8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

 After being off for about 10 days playing with other things, I am back on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 again at 1430z. No spots. It will get much easier for QRP stations when the Es season gets going.

Today has been disappointing on 8m. It looks like conditions have to be very good for my QRP FT8 to get through.  I would probably do better on 8m WSPR, but I think there are fewer monitors? I expect many are also fighting high local noise levels that make decoding weak signals hard.

UPDATE 1550z:  No spots. Are there many monitoring 8m WSPR?

UPDATE 1610z:  Trying 8m QRP WSPR near 40.680 MHz in the WSPR window. TXing 30 %.

UPDATE 1651z:   No WSPR spots so back on QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1743z:  No spots, so QRT on 8m soon. I think QRP 8m stations are unlikely to get too far now until the Es season.

On guard - NOT amateur radio

This heron was opposite King's College in Cambridge earlier. Punts were going by within a few metres. 

Sunspots - Monday March 27th 2023

Solar flux is 159 and the SSN 125. A=8 and K=0.

481 THz tests

I have resurrected my optical gear. It had stood largely unused for 10 years.

As yet, I have not got Spectran working with the optical RX so I can only do optical tests with continuous carrier or CW and not QRSS. Tests so far are a reflected (off a wall) signal on CW. Good copy over a reflected path of just 100m. At least the optical gear works again!

UPDATE 2020z:  Expections were well exceeded. I set up my 481 THz beacon firing out of our lounge double-glazed window at a wall of a house at the very far end of our close. I walked with my RX to the other end. So the path distance was about 0.25km with one reflection. Signals were S9+ even by ear. The gear really works well. I must get Spectran working and try some NLOS tests. with G4HJW. I suspect we will have greater success with cloudbounce. My main issues are exhaustion and giddiness.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/optical-nanowaves/over-the-horizon .

2m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

For a change, I am on 2m QRP FT8. No QSOs yet, but copying G3MLO.

Watching my signal on G0LRD's grabber. This is a very useful resource if you are in the Cambridge area. A part screenshot of this is shown here.

Already 12 spots of my QRP with the furthermost F6EGD (472km) in Brittany. Not bad with the FT817ND and omni big-wheel.

UPDATE 1554z:   One thing to watch with WSJT-X V2.6 is a new feature. You can chose just to send CQs, reply to the first that calls you, or reply to the most distant. Inadvertently you can operate as just a beacon and wonder why you had no contacts!

UPDATE 1710z:   19 stations in 5 countries spotted so far with the furthermost MM0ABM (502km) and 14 spots of my 2.5W and omni.

UPDATE 1810z: 15 stations have spotted me today.

Lode village - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we did a walk with 2 of our grandchildren at Lode, which is a village near us. The photo shows them outside a thatched cottage. As you can tell, they were not keen on the photo!

630m WSPR RX (Sunday)

At 1046z I QSYed to 630m WSPR RX. I am not sure how many people are on during the day, so this is an experiment.

UPDATE 1120z: PA3GSH (396km) spotted. It would appear his signal is right on the edge of being copied.

UPDATE 1138z: G0VQH is getting signals far stronger than I am on 630m WSPR. I am not sure what Jennie is using, but it certainly works better than my system currently!

UPDATE 2130z: Went back on 630m WSPR RX for the evening. 3 stations spotted. QRT soon.

10m FT8 RX (Sunday)

At the moment, I am on 10m FT8 RX. At 1014z (must always remember that in the UK we are now British Summer Time!) 388 stations spotted as the map shows. It is too easy! 

UPDATE 1038z:  501 stations spotted.

I might QSY to 630m WSPR RX soon.

Sunday plans

Getting the optical gear working 

As today looks dull and wet, these are my plans :

• Email G4BAO to set up a sked on 23cm SSB.  Email written and sent.
• Try to get the optical gear working. All gear assembled. Spectran installed. 
• Go on 10m FT8 daytime. RX on morning. Off late morning.
• Go on 630m WSPR RX this evening. Went on late morning. 

Doing anything these days is so much harder. After getting my 481 THz gear together I feel exhausted. I cannot remember how I interfaced from the optical RX to the PC. I must find out. It was 10 years ago!!

I may try a local CW test after dark this evening bouncing off a wall about 200m away - small steps.

The other Burwell - NOT amateur radio

We live in Burwell in Cambridgeshire. There is another Burwell in Lincolnshire that is much smaller. It is shown in the photo