6m FT8 QRP (Friday)

Since 0822z I have been on 6m FT8. Apart from a very brief TX period at 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni with the furthermost a spot by YO8SSB (1874km), I have been RX only. So far this morning, 4 stations spotted. Es is just starting I think.

UPDATE 2104z:  179 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today as the map shows.

Parsonage Farm - NOT amateur radio

 

This is Parsonage Farm in our village. 

Arecibo Observatory and EME

Sadly this giant radio telescope in Puerto Rico was damaged beyond repair. 

In the mid 1960s it was used for some amateur moonbounce tests. Many amateurs made their first EME QSOs this way. The dish gain was very high with a 1000 foot dish! I have no idea what the ERP was.

This was 1964 (?), way before we had any weak signal modes that makes EME a little easier. EME still needs optimum equipment and is not for those not prepared to work hard.

I am not sure what is needed these days to work the better stations via EME, but I would guess at least 100W, mast head preamps and as big a yagi array as you can manage. This also requires accurate moon tracking, low cable losses and weak signal modes optimised for EME.

Re-tarred - NOT amateur radio

For the last 2 days they have been applying tar to the outside of the restored windmill next door. This is 200 years old and they last coated it 8 years ago.

It looks splendid, although a few drops from starlings on the sails could soon spoil this!

All the work is done by volunteers.

Tunnel diodes

Back in the 1960s these were all the rage.  I remember making a simple tunnel diode oscillator at university in about 1969.

I am not sure if you can buy them still. They are 2 pin negative resistance diodes that work by quantum mechanical tunnelling. 

Very simple uW TXs are possible and there was one published that was copied about 200km away in New Zealand on 80m.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_diode .

See https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Vendors/Tunnel-diode-manufacturers.html .

Sunspots - Friday August 13th 2021

Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 11 . A=4 and K=2.

2m FT8 QRP (Thursday)

After a very brief session on 2.5W TX (2 spots of me), I am RX only. It is now 1506z and 2 stations spotted.

UPDATE  1752z:  17 stations spotted with the furthermost  DL1KDA (456km).

Perseid meteor shower

This meteor shower peaks about now. Often this is accompanied by some long "pings" with VHF signals propagated a long way via the ionised trails. I shall be monitoring 2m FT8 overnight, but there may be better modes.

10m WSPR TX 500mW (Thursday)

Since about 0930z, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW.

UPDATE 1000z: Already a couple of spots from Germany.

UPDATE 1414z: 17 unique stations have spotted me so far today. Furthermost is a spot by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Isles.

Spots at 1738z

UPDATE 2052z: 23 stations s.potted including the furthermost FY5KE (7110km). QRT soon.

UPDATE 2100z: QRT

6m FT8 QRP (Thursday)

At about 0930z I decided to try 6m with 2.5W FT8. 3 stations spotted me including 1 in Italy. Since then, I have been RX only.

UPDATE 0955z: 7 stations spotted on RX across Europe.

UPDATE 1312z:  67 stations spotted with the furthermost 5T5PA (3791km) in West Africa.