Punting on the River Cam last week - NOT amateur radio

As long as you wrap up well, I guess this time of year is a good time to go punting. The photo shows last Tuesday when it was cold and bright. In the summer the river can be busy.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

Conditions look a bit more promising than yesterday (in places the MUF is above 40 MHz) so I am trying 8m FT8. No spots. At the moment I am on my dipole, but may try the loop which has a better match.

8m CEPT allocation proposal

As I could not immediately see on the RSGB website to whom it should be sent , I sent my 8m CEPT proposal to the RSGB General Manager with a request that it is forwarded to the right people.  Apparently these are the VHF Manager and the Spectrum Forum Chair.

I hope my request is looked at favourably as there is a great deal of propagation research that could be done by radio amateurs at 8m. There are countries within CEPT that have already granted amateurs access to this spectrum. Just 5 kHz within the 8m ISM band with very limited modes and power, by application, no interference, should encourage experimentation and avoid "chatting".

Maybe others would care to support this?

I am mindful that the real purpose of our hobby is self-training and research.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

There were fewer stations spotting me overnight. There could be several reasons. In the UK we had a severe storm with high winds (Storm Isha) so there may have been fewer stations on.  If my theory of the earth-electrode "antenna" forming a loop in the ground is correct the effective loop size will be smaller in wet weather. It is now bright and sunny with much lighter winds

Sunspots - Monday January 22nd

 Solar flux is 179 and the SSN 150. A=6 and K=0.

630m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

My 630m 10mW ERP was turned on at 1832z. 2 stations have spotted me so far.

UPDATE 2210z:  4 stations have spotted me.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday) - not today

At one point I had thoughts of going on 8m QRP FT8 today, but I have decided against this. Borat S50B has antenna issues, so that is one keen person not around. Conditions do not seem to be exceptional, which is probably necessary for me to be spotted "across the pond".  So, I shall stick with 6m FT8 at 2.5W and 500uW 10m WSPR. 6m has more FT8 monitors and this helps.

King’s College residents pass - NOT amateur radio

For many years we have had resident’s passes that give us free entry to King’s College Cambridge as well as other colleges. As part of the renewal I had to send a recent photo. I should hear next week.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 My 6m FT8 QRP (2.5W to a vertical omni V2000 antenna) is on.  So far just a spot by M1ABK (70km).

UPDATE 1140z:  3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost SM7KOJ (935km).

UPDATE 1405z:  11 stations have spotted my QRP (better than I was expecting), but I  am unsure of the propagation. I am sure it is not F2 backscatter, so it is possibly aircraft scatter or patches of Es. 

UPDATE  1445z: No further stations spotting me, suggesting the propagation is some short-lived mechanism such as aircraft or Es that quickly went.

UPDATE 1701z:  12 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 today.

HF propagation

Conditions on HF do not seen exceptional today. I am not expecting to get any spots on my 0.5mW 10m WSPR beacon, but you never know!

See https://prop.kc2g.com/ .