21 Dec 2023

10m 500uW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My QRPP 10m WSPR experiment continues. At 1037z, no spots of me received.

UPDATE 1626z:  No spots of me.

8m FT8 (Thursday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 was turned on after breakfast. 

UPDATE 1645z:  No spots today. Now QSYed to 630m QRP WSPR.

160m QRP FT8 overnight

Stations spotting my 160m 2.5W FT8

Using my 2.5W 160m FT8 and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground I was widely spotted across Europe by 113 stations. On 160m FT8 RX the furthermost was K1ZM (5238km).

Sunspots - Thursday December 21st 2023

 Solar flux is 195 and the SSN 133.  A=11 and K=0.

20 Dec 2023

160m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

 For a change, I am on 160m QRP FT8 (2.5W) using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1750z:  8 spots of my 2.5W FT8 160m TX already including Germany and Switzerland.

UPDATE 2045z:  40 spots of my 2.5W FT8 this evening so far.  Surprisingly effective. 

UPDATE 2238z: 
 64 spots of me this evening so far with 160m 2.5W FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna"  in the ground (see map). It certainly works!

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

On returning from Ely, I went on 8m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1715z:  No 8m spots today.

Ely - NOT amateur radio

We went to Ely earlier today. This included eating in the Almonry restaurant that has been serving food since the 1200s. The food is fresh (not from the 1200s!).  

The collage is of Ely Cathedral.

GQRP SPRAT

My latest SPRAT magazine has just come. The winter edition usually comes about now.

I have said this very many times, but if all other magazines had to close, I hope SPRAT would survive as it is filled with good QRP projects and news. 

It is put together by volunteers and comes out every quarter as an A5 colour magazine. It is excellent value. Back issues are available on a flash drive. It is worth it for this alone!

It is my ethos entirely.

See https://www.gqrp.com/ .

2m activity contest (UKAC)

The results of this friendly contest have been published  In the low power section I was 75th out of 172 using 10W PEP for less than an hour each time to the omni big-wheel antenna and the Cambridge Club was 37th (to which I give my points). This is one of the few occasions I use my voice.

10m 500uW WSPR TX test continued (Thursday)

 My 10m WSPR RX beacon with the PA off is turned on. 

UPDATE 1720z:  No spots.