New radios

Buying a new transceiver here is a big decision for me. 

When I buy one, it is usually kept for many years. I quite fancy the IC-705 as a QRP enthusiast, but it seems expensive. I do not expect the price to drop unless they get real competition.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/new

2m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

It is now 1257z and I have just turned on my 2m QRP - 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. Already 7 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1449z: 18 stations have spotted my QRP 2m signal so far today (see photo).

UPDATE 2125z:  QRT.  28 spots of me in 6 countries with the furthermost being a spot by EI2FG (565km).

Hornet tree - NOT amateur radio

This tree was felled last year. It is at nearby Anglesey Abbey owned by the National Trust. 

For years there was a hornet's nest in the tree. For all I know, it could still be there.

Another successful Zoom talk

Last night, the Cambridge radio club (CDARC) had another well attended Zoom talk. Yet again this included a member in Canada. The talk was by Ray G4FON on learning Morse code, using his highly successful training course based on the Koch method. The secret seems to be to hear the sound of the letters much as a foreign language and not to try to write it down.

I am a great fan of Zoom as we can enjoy the talks from the comfort of our own homes. Also, people around the world can take part. Of course, by holding "virtual" meetings, we miss the face-to-face contacts, but Zoom with video is far better than I expected.

See http://www.g4fon.net/CW%20Trainer2.php

Promise - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday at nearby Anglesey Abbey we saw this hellebore. Yet another promise of better days ahead. 

It is still mid-January and as I write we have cold driving rain.

136kHz beacon TX

This is the beacon TX I used on 136kHz at the old QTH some years ago. At this QTH I have only been (briefly) on 136kHz RX. Taht was with Opera weak signal software using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. If I was fitter I ought to try some 136kHz RX again.

Sunspots - Saturday January 16th 2021

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 13. A=3 and K=2.

E-field probes

There is a common myth that VLF, LF and MF antennas have to be big. Whilst this is true for radiated TX antennas, this is absolutely not true on RX. 

In the past I have used E-field probes very successfully on 136kHz RX and good ones can be quite as good (or better) than large antennas and can work from VLF to 30MHz despite being very tiny. Typical ones are just a few cms long.

One of mine, used taped to the window, is shown in the photo. Normally they are placed outdoors away from noise sources. They work because as antennas get smaller the signal level falls, but so does the noise. At low frequencies external noise usually dominates.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/efp.

Winter promise - NOT amateur radio

January can be a miserable time of the year: days are short and cold and the evenings are dark and long. Everywhere looks dead.

However there is a promise of better days ahead. Soon it will be the daffodils, which are around until late spring.

Already snowdrops are pushing up and coming into flower. Promise. 

Then the buds start to appear and you sense stirrings......

2m FT8 QRP (Friday)

It is now 1125z and I have been on 2m FT8 for about 10 minutes. So far, my 2.5W to the big-wheel has been spotted by 11 stations on TX and 1 station spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1225z: 12 stations have spotted my QRP on TX and 14 stations in 4 countries spotted here on RX. 1 QSO.

UPDATE 1630z:  24 stations in 5 countries has spotted me so far today on 2m QRP TX with 2 QSOs.

UPDATE 1826z:  27 stations in 6 countries have spotted my 2m FT8 QRP so far today.