70cm activity contest

At 2000z for up to 2.5 hours is the 70cm UKAC activity contest. I usually stop on for 30-60 mins using my 2m big-wheel omni antenna and 5-10W SSB. Sadly my voice cannot take more than an hour these days. Unlike many contests, this is a very friendly affair. People are patient and kind.

UPDATE 2042z: After about 30 minutes I gave up. 2 fairly local stations worked and a couple of PA0 stations spotted.

20m FT8

At the moment I am on 20m FT8 using the tiny indoor loop on the windowsill indoors. So far, 3 TX spots (10W) and 4 RX spots. Later, when out, I may go RX only until I get back in.

UPDATE 1630z: After returning home at 1550z I went on 20m FT8 TX again (10W). So far today, 22 spots of me with the best DX report being by WW1WW (3255 miles). On 20m FT8 RX 287 stations spotted so far with best spotted being JF8QNF (8819km).

UPDATE 1903z: Still being spotted in the USA on 20m FT8 TX (10W).

High sensitivity crystal set

The ARRL website still has a public link to an old QST article on using a MOSFET as a high sensitivity crystal set. I have not duplicated this design, but should try it on HF. There is lots about crystal sets on my website.

See http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/culter.pdf
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/crystalset

Black humour? - NOT amateur radio

This was posted on Facebook earlier. It made me smile although for those stuck on cruise ships it is anything but funny: it must be a nightmare.

We all hope that this virus will run its course, burn out and that a vaccine is made available as soon as possible.

South Orkney DXpedition

Southgate News reports that the DXpedition VP8PJ to Signy Island has set off.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/march/south-orkney-dxpedition.htm#.XmdY4Y6TK00

Returning sunspots

Over the last few days we have seen some new sunspots. These may indicate cycle 25 gathering momentum. We are seeing the more active regions swinging into view, but let us all hope we see more over the months to come. When the far side swings into view, it will be interesting to see if we get new sunspots.

More signs of spring - NOT amateur radio

Gradually the soil is warming and there are signs of new life.

Spring springing - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the spring flowers at the weekend at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

In April the fields will be yellow with rape seed oil. Some hate this, but I actually like it. Until recent years it was far less common in the UK.

Sunspots - Tuesday March 10th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 12. A=5 and K=1.

DXpeditions

Southgate News has a piece on some future DXpeditions to Sable Island (off Canada) and Willis Island (off Australia).

See Southgatearc.org/news/2020/march/willis-island-dxpedition-news.htm#.XmZphY6TK00

mcHF transceiver

Some years ago the mcHF transceiver kit was launched by M0NKA. Since then it has been "cloned" and has been sold as the RS918. Whilst I think the design credit should go to M0NKA, I have some sympathy for those who did not want to buy the kit or were unable to build one.

This video is of the cloned radio. For the price it is good value. It is still sold. The original mcHF is also sold in the USA only as an assembled unit.

IC-705 video

There still seems to be a lot of rumour, but few facts, about the release of this new QRP radio from ICOM.  Many expect it to be on sale at Dayton in May, although I expect it will be released in Japan first. As for UK and EU release dates, I have no idea, although late 2020 is my guess. They have to obtain CE approval first. In the meantime, this video, which I think has been on before, might whet your appetite.

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

My wife seems to have a way with orchids! One on our windowsill has flowered since 2012!

20m FT8

About 20 minutes ago I went on 20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop on the windowsill. Although plenty of RX spots (30 including Japan), nothing yet on TX. The power was only 6W and I may have landed on a frequency that has a strong carrier I could not see here. I have since increased the power a bit and QSYed about 200Hz HF to see if that does the trick.

UPDATE 1140z: Moving HF did the trick as I now have 16 spots on 20m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1530z: Now 25 stations have spotted me. 

Amazing!

UPDATE 2133z: In total, 73 spots of my 10W to the tiny indoor loop. The map shows the stations spotting me on 20m FT8 today. Quite amazing.

Conspiracy theories - NOT amateur radio

This latest coronavirus seems to be something that naturally occurred and has worldwide impact but....

Have you thought that a hostile state could use biological warfare against its enemies?

Just imagine if research led to a bacterium or virus that was deadly to certain ethnic groups? A nation could cause an outbreak that could be hard to stop in certain peoples. This could be hard to target (for example there are lots of Chinese people in the USA and Australia).

Just like cyber warfare, such things could be very hard to prove, but could be very damaging.

All I am saying is the world is a very different place from 50 years ago.

Anemone blanda - NOT amateur radio

My wife took this photo yesterday. It shows an anemone blanda at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

Sunspots - Monday March 9th 2020 - sunspots back!

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 13. A=5 and K=2.

Earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground repair

Assuming it remains dry, I intend to fully replace the wire. A few weeks ago it broke and I suspect there may be breaks elsewhere. The wire has been there for over 6 years, so now is a good time to replace it. Some of the wire from the far ground runs just above the ground along the garden fence.

At the old QTH bringing this wire back to the house on the ground and using another ground close to the house (rather than the mains earth) seemed to make little difference at 472kHz. I think most radiation is from the loop formed in the ground. These findings seem to back this up.

UPDATE 1525z: As it has been raining I may have to wait until later this week.

20m FT8

A few minutes ago I went on 20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Already I have been spotted in Finland. On 20m FT8 RX 3 stations spotted so far today.

Although FT8 is still popular, I get the feeling this mode is going "off the boil" a bit.

UPDATE 1232z: I cannot believe how well this set-up works! Already 8 stations have spotted me with the best report of my 10W to the tiny indoor loop being K7BV (3897 miles). 27 stations in 3 continents spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1458z: So far today 22 spots of my 10W FT8 to the tiny indoor loop As there was a strong signal on my frequency I have QSYed HF about 100Hz. On RX 98 stations spotted so far today on 20m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1842z : 31 spots of my 10W today and 205 stations spotted.

Iris - NOT amateur radio

We went for a nice walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey in the spring sunshine. Most snowdrops have now past their best but the daffodils are looking great. This iris was on the winter walk.