QDX status

Hans Summers from QRP Labs has been away for a few weeks, so the status of built QDX transceivers has not been updated for a while. 

Looking at my place in the queue (updated Saturday), I think I should get mine in March. This will certainly be in time for the 2023 Es season, although I expect to span the globe this year with it by F2 propagation.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 7th 2023

 Solar flux is 158 and the SSN 139.  A=18 and K=3.

What a difference a day makes - NOT amateur radio

 

In the last day, the price of this zoom monocular camera has dropped by £60. 

I am glad I waited.

2m QRP FT8 (Monday)

When my coffee is finished, I intend to try 2m QRP FT8. It is daytime, so some people will be at work. Hopefully, some will be on. 

On 2m FT8 I can run 2.5W to the omni big-wheel antenna. The 2m FT8 frequency is 144.174 MHz. 

Usually, I monitor the 2m FT8 RX online at G0LRD about 25km from me to make sure all is working and my signal is clean. This is very useful.

UPDATE 1159z:  My QRP FT8 was spotted by 12 unique stations and I have spotted 10 with the furthermost being F6FGQ (564km) in Brittany. On SSB I would have great difficulty spotting furthermost Brittany and Germany. Not with 2m FT8!

Stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX
with the big wheel omni antenna

UPDATE  1645z:  57 unique stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX. 7 countries. 2m dead? I think not!

Bye bye Christmas tree - NOT amateur radio

We have had a real Christmas tree that has lasted 2 Christmas times. Sadly, it is looking tired and will be put out for composting later. This means getting another for the next Christmas. 

In the past, we have had artificial trees, but prefer a real one.  In the photo it does not look too bad, but I can tell.

It is odd to think we will blink and it will be Easter!! Blink again and it will be Christmas again!

10m WSPR TX

My 500mW WSPR beacon was turned on about 0930z.  So far, the Canary Is and a local have spotted me.

UPDATE 1201z:  5 unique stations have spotted me this morning with the furthermost FR1GZ (9724km).

UPDATE 1804z:  29 unique stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR today.

Plans for today (Monday)

Shortly, I hope to turn on my 10m WSPR 500mW TX beacon. Later, I might try again on 8m FT8, although I have not achieved much success very lately apart from by aircraft scatter. 

The Almonry, Ely - NOT amateur radio

This is the cathedral cafe. They've been serving food here since the 1200s. 

Thankfully the cheese scones are not that old! 

The undercroft has vaulted ceilings and looks very, very old!

See https://www.elycathedral.org/plan-your-visit/eat-drink-shop/the-almonry-restaurant.

Sub 9kHz amateur radio

At one time I was very active monitoring amateur radio below 10 kHz. Stations from all over Europe were decoded. I also used to regularly run a website dedicated to amateur experiments at the very low frequencies. Some remarkable distances were spanned. 

To TX, very big antennas are needed. For RX an E-field probe, which is tiny, is very effective. Extremely accurate frequency control is essential. This is usually achieved by GPS locking or locking to a VLF MSK signal, which is what I did. Bandwidths are measured in uHz. Timescales are measured in hours or even days! Casual listening is extremely unlikely to result in success, except perhaps by earth-mode over much shorter ranges. 

Since my 2013 stroke, I have not been active below 10 kHz. Experiments continue and keen amateurs are still knocking on the boundaries and achieving what many thought was impossible.

The photo shows my reception of DK7FC in 2011. In more recent times he has been testing on ever lower frequencies and with earth-electrode antennas.

Sunspots - Monday February 5th 2023

 Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 53. A=5 and K=3.