Changes

When I was first involved with amateur radio it was 1962. 

My first venture into radio was when my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas 1961. This allowed you to make a variety of circuits without soldering. That first Christmas I was DXing on Medium Wave. I joined the RSGB shortly afterwards. My first G8 call was in 1966 and I became a G3 in 1967, taking my Morse test in the famous Liver building in Liverpool.

My first serious TX activity was when I moved to Cambridge in the early 1970s. My first outings were on 2m AM, then 70cm AM with a simple homemade QRP transverter. In those days most people were crystal controlled, so it was "tuning high to low" to get a contact.

These days, people rarely come on just for a chat. Times are changing.

My 2m-70cm transverter was based on this circuit in the old "VHF Communication" magazine. It produced  about 100mW on 70cm. From a local hill you could almost guarantee a QSO with this in the 1970s.

OFCOM updates

A reminder that OFCOM updates the information it hold on licences etc. every week. See the OFCOM website for the latest data. 

Incidentally, I enquired about changes to my T&I 8m licence. A month later, I am still awaiting a response. They say they are incredibly busy. At this rate, the Es season will be over before they respond!  I know from work days how this can feel, but a response email would take just a few minutes!

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

After breakfast, my plan is to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 again in the hope of catching some Es. 

UPDATE 0854z:  Gear turned on at 0820z. No spots. 

UPDATE 0948z: G3WCS spotted (IO83). Is this genuine?

UPDATE 1046z:  It turns out G3WCS is genuine, Also WESSEXSDR (265km) has spotted me on RX. In the last few days I have been spotted on 8m FT8 every day, and not one of these was Es, despite using just 2.5W FT8 and a low dipole.

UPDATE 1918z:  2 stations have spotted me today on 8m FT8 and I have spotted 2. No Es. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Sunday May 7th 2023

Solar flux is 152 and the SSN 99. A=30 and K=2.

2m activity contest last Tuesday

As usual, I go on the 2m activity contest on the first Tuesday evening in the month. As I run 2.5W and an omni big-wheel antenna and my voice is poor, I am usually on for less than an hour. Conditions seemed a bit "up" and it was quite busy.  In 37 minutes 7 contacts were had (see map). Next Tuesday is the 70cm activity contest.

4m personal beacon

Jason M0NYW has a personal 4m beacon. I predict he will see lots of spots this Es season.

It is on 70.093 MHz (70.092 USB-D) sending FT8 + CW ID + dashes. It has an output of 1W to a halo. I hope I can spot it. It runs pretty much 24/7.

See www.qrz.com/db/M0NYW/b for more details.

Just popping down for golf - NOT amateur radio

Sir John Beckwith's helicopter at Thurlestone. How the other half live!! 

Next door - NOT amateur radio

We are lucky to live just next door to a fully restored windmill. This is the view from the lounge window. 

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Since 0720z, I have been on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 0907z:  No spots. 

3 spots of my QRP 8m FT8

UPDATE 1539z:  3 spots of me on TX. No sign of Es all day. Nobody spotted on RX. Even these 3 spots of me were great and much appreciated. The power was definitely less than 2.5W.

Screaming swifts - NOT amateur radio

This is a common sound at this time of year. Swifts scream overhead in feeding parties. They are definitely back!!