500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR TX

My 10m QRPP WSPR experiment continues.

UPDATE 1542z:  No spots today.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on about 1040z. So far,  no spots.

UPDATE 1540z:  No spots today.

Old friends - NOT amateur radio

We have known these friends since the mid-1970s. They moved away from the village some years ago, but had returned to see old friends and hand out Christmas cards. They came for a meal last night.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

13 stations spotted me overnight  (see table) and I spotted the furthermost as SM2DJK (1720km). I am still using my FT817ND to drive my transverter. I have not tried the IC-705 yet. As sensitivity is probably determined by external noise rather than noise figure, I cannot think there would be any difference, so the stations I spot are probably a function of my antenna and any directivity.

Changes coming to the UK amateur licences

 OFCOM has announced future changes to the amateur radio licences.

Along with other things, they are increasing power limits, which I already think are too high! HI.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/272985/Updating-the-amatuer-radio-licensing-framework-overview-of-key-changes.pdf

Sunspots - Wednesday December 12th 2023

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 87. A=3 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My 10mW ERP 630m WSPR was turned on at teatime.

UPDATE 2139z:  9 spots of me so far.

10m 500uW WSPR TX (Monday)

My 500uW 10m WSPR TX is on and EA8/DF4UE (2876km) has again spotted me. At 0.5mW, I think this is the third time. It proves that if conditions are good and the noise floor is low, very little power is needed.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

 My 2.5W FT8 was turned on at 1347z.

UPDATE 1701z:  No spots all day. Now QRT.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

Overnight I was spotted by 15 stations with my 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with furthermost OH1LSQ (1733km). 

M0NYW transverters

Interestingly Jason M0NYW using a nearly identical transverter was spotted by 59 stations. I suspect Jason's better antenna and ground wins him a few dBs over me. This could make a lot of difference when his signal is "on the edge". Well done Jason. Incidentally, he is making and selling 630m transverters, so contact him if interested in 630m TX. Jason has been spotted over 3000km with his transverter.