when the roads were poor and there were no railways. It has had an annual fair since the 1200s.

See http://www.reach-village.co.uk/index.html