630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

21 stations spotted my 10mW ERP overnight. No great DX.

Norwich

Norwich is a fine city with a wonderful Norman cathedral built of many stones, some of which came from Caen in Normandy centuries ago. 

It has a magnificent castle overlooking the city.

Sunspots - Thursday February 29th

 Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 127. A=6 and K=0.

8m amateur band?

For many years, I have advocated a tiny amateur allocation around 40.680MHz primarily for radio science research. Here in the UK, the RSGB seems dead set against this, whereas in some countries an allocation has been made.

Frankly, I think the RSGB's position is stupid. 

Surely the main purpose of amateur radio is research and self training. In the UK, if we want do research at 8m it costs us £50 annually unless we keep to ISM powers (10mW ERP).

The latest excuse is space radar to help investigate climate change, yet the latest WARC says:

"that spaceborne radars are intended to be operated only in either uninhabited or sparsely populated areas of the globe, with particular focus on deserts and polar ice fields, and only at night-time from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. locally."

Surely the RSGB could put a good case to OFCOM for a few kHz in the ISM 8m band, NoV, limited power and modes, by application only, no-interference...

Is this likely?  Probably not. 

Instead we can go on 80m with 1kW, with commercial gear to talk about gardening. Am I annoyed? Yes.

RSGB - wake up!!

More on the SDRplay RSP1B SDR receiver

In the last few days I have not found time to play with, and familiarise myself, with the RSP1B receiver. There is a lot to learn, but on the default settings it does a credible job. 

An eHam.com review will have to wait until I have really got to grips with it. My first impressions are that it is a sensiitve on 2m and 70m as my FT817ND, but more artifacts than I was expecting.

Wicken windmill

One of our favourite walks is to Wicken Fen, where we have a bite to eat. Wicken also has a village windmill (shown in the photo).

630m QRP WSPR overnight

In the last day and overnight 21 stations spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Plenty of spots from Norway, but nothing from Finland.

Our day - NOT amateur radio

On Tuesdays, we go to a free concert at the university in Cambridge. 

We grab a bite to eat first, walk through the Grand Arcade and the grounds of King's College. 

The collage here captures this.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My 2.5W FT8 to the vertical V2000 omni antenna is on. At 1040z, spotted by 7 English stations. No spots on RX yet.

UPDATE 1622z: 13 stations have spotted me with the furthermost EA6VQ (1419km). 7 stations (all England) spotted on RX. No international DX on RX. The map shows the stations spotting me.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 28th

 Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 103. A=6 and K=1.