10m Tenner Transceiver

This was created before the last sunspot peak. Although many have migrated to FT8, nothing beats working DX on a simple transceiver that you have made yourself. 

Although you made not build this, I hope it gives you some ideas.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-tenner-qrp-cw  .

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Been on 8m FT8 (TX first) for about 90 minutes. So far, 2 spots from Eastern Europe with the furthermost RA4FER (2992km). This is almost certainly F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1016z:  Not sure if there are now more people monitoring 8m FT8 or it is just that conditions are better so more people can copy my QRP. Until yesterday, there were very few reports of me from the east.

UPDATE 1218z:   When out shopping, I left the 8m FT8 on RX. 3 stations spotted as the map shows. Rig currently turned completely off.

UPDATE 1335z:  5 stations have spotted me today on 8m FT8. I am surprised by the results at this time of year. Most reports seem to be by F2. Rig turned on again.

UPDATE 1405z:  7 spots of my 8m QRP FT8 today including HI8SDR-2 (7062km), which is a new country and "across the pond" again. Now RX only again.

UPDATE 1845z:  My first copy of a station in North America on 8m FT8:  VA2CY (4965km). Now QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)

It is now 1005z.  9 stations have so far spotted me. The majority look like F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1220z:  13 stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR beacon today. USA starting to spot me.

UPDATE 1342z:  26 spots of my 500mW QRP 10m WSPR. so far today.

UPDATE 1609z:   34 spots of me so far today on 10m QRP WSPR.

UPDATE 1636z:   37 spots so far today on 10m QRP WSPR.

Plans for Saturday

After breakfast I hope to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz as well as 10m QRP WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. There might be some F2 backscatter on 8m. 

Our church in Burwell - NOT amateur radio

This is a view of our village church in silhouette. It is mostly 15th century although some parts of the tower are Saxon.

Sunspots - Saturday February 18th 2023

 Solar flux is 343 and the SSN 86. A=6 and K=2.

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

This "special operation" (in the West we call it war) is almost a year old. It seems President Putin was surprised by the reaction especially when the West did nothing when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. He probably thought he could just walk in and the war would be over in days.

I have nothing at all against the Russian people: they have been fed a line by state media. At the height of the cold war many Russians were worked on amateur radio and, in a small way, barriers were broken down. After all, they were just people like us.

This war has to stop. It will. Let us all hope that everyone is able to think it a victory. 

In the end, wars rarely solve problems. Most can be traced to earlier grievances. In the end, true justice for all is the only way.

FT-710AESS and 4m

Until today, I did not realise that 4m has to be enabled on this rig.  As it comes, both 70 MHz and UK 5 MHz bands have to be enabled. I thought these already were!

A very helpful phone call and email from Steve Venner at MLS explained how to do this (it was very easy), and I now have power on 4m. It is also meant to enable 60m UK allocations with the same mods although I have not yet checked.

I have still to test the rig fully. Steve is also checking the AESS functionality on the MLS demo rig. I must say, Steve was very helpful.

Apart from the AESS function, I am very pleased with the rig so far.

I traded in my IC-705, but have not yet received a credit on my card. I guess they have to check it all first. It is mint. It was a very good rig.

UPDATE 1529z: The 2m big-wheel and feeder does match on 4m (I am pleased to say) using the internal auto-ATU on the FT-710. No doubt a dedicated 4m antenna would be much better, but this is a start. I have not even started on the DSP and filter options! I hope to go on the 4m activity contest (March 15th) with this compromise antenna. I think this is a Tuesday.

OFCOM updates

As usual, OFCOM has updated the information it holds on licences etc.. See the OFCOM website for details.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Friday)

Been on with my 500mW WSPR TX beacon about 10 minutes. No spots yet.

UPDATE 0950z: First spot of the day from Finland. Presumably by F2?

UPDATE 1311z: Following the usual pattern with east in the morning and transatlantic later. 11 stations have spotted my 500mW WSPR so far today on 10m.

UPDATE 1751z:  22 unique stations have spotted me today.