Sunspots - Monday March 4th

Solar  flux is 146 and the SSN 90. A=29 and K=2. 

630m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on at about 2114z. 7 stations have spotted me.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

At 1443z, the 10m WSPR beacon had its PA turned on, so after that time it is running the full power of 500mW again. 

UPDATE 1456z:  5 spots received already including 2 stations in the USA. It is much easier at 500mW than 500uW!!

UPDATE 1504z:   It is far easier at 500mW!

UPDATE 1722z:  23 stations have spotted me at 500mW 10m WSPR (see table).

Spring sounds - NOT amateur radio

Judging by the sounds, spring has come. This morning I can hear several people cutting their grass for the first time since the autumn. Ours is too wet. Maybe later?

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on at about 1240z. 

UPDATE 1437z:  8 English stations have spotted me.

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR

Today, I was going back to 500mW 10m WSPR (QRO for me!!), but I decided, after the success yesterday, to stick with real QRPP instead.  

So, I am trying again with the beacon PA off at 500uW.

UPDATE 1437z:  No spots.

Over the peak?

My best site for solar data has been updated as it always is at the start of a month. It shows us just over the solar cycle peak. Unless we see a second peak (possible) we could be on a long decline to solar minimum. We can expect good conditions on the higher HF bands for some years yet. 

I remember working South America on 10m QRP SSB (10W pep and a dipole) right at the solar minimum and zero sunspots. With FT8 this should be even easier. 

Stick with the higher HF bands!

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

630m QRP WSPR overnight

25 stations spotted the 10mW ERP 630m WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.  No astounding DX, but a good haul of stations spotting me.

137kHz QRSS3 test

One of the aims for this week is to carry out that 137kHz QRSS3 test with my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with my FT817, E-field mag-mount on the car roof and SpectrumView software on my iPhone. To do this needs the coax fitting to my mag-mount. I must have "stolen" it for some reason.

Before going out in the car I can check things locally.

This software allows about 2 minutes of audio to be recorded as a spectrogram view. I hope to do this by just placing the iPhone next to the FT817's speaker. The photo of the SpectrumView screen is attached.

See  https://oxfordwaveresearch.com/products/spectrumviewapp/   .

8m decision time

My current 8m TX permit runs out early next month. My choice is to apply for a new permit (probably a similar one requested). This will cost me £50. Although I can afford it, I object to having to pay to carry out genuine research. For this stupidity I have issues with the RSGB and OFCOM.

The alternative is to run 10mW ERP using ISM rules. This is free.

Most active stations on 8m have either spotted my FT8 or worked me.

Radio science might benefit from me running very low power in the Es season which mainly starts in May. At the moment I am inclined to run 10mW ERP 8m WSPR whenever the 8m band looks promising. As long as there are people across Europe monitoring 8m WSPR, I have every confidence of being spotted.