630m QRP WSPR (Friday)

 My 10mW ERP 630m WSPR is turned on this evening again.  So far, 15 spots of me.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went for a walk around the nearby village of Lode.   Lode backs on to Anglesey Abbey.

The daffodils are early. In a few weeks, most will be dead! 

Lode has many thatched cottages and delightful lanes.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

In all, 16 stations spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR overnight. No great DX.

10m QRPP WSPR (Friday)

There's nothing like a challenge!! Once again my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR is on.

For me, it is easy. For the station at the far end the signal will be weak and in the noise probably. In the last 2 weeks I have had 2 DX spots, but nothing yet today.

UPDATE 1504z:   No spots.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

At the moment I am on 6m FT8 with my 2.5W and V2000 omni vertical antenna.  Just 4 English stations spotting me so far.

UPDATE 1248z:  11 spots of me from the UK and Eire

UPDATE 1633z:  17 spots of my 6m QRP FT8 including some in Scandinavia.

UPDATE 1916z: 21 stations have spotted me today.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

My birthplace and where I lived as a child and teenager was in South Devon. We can trace our family back to the mid 1500s continuously in a village near this photo and we have a record of land being owned in the next parish in 1427!  It is pretty certain that some of my ancestors were hereabouts thousands of years ago. The photo is of Bolberry Down which is very close to where I lived.

8m TX

At the moment my inclination is NOT to apply for a special permit to TX on 8m (costs £50 per year!) but to instead try 40.680MHz WSPR using ISM rules. 

In the UK, this means 10mW ERP and compliance with IR2030. Anyone, even an SWL, may do this without a licence. The callsign can be made up. I shall use one that WSPRnet can accept, so I can see where I am being spotted.

Having either worked or been spotted on 8m FT8 by most active stations, this will be a new challenge in the Es season. My antenna needs attention first. 

Judging by tests at similar ERP on 10m, much of Europe should be in range at times, assuming there are people monitoring!

It would be good if others tried this too.

Sunspots - Friday March 8th

 Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 99. A=11 and K=2.

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

At about 1845z, I QSYed from 6m FT8 to 630m WSPR. At 1905z, 2 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP.

UPDATE 1956z:  Plenty of stations spotting me, but it is disappointing that there are so few UK stations on 630m WSPR TX.

UPDATE 2216z:  13 stations spotting me.

Rally this Sunday

The following has been notified to me. Usual caveats apply.

Sunday March 10th - Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar Sale. Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Contact coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk .