8m ISM experiment

Despite asking for some local support for my 8m ISM WSPR experiments at 10mW ERP, I have so far heard ......nothing. 

All I was asking for was to monitor 8m WSPR at my usual power and then later at 10mW ERP, which is the limit set by OFCOM to operate on 40.66-40.70 in the UK without a licence as long as IR2030 is met.

Without help locally, I cannot proceed.

One possibility is to arrange skeds at full power and then at 10mW ERP.

It is my view that 10mW ERP WSPR will be copied locally. Even this low power could well be copied around Europe on WSPR when Es is good.

It is my view that we have to prove OFCOM and the RSGB wrong. A small amateur band at 8m would be good for self-training and research.

The hobby should be about self training. I am so far disappointed that nobody has yet come forward to help. Most do not have 8m antennas, so I am expecting a variety of antennas to be used. At most, this would be a few hours monitoring WSPR. 

If successful many more people could use 8m.

UPDATE 1832z:   Offers of local 8m RX help so far?  Nobody. I am very disappointed.

Sunspots - Monday November 14th 2022

Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 74.  A=7 and K=2. 

XBM80-2 QRP transceiver

Today, I had an email from somebody in the Netherlands about this transceiver.  He was getting no audio. Recently someone told me that crystal earpieces do not like DC. If this is correct, I suggest a capacitor is added between the collector of the audio transistor and the crystal earpiece. A 0.1uF or greater should be suitable. I also suggested that the audio transistor must not be in saturation. If need be, the bias can be altered to put the collector of the audio stage to mid-rail.

As I always say, do not be afraid to experiment.  If the circuit works better with different values then change them! With something this simple you could always start again, HI.

Nowt as queer as folk - NOT amateur radio

There is an old Yorkshire phrase "nowt as queer as folk".  It means people are odd. 

A few days ago, I put a photo of a rack of shoes on display at one of the big shops in Cambridge on 365 project as a gap filler. Much to my surprise, it was on the popular page! 

As they say in Yorkshire, "there's nowt as queer as folk".

Optical experiments

One of my Facebook memories today was an ARRL publication of 2019 called "The Proceedings of Microwave Update 2019" in which I appeared on page 25 with an optical receiver that someone else had used. 

My optical tests were great fun. They all happened before my 2013 stroke. I can recommend optical experiments to anyone, as all the gear for use and testing was homemade easily in the back of the garage (literally).

If that darn stroke had no got in the way, I should probably still be doing optical tests today!

Grandson growing up - NOT amateur radio

It seems just a blink of an eye since our elder grandson was born. The same again and he will probably be married with children, we hope! 

We will probably be pushing up daisies!

8m FT8 QRP TX and RX (Sunday)

At the moment, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8. My TX period is first.  No spots at 1212z.

UPDATE 1322z:   No spots today.

10m QRP (500mW) WSPR TX (Sunday)

Yet again, I am on 10m QRP WSPR TX with the W5OLF beacon.  At 1208z, 3 unique stations had spotted me.

UPDATE 1324z:  8 spots of my QRP today so far.

UPDATE 1412z: 12 spots of my 500mW WSPR so far today. Several from North America.

UPDATE 1842z:   20 spots of me today.  Now QRT.

8m ISM experiments

It looks like all UK amateurs (anyone actually!) may legally operate beacons on some of the ISM bands without a licence as long as they comply with IR2030.  Callsigns are not needed, but you could use your amateur callsign. 

ISM is not for radio communication, but my reading of the rules suggests beaconing is fine.

In the case of 8m this means 10mW ERP.  My current plan is to test locally initially at the power of my T&I permit (5W) and then repeat the test at 10mW ERP.  I shall probably try WSPR and maybe (if the test is successful) later with FT8. 

If successful, it means many more in the UK could run beacons on 8m, or indeed any permitted ISM band, albiet at low ERP.  10mW ERP at 8m is probably enough to cover the local area. On better Es openings DX copy is possible.

Of course a small amateur allocation at 8m would be better. I cannot understand why in the UK and other administrations they don't permit amateurs access to 8m with just a band of even 5 kHz wide, narrow digital only, secondary, low power, by NoV or similar, strictly no interference. To my mind this is stupid and backward. Such a band would actively encourage research and self training. As it is, in the UK we have to pay annually to do this!!

UPDATE 1824z:  I have emailed members of my local radio club membership list hoping to do some local tests with WSPR. When using 10mW ERP I propose to use the call ISM1, so people know when I am on 10mW ERP WSPR.  FT8 might work, but WSPR works with much weaker signals. Measuring 10mW ERP could be a challenge.

See https://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/pwr2volts.htm .See https://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Coax_Calculator.htm .

Sunspots - Sunday November 13th 2022

Solar flux is 138 and the SSN 65.  A=5 and K=1.