Tropo forecasts

Usually, I just randomly see if VHF/UHF conditions are "up". These days there are some forecasts which can give you a little warning of when conditions could be promising. One of these is the Hepburn Tropo Forecast. 

From this, it looks like conditions could be promising in the UK on Tuesday to the east. I shall certainly try 70cm FT8 again on RX (and maybe QRP TX) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Clicking on the map steps the forecast forwards 3 hours for the next few days. Further out, it appears to step forward every 6 hours.

Big brother is watching - NOT amateur radio

They must all work on algorithms, but it always seems creepy when all the emails I get from Amazon recommending new things always relate to past purchases: for example I bought an Airfix kit for a grandson, so I get recommended another. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year, so we get further 50th wedding anniversary stuff!

I don't mind, but I have never bought from these recommendations. My usual course is to delete these.

G3XBM history page updated

 The G3XBM history page has recently been updated.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/g3xbm-history .

6m FT8 (Sunday)

A brief period with 2.5W TX to the V2000 vertical omni resulted in no spots. On RX, at 1006z, just 2 spots so far with the furthermost EA4LO (1334km). This could be winter Es or perhaps aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1105z:  8 spots on 6m FT8 RX. Many of these look like winter Es.

UPDATE 1444z:  18 stations spotted.

10m WSPR TX (Sunday)

My 500mW W5OLF beacon has been on for about 20 minutes (it is now 1004z).  So far, 3 spots by EA8BFK (2880km). 

UPDATE 1130z: 24 spots of my 500mW WSPR beacon by 2 stations in the Canary Is so far on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1445z: 3 unique stations spotted with the furthermost FY5KE (7110km).

160 years ago - NOT amateur radio

This is a plate from a book published in 1861. It shows Kingsbridge, Devon where I lived for part of my childhood. 

70cm opening over for now?

In the last 12 hours only 3 Gs spotted on 70cm FT8 RX suggesting the opening is over for now. Looking at the weather forecast, it could yet be good again.

Later, I shall try 10m WSPR and 6m FT8.

Sunspots - Sunday January 16th 2022

Solar flux is 116 and the SSN 120.  A=22 and K=3.

70cm FT8 QRP (Saturday)

Once again, I am on 70cm QRP FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. After a brief TX period with 3 spots of me with the furthermost G8VHI (127km), I am RX only. 3 stations have been spotted on RX with the furthermost, GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 1805z:  9 stations spotted on RX including 2 in the Netherlands and 1 in N.Ireland. Some must be tropo, but I wonder if some are scatter? 

10FT8R 10m FT8 RX

10m is again a great DX band. 

Back in the summer, the RSGB printed an article of mine on a very simple and low cost  RX for 10m FT8 called the 10FT8R. It is also on my website. 

Since then, I discovered a low cost source of 14.037MHz crystals, making the schematic even simpler as the inductor next to the crystal is not needed. With a PCB this would make a great club project in the years ahead in solar cycle 25.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .