Housework - NOT amateur radio

We always do housework on Monday mornings and have a coffee afterwards.

Funny how we all have routines. 

8m experiment (Monday)

Conditions look quite disturbed today, but I hope to be on 8m TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 shortly, ever hopeful. 

UPDATE 1000z: Surprise, surprise!  After a very short time, I was spotted strongly by EA3ERE (1153km). Aircraft? Gear turned on about 0951z.

UPDATE 1635z:  EI9KP (649km) spotted strongly on RX. Aircraft?

Sub 9kHz amateur DX

This was 2011 when I was experimenting with earth-mode at extremely low frequencies. Much further should be possible by utilities assisted earth-mode. 

I must be doing something wrong

My free PDF scrapbook is now at issue 2, but for some reason my tinyurl still goes to the issue 1 version despite the issue 2 having the same filename and being in the same directory where issue 1 was. I must be doing something wrong, but as I write this (on Sunday night) I cannot work out what I am doing wrongly. When I have a clearer head, I shall point to the newer version!

Sunspots - Monday August 8th 2022

 Solar flux is 116 and the SSN 87. A=24 and K=5.

Native American proverb - NOT amateur radio

This old proverb was made public yesterday. I like it. 

Home - NOT amateur radio

 

This photo of our bungalow was taken a few years ago from our nearby windmill.

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

When I was first active, AM was the main mode on all bands. On HF this was replaced by SSB and, in very recent times, FT8 has become very popular. On the VHF bands most use FM, although there are fewer coming on just for a chat as there are now (free) alternatives on the internet.

Now I am not saying AM is brilliant, but the gear is often simple and low cost. There has been a growing interest in AM on bands like 160m, 80m and 10m. If you have never played with AM, you don't know what you are missing! At one time, ex PMR AM gear was practically being given away.

On 2m, the centre of AM activity is 144.550 MHz.

I get the feeling that most people have a dim view of AM, not least our national society, the RSGB. In my view this is totally wrong. Like other modes, AM has its place. Just listen above 29 MHz when 10m is open.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhf-am .

10m QRP WSPR TX (Sunday)

After just a few minutes, my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon has been copied by 4 unique stations.  Very encouraging.

UPDATE 2053z:   25 unique stations have spotted me today.

8m experiment (Sunday)

Almost immediately, my QRP 8m  FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial was spotted on the Iberian peninsula by 2 stations. I have the feeling today could be good.

UPDATE 1103z:  3 stations have spotted my QRP 8m FT8 today. Rig now off cooling. Back on later.