Brother's visit - NOT amateur radio

After a few days my brother has gone back to Devon. It was good to see him. All being well I shall see him in Devon in November.

Old car - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we went to Norwich. This car was parked outside an hotel near the cathedral. I am not sure if this car dates from just before or just after WW2. It is certainly a fine car. I think it is a Bentley.

The joys of 2m FT8

There can be little doubt that FT8 has transformed amateur radio.

Some would say this has led to a further decline in the use of CW and SSB. FT8 is definitely not a chatting mode, but it does work with weak signals and is great for short DX QSOs even with very modest stations. It also only occupies 50Hz of spectrum. All activity on any band is within a few kilohertz and there are plenty of people monitoring. I watch PSKreporter maps to see where I am being spotted. Every day I get a pleasant surprise!

In my own case on 2m, every day I get spotted by stations at double (or more) of the range I can work on SSB. Some reports are at ranges I could never even dream about.

Also, these days my voice is poor, so FT8 well suits my operating. I regret the decline in casual chats, but monitoring the FT8 watering holes on any band certainly improves the chances of being copied. Personally I like FT8.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2m-ft8

The UK pound against the euro

When I looked last night, the UK pound had suddenly appreciated further against the euro. At one point it was worth little more than 1.07 euros, whereas now (last night) it was over 1.13. Before the BREXIT referendum, it was far higher. Does this suggest a big rebound if we (finally) agree a deal?

With all the uncertainty over BREXIT some were expecting it to fall close to parity. I am puzzled.

Sunspots - Thursday September 19th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the sunspot number zero. A=9 and K=1.

Late switch to 2m FT8

At 1848z, I switched from 6m to 2m FT8. A 10W CQ using the big-wheel omni resulted in a QSO with G3KZR (231km) in IO81 square. I was spotted by 12 stations with best DX being DF0MU (475km). Every time I call CQ on 2m with 10W on FT8 I seem to get spotted at this sort of range.

UPDATE 2040z: 24 stations in 6 countries spotted in the last few hours on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2112z: The map shows the stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX this evening.

6m FT8

Today I am again on 6m FT8. After an initial 10W CQ to the V2000 vertical (no spots at all), I am RX only. So far, just one spot on 6m FT8 RX. This was G3TKF (221km). Nothing from the rest of Europe. I suspect many have now deserted 6m as the main Es season is over.

UPDATE 0922z: I see another G has been spotted. This is G8SGI (116km).

UPDATE 1057z: Now 4 Gs spotted on 6m FT8 RX this morning. No sign (yet) of any Europeans.

UPDATE 1012z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ (10W) was spotted by G3RED (55km).

UPDATE 1837z: On 6m FT8 RX 10 stations (all G and 1 GU) spotted. On TX during my brief 10W CQ calls just 2 spots (no QSOs) with best DX a spot by PA2CV (396km). Judging by the report, I suspect this was tropo.

Spike in visitors - NOT amateur radio

Periodically, I wake up to see that visits to this blog have shot up. Today was a point in case: looking at the blog quite early I see the visits today are already higher than the whole of yesterday. When this happens I can usually see where these come from. Often it is hackers in Eastern Europe, but there is no evidence of this on this occasion. Maybe I have a sudden interest in what I write. Somehow I doubt this!

East Anglia - NOT amateur radio

Much of East Anglia, UK, is flat. There are some small hills, but some may call these small bumps! This photo was taken out of a train window yesterday. Despite the flattish landscapes Norfolk and Suffolk have some great rolling scenery and some very old villages and very old medieval churches.

Sunspots - Wednesday September 18th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=9 and K=3.

A rest

As we have been out most of the day, I have not been active on any bands today. As you know, I am usually on 6m or 2m FT8, mostly RX with the occasional CQ. Later in the autumn I shall return to 630m WSPR.

OFCOM update

On the OFCOM website is an update on the UK homes with fibre connections all the way into homes allowing super fast broadband. Apparently 2.5m homes have this capability now. See their website.

Lesser Chirpy 10m transceiver

Some years ago I designed a very simple transceiver for 10m CW. This was a "for fun" rig, but it does work. Looking at the circuit it could be further simplified. It is already very simple. XBM 10-2 was the original name.

Sadly health issues stopped me fully testing this in the sunspot maximum years.

Maybe I should try it in the next Es season? Got to find it first!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/chirpy

Norwich cathedral bosses NOT amateur radio

Norman Norwich cathedral has some of the finest bosses anywhere. The examples shown are in the cloisters. Most of the stones to build the cathedral came from Normandy nearly 1000 years ago, which I find amazing.

To think this was built all that time ago without cranes and mechanical aids we have today.

Also, where did they get the manpower? There are over 1000 medieval churches in Norfolk alone

Norwich - NOT amateur radio

My brother is visiting from Devon. He wanted to go to Norwich, so we went by train. Much of the stone for the cathedral was brought be sea and river from Normandy in France nearly 1000 years ago. They built a canal to transport the stones from the River Wensum to the cathedral. The cathedral took 49 years to build. The photo show's Pool's Ferry where the canal began.

Sunspots - Tuesday September 17th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A =11 and K=4.

Yet more yuppy pads - NOT amateur radio

No doubt the developer makes plenty of profit from these houses that ordinary people cannot afford. Social housing does not seem to really count these days. I expect these homes will be sold to young executives working in Cambridge.

Neighbour's flowers - NOT amateur radio

Quite a colourful display in a neighbour's garden this morning. It is now late summer (autumn according to the weather forecasters) and he still has a great deal of colour. In his back garden he has lots of apples.

2m FT8

As there has been a lift on 2m for the last few days I stayed on overnight. So far today 6 stations spotted.

UPDATED 1000z: A recent 2m FT8 CQ resulted in 17 spots of me including 2 spots in Germany, but no QSOs.

UPDATE 1245z: The photo shows the 2m FT8 RX spots to now.

UPDATE 1434z: A recent 10W 2m FT8 CQ was spotted by 7 stations, but no QSOs resulted. My best DX was a spot by DL3YCX (475km). 53 stations in 10 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today so far.

Sunspots - Monday September 16th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=4.