As my 8m dipole is showing a high VSWR, my 2.5W 8m FT8 is connected instead to my loop on the shack windowsill on which the match is good.
UPDATE 1847z: No spots all day.
20 Jan 2024
Connect the antenna! (Saturday)
For the first few hours today, my 500uW 10m WSPR beacon had no antenna connected. When running QRPP it helps to have an antenna!! Doh!
My 0.5mW beacon has been on (with an antenna! 😄) since about 1230z.
UPDATE 1900z: No spots all day.
Windmill next door - NOT amateur radio
.jpeg)
As many may remember, we live next door to a fully restored and working 200 year old windmill which is part of Burwell Museum.
Just occasionally, they turn the sails on but they never disturb us. It is just over the garden wall. The attached photo was taken from the lounge window. The sky was blue, but it was very cold!
630m QRP WSPR overnight
25 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP in the last 12 hours as the table shows.
19 Jan 2024
630m QRP WSPR (Friday)
Rather earlier than usual, my 630m 10mW ERP WSPR was turned on at about 1515z. So far, spotted by 3 stations. As usual, I am using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
UPDATE 2120z: 22 stations have spotted me in the last 12 hours including OH1LSQ (1733km).
G8BBB/G4BEL SK
Today I heard that Roger Taylor had passed away. He was very much into VHF/UHF and microwaves and had an excellent location at Haddenham near Cambridge, UK. Many will miss him.
Shopping Habits - NOT amateur radio
More of us are shopping online.
Gradually, over the last 20 years, the way many of us shop has changed. On the whole we are more confident that goods delivered to our door will be fine and, if they are not, they can be easily returned. No longer do we need to find car parking spaces (and pay for these) and we no longer struggle with heavy packages.
This means more retail businesses will go out of business and those that remain are working harder to retain customers. In my view (as it has been for many years) is that those who will survive will have a strong online business and shops that remain will be mainly for browsing. Many of our well loved brands in shops may disappear. This is a trend that will continue. In a few years' time we may not recognise our high streets.
In my view, High Street shops will only survive if they offer something unique. I expect the future will be more places where people can meet (cafes) and more flats for single people to live.
My future on 8m
This morning, I am getting no 8m FT8 spots whereas G9PUV and SV1DH have plenty. Their ERPs are probably at least 10dB up on mine as I run just 2.5W to a low dipole.
At the moment, my inclination is not to go for a new 8m permit in April.
Possibly I may try 8m WSPR in the ISM band with the call 8M3ISM with 10mW ERP without a licence, as is the right of all in the UK.
The results obtained so far are impressive, but without more stations, I am unsure of the usefulness of continuing.
As the 8m band is located between 10m and 6m, we could expect 8m to open more often than 6m. It is highly disappointing that OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC has shown such a negative attitude to even a small 8m secondary allocation. It is not as if they are neutral. It would appear they are dead set against!
If beggars believe that both the FCC and OFCOM (and the RSGB) can have such a negative attitude to the real purpose of our hobby. I am left with a bitter taste.
8m QRP FT8 (Friday)
My 2.5W 8m FT8 was turned on at 1016z.
Conditions in Europe look encouraging with high MUFs.
UPDATE 1341z: No spots.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
