8m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

 Although I have been on 8m most of the morning, no spots although in the last few days I have been spotted by EI9KP (649km) and G4FFC (47km).

UPDATE 1707z:   No spots all day.

Card tricks - NOT amateur radio

This was one of our grandchildren doing card tricks last night. She baffled me and would not tell me how she did it. 

Sunspots - Sunday December 4th 2022

 Solar flux is 134 and SSN 68.  A=10 and K=2.

220 MHz band

As far as I know, we have never had the 220 MHz amateur band this side of the Atlantic. Maybe we did before WW2. Perhaps someone can tell me.

Every week I get Amateur Radio Weekly in my email and this mentioned that this allocation is little used outside of the big US cities. If other VHF allocations are anything to go by, I am not surprised. 2m and 70cm are generally quiet here.

At one time handhelds were made for this band. I guess there are few nowadays if not many get sold.

I can imagine this could be an interesting band if activity was high. Frequently on 70cm tropo is better than 2m. At a time when activity was higher, it was not uncommon to have frequent, very localised tropo openings. With 4W and an old TV antenna, it was possible to work FM DX on 70cms quite often.

See https://www.onallbands.com/222-mhz-is-anybody-there/ .

See https://hamweekly.com/ .

MF transverter

This photo from 2012 was found earlier. I cannot remember if this was the original 500 kHz transverter or the one for I did for 472 kHz. The 472 kHz one has been used most autumns and winters with my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on WSPR. Even though the ERP is very low, it is regularly gets spotted in Norway. The transverter produces 10W, but the ERP is about 10mW. 

Salcombe harbour, Devon - NOT amateur radio

This photo of Salcombe was taken yesterday I think .  As an earlier post today indicated, this was where I spent my childhood. 

On our primary school classroom ceiling, we could see the reflection of sunshine on the water reflecting on the ceiling. Funny how I can remember this and seeing the harbour from the playground. We just took it all for granted, not appreciating how lucky we were.  

Just 10 years before some of the landing craft in the Normandy landings of WW2 went from here. It must have been so different then.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

For about an hour, I have been on 10m QRP TX running 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. So far, 3 unique stations have spotted me. It is now 1205z.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

It is now 1120z. I have been on 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz for about 20 minutes. So far,  1 spot on TX by G4FFC (47km), On RX, no spots. On 8m FT8 I Use 2.5W and a low wire dipole.

UPDATE 1502z:  Nothing back from the RSGB about my email suggesting a 5 kHz wide 8m amateur band, narrow digital only. Am I surprised? Not really. No further stations spotting me today and I have spotted nobody.

UPDATE 1518z: In the UK my understanding is we can use equipment without a certificate of conformity or type approval at 8m as long as it meets the technical requirement and the interface requirements as detailed in IR 2030. This is because we have no intention of putting anything on the market.  This means 10mW ERP and we are responsible for compliance. From my own tests and tests by M0NYW, 10mW ERP certainly covers the local area with WSPR and might well work on FT8 over some paths, especially with proper 8m antennas at both ends. My own tests were with a low wire 8m dipole, whereas most locals receiving me were using a variety of (non 8m) antennas. In better Es openings I would expect 10mW ERP to reach Europe. This means many more UK stations could legally operate 8m WSPR beacons.

Salcombe 1960s? - NOT amateur radio

Salcombe is where I lived as a young child. This photo probably dates from the early 1960s or even late 1950s. It shows the waterfront in Salcombe. 

Plans for the day (Saturday)

 Later, I expect to be on 8m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR TX.