ARRL

The ARRL is the national organisation in the USA for radio amateurs. It is a bit like the RSGB in the UK.

For a while I joined and received their monthly magazine QST. QST is quite a big magazine, but I decided not to renew as the RSGB's RadCom seemed to be enough for me with PW and SPRAT.

See http://www.arrl.org/

Sunspots - Thursday September 5th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=12 and K=4.

OFCOM updates

As usual, OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly statistics on its website.

10m Simple Sideband

Before my 2013 stroke I started a project to design a very simple sideband transceiver for 10m. At that time we were several years from the solar peak. Sadly, since my stroke this has not been progressed.

10m is an ideal QRP band as antennas are small and only low power is often needed. In my mind, I see a small, easily copied, design that can be built by almost anyone for not much outlay. I'd be really happy if someone else took on this challenge and finished it off.

We are soon to be on the climb to the next sunspot peak. 10m will be good again for F2 DX, although with Es it is great most summers. There are some ideas on my website linked below. If you can do better, no worries.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10msimple_sb

Sunspots - Wednesday September 4th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=10 and K=3.

Secondary School - NOT amateur radio

It seems just a blink of an eye since our elder grandson was born, yet today he starts secondary school. Amazing.

I guess we'll bink and he'll be driving and blink again and he'll be married!

The moral seems to be that they are only little for a short while, so enjoy them as much as you can. We certainly have.

I guess they turn into stroppy teenagers next and won't want to see us. Ho hum.

2m FT8

Even though it is very early already one French and one German station spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last few hours. By 0755z there were 6 stations logged, most at good range.

East Cambs net - 144.575MHz FM 8pm Mondays

Mark G7LEU's FM signal 

last night 59+60dB

After some deliberation, we decided to go back to our old time and day. It seems to have worked, as there was quite a good turnout last night. Feel free to call in, as we rarely talk for more than 30 minutes and our technical discussion rarely gets, well, technical. A small friendly group.

• Monday nights
• 144.575MHz FM (yes, one four four) vertical
• 8pm UK clock time

Sunspots - Tuesday September 3rd 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 12. A=21 and K=3.

Another IC-705 video

As you can tell, I have been looking for good, informative, videos.

2m FT8

Although it is very early I have already spotted 5 stations in 3 countries on 2m FT8 this morning.  Not sure if these are via flat band tropo or aircraft scatter. Probably some of each?

UPDATE 1255z: Now 21 stations spotted in 5 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX. My best DX today on 2m FT8 RX is GI0OTC (561km) in Northern Ireland.

UPDATE 1354z: A brief 2m FT8 CQ just now resulted in no QSOs. However, it was widely spotted with my best DX being a spot (again) by EI2FG (565km) in southern Eire.

UPDATE 1600z: Now 34 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1626z: Amazing! A brief 2m FT8 CQ (10W to the big-wheel omni) was widely spotted and I was called by DO8SAS (601km). On 2m FT8 RX I have spotted 35 stations so far today.

2m FT8 RX stations spotted today

UPDATE 2035z: 36 stations spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX using the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 2052z: 53 stations in 8 countries spotted in the last day on 2m FT8 RX, even with my pathetic antenna!

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

Whatever else one says one thing is certain. The UK has become a very divided nation with chasms between those that want to leave the EU and those who wish to remain . These divisions exist in our politicians and people. There seems little will to compromise on both sides. 

More on the ICOM IC-705

There is a video which shows more of the ICOM prototype IC-705 QRP transceiver at the Tokyo Ham Fair.

Fewer older hams in Japan?

Looking at recent videos of the Tokyo Ham Fair, there look to be fewer old amateurs wandering around. Certainly in the UK amateur radio seems to be an old man's hobby, although I am not sure how commonplace this is.

Sunspots - Monday September 2nd 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=45 and K=5.

2m FT8

As there is so little on 6m FT8 today, I think I shall QSY to 2m FT8 to see what that produces. Although no QSOs resulted my 2m FT8 CQ (10W to the big-wheel omni) was spotted by 11 stations in 3 countries with the best DX being a spot by EI2FG (565km). On RX so far just one spot of M0NPT (125km). Most people seem to be just RX only.

Imagine - with 2m FT8 southern Eire and Isle of Man any time with 10W to the omni!!

UPDATE 1553z: 9 stations in 3 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1745z: Now 19 stations in 6 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

2m FT8 spots of my 10W today

UPDATE 1922z: Now 26 stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX. A recent 2m FT8 CQ (again 10W to the big-wheel) was copied by 14 stations with my best DX spots by DF6PW (562km) and EI2FG (565km). It's great not having to turn a beam. Mind you, with a beam I could perhaps gain 6dB in the most favourable directions. The RX log on 2m FT8 since mid-afternoon is shown below.

UPDATE 2130z: Now 35 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX since mid-afternoon today.

Passed the minimum?

The figures for last month have been added to the solar forecast. Much to my surprise, this is still forecasting that we have passed the solar minimum. Let us hope they are right!

See http://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png

6m FT8

Presently, I am on 6m FT8 RX. 3 stations have been spotted so far (at 0816z) with the best DX spotted HB9SHD (761km) in northern Switzerland.

UPDATE 0827z: A brief 6m FT8 CQ call (10W) was copied by no-one at all!

UPDATE 0954z: A recent  6m FT8 CQ was spotted by G0GLS (171km) and resulted in a QSO with G6NNS (26km). John G6NNS is fairly local to me. No Es evident. So far, just 4 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1122z: Apart from the French and Swiss stations spotted much earlier, just 4 G stations spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX. A pretty poor session.

UPDATE 1150z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 3 stations with the best DX being a spot by GM8IEM (753km) in the north of Scotland.

UPDATE 1500z: What a difference a day makes! Just 12 6m FT8 RX spots all day with the best DX being SQ9KFZ (1305km).

Overnight on 2m FT8 RX

Overnight, I left 2m FT8 RX running. In all 8 stations spotted in the last 6 hours with the best DX spotted being DL2AKT (761km).

Results published for RSGB's 70cm activity contest

The results for the latest 70cm UKAC have just been published. Although I missed a few sessions in recent months, I appear to have improved my position in the AL (low power) section.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2019