Pye PFX - NOT Amateur radio

 At some point in the future I want to add a page to my website all about the PFX. This was the first synthesised portable that Pye Telecom made. After a shaky start it went on to be a very successful product and was used by police forces the world over.

8m WSPR RX (Thursday)

At present, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR hoping to spot a station near Bedford or possibly some ON stations via tropo. No luck. 

UPDATE 1906z:  No spots.

In King's - NOT amateur radio

Our younger son is entitled to a free pass which allows him and two guests entry into the Cambridge University colleges. Here he is with his daughter in the grounds of King's College.

10m 500uW WSPR (Thursday)

Although my QRPP beacon is on, no spots yet.  Conditions look quite promising. 

UPDATE 1430z: Many spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and a station in Greece. 

UPDATE 1904z:  Amazing day! 6 stations have spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR today. See map on WSPR Rocks by VK7JJ. When conditions are good this tiny power is enough.

No 630m overnight

 As I was sleeping at my son's house, I was not on 630m WSPR overnight. This is the first time I have not been TXing on the band for several months. 

I should be TXing on 630m WSPR tonight.

Sunspots - Thursday April 4th

 Solar flux is 112 and the SSN 45.  A=7 and K=1.

Wren library, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Cambridge has some fine buildings. This is the Wren library on the banks of the River Cam.

Spain gets legal amateur access to the 8m band

 The EI7GL blog has announced that Spain is the latest country to gain amateur access to the 8m band. Little by little more countries are seeing the sense in this. The breakthrough will come when CEPT allows all CEPT nations to allocate a small 8m amateur band.

8m decision made - ISM rules!

After thinking hard, I have decided to try 8m WSPR with ISM rules and not apply for a new permit.

Starting in a few weeks I shall be on 40.680MHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP following IR2030 rules. The WSPR offset is about 1500Hz HF.

In the meantime, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR and hope to spot some stations by tropo before the Es season really starts.

500uW 10m WSPR (Wednesday)

Already, my QRPP  10m WSPR has been spotted multiple times (some very strongly) in the Canary Islands. It is quite possible that 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR may reach the USA this afternoon.

UPDATE 1910z:   Amazing.  54 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). One spot of my 500uW (0.5mW) was an incredible -9dB S/N. This implies he would still have copied me with very low microwatts.