2m activity contest

Tonight is the 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB. I usually go on for a short while with my 10W pep to the big-wheel omni antenna. I usually give up soon as I find it very hard on my poor voice. I called a station in a rare square, but gave up.

Faroes - NOT amateur radio

These islands are located between the UK and Iceland. It must get very windy and cold. On 365project, one of my friends posted this view of the capital (Torshaven) on a sunny day. There is absolutely no association of 365project with Microsoft.

University concert - NOT amateur radio

Most Tuesdays we go into Cambridge on the bus. As we are old, it is free with our bus passes. We grab a bite to eat then walk through the grounds of King's College to West Road concert hall. Every week they feature different students and different sorts of music.

Today, it was the final of the concerto competition. The standard is very very high! The concerts are free with a retiring collection.

There is no doubt that Cambridge University has some excellent musicians and we are lucky to be able to enjoy them for free.

The photo shows me having a bite to eat.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 6m 2.5W FT8 and V2000 vertical omni antenna have been on most of the day. 11 stations spotted me and 5 stations spotted by me. All these (TX and RX) were English with no DX.

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR (Tuesday)

Despite being on all day, no spots of my QRPP 10m WSPR signal. It looks like conditions have to be very settled and good for this tiny power to work. 

My 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR has now been spotted in 7 countries and 3 continents. Antenna remains the low Par end-fed.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the Es season.

630m WSPR overnight

Overnight, 26 stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR.

Sunspots - Tuesday March 5th

 Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 113. A=10 and K=2.

137kHz QRSS3 test - aborted

Last night I tried some local 137kHz tests using my 137kHz beacon. Then it blew up!!  I could smell burning and the transmission stopped. 

This means I cannot do my test unless I can repair my beacon. Also, to be so badly damaged it suggests the match is poor and the heatsink inadequate. 

I think this puts an end to my tests at 137kHz.

UPDATE 0929z:  In a vain hope, as my FT817ND was widebanded when I bought it, I tried directly TXing on MF and LF. It said "TX err", so no luck!

10m QRPP WSPR (Monday)

 All day, I was trying with 500uW (0.5mW) on 10m WSPR. No spots.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My 10mW ERP  from the earth-electrode "antenna"  in the ground was turned on about 1900z.

UPDATE 2004z:   So far spotted by 13 stations - all the usual stations and nothing special.

UPDATE 2318z: 20 stations have spotted me so far.