Michael Rainey AA1TJ

Overnight I had a very good email from Michael AA1TJ. I was so pleased to hear that both Michael and his XYL were well and he is still busy with QRPP. 

Some of his results are truly inspiring, as they usually are!  In my view Michael is one of the most amazing QRPers on the planet and he definitely has produced some really great design ideas over the years.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

As WSPRnet was working again last night, I turned on my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In all, 11 stations spotted me, but no great DX.

Sunspots - Friday January 5th

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 64. A=6 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

WSPRnet seems to be fixed so I have QSYed to 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. At 2140z 3 stations have spotted me.

17m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Currently I am on 17m FT8 using 2.5W to the coax to the 2m big-wheel matched with my Z-match. So far, just European spots.

UPDATE 1550z:  Just one USA spot so far.

UPDATE 1636z:  More USA spots.

UPDATE 1926z: 31 stations have spotted me with many in the USA. WSPRnet still looks broken.

UPDATE  2030z: 32 stations have spotted me.

Christmas nearly over - NOT amateur radio

This weekend it is time to take down the cards and decorations. It seems they have been up for a very short time. 

We will blink and it will be next Christmas!

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

As WSPRnet seems to be in trouble, I am on 10m FT8 using 2.5W. It looks like all my spots so far are from the East via F2. On RX the band is well open to the east with plenty of stations in Australia and the Far East.

UPDATE 1155z:  11 stations have spotted me this morning on 10m QRP FT8. I wonder if the vertical coax to the 2m big-wheel (suitably matched) might be better? Might try this tomorrow. It could be this would be more omni-directional.

WSPRnet in trouble?

Overnight I went on 630m QRP WSPR, but I think WSPRnet had/has a problem so I do not know who was spotting my 10mW ERP.  

Until this is fixed, there is little point me being on WSPR TX.

UPDATE 1740z:  It looks like it is still in trouble. Unless things are fixed in the next couple of hours, I shall probably give 630m WSPR a miss tonight. If it is soon fixed, my 10mW ERP WSPR will be on. 

Oscar 100 activity levels

Every few weeks I take a look at the online SDR at Goonhilly Downs in Cornwall , UK monitoring the narrowband transponder on this geosynchronous satellite. 

It has certainly encouraged amateurs to experiment with microwaves but, in my honest personal opinion, it has not attracted the following I was expecting. There is still plenty of space. 

In my view, because it does not cover the USA and Japan, we have not see dedicated Japanese "black boxes" which could transform things. There is not enough profit to make it worthwhile. 

This is a pity as it offered DXing without QSB at any time covering large parts of the planet with small, fixed antennas. There is no need for towers, big beams and linears. Antennas could even be ground mounted.

2m FT8 UKAC last evening

Last night was the first 2m FT8 activity contest. I worked a couple of stations using 2.5W and my big-wheel omni antenna, but I was not seriously taking part. I was only on for about 15 minutes. 

The map shows the stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX. It seems to me these distant stations are coming through by tropospheric scatter.