Sunspots - Thursday September 15th 2022

Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 57. A=9 and K=4.

10m QRP FT8

At 1352z I switched from 10m WSPR and 8m FT8 to 10m QRP FT8.  On 10m WSPR and 8m FT8 I have had no spots all day. 

23 spots of me on 10m FT8 QRP TX mostly in the USA. On 10m FT8 RX, 131 spots, mostly from the USA. 

The photo shows some of the stations, mainly in the USA, that  spotted me. Considering it is just a few watts, quite a few!

The death of the UK Queen and the new King - NOT amateur radio

Whether or not you are a royalist, the UK queen worked very hard as head of state. She was well respected across the world. 

My own view is that nobody deserves respect or wealth just because of who you were born. Much wealth is based on slavery. This is wrong.

In the case of the queen she has dedicated her whole life to the service of the UK. She has earned respect. I hope King Charles III can similarly earn our respect. 

He has a hard act to follow. Initial signs are good.

70cm FT8 contest this evening

If things are normal, this evening is the 70cm FT8 activity contest. Activity is usually high. 

Even with the V2000 vertical or 2m big-wheel omni I usually copy PA and EI and manage a few QSOs. Normal FT8 QSOs are fine. No special contest software. Even if you don't enter a score, this is a good chance to find activity.

If you think 70cm is quiet, you are in for a shock! 

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2022&contest=70cmsgmac. The RSGB contest starts at 1900z.

UPDATE 1958z:  I only stopped on for about 30 minutes, but despite 5W to the 2m omni big-wheel I was copied as far away as Devon. Had I been on longer I am pretty sure further would have been possible. 1 QSO was had and I was called by another but we did not complete. On RX, the furthermost was Cornwall and the Netherlands.

Last night's 70cm activity contest

Last night I was only on for 30 minutes. Conditions seemed a bit up, but after 30 minutes my voice had had enough. Also, I had probably worked all the stations that I was likely to with my 10W pep and 2m big-wheel omni antenna. In all, 5 stations were worked. The map shows the stations worked.

Amsterdam gables - NOT amateur radio

This is probably the last of the photos from our break in Amsterdam last week. It show the gables on the ends of buildings. There are loads of beautiful houses in the city.

We like the Netherlands very much. 

We have been there many times.

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

 Since about 0930z I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW W5OLF beacon. No spots.

Change of plan - 8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

A change of plan. I decided to try QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz right away. Rig turned on about 0930z. No spots after 6 minutes.

UPDATE 1106z:  No spots so far. Rig going off to cool.

10m FT8 RX

After breakfast I hope to be on 10m FT8 RX again. Yesterday was successful. If 10m FT8 is promising, I shall switch to 8m FT8 QRP TX and 10m WSPR. 

UPDATE 0942z:  Change of plan. See other posts.

Squirrel - NOT amateur radio

 

This was seen at Anglesey Abbey yesterday. 

Sunspots - Wednesday September 14th 2022

Solar flux is 154 and the SSN 93. A=4 and K=0.

60m (5 MHz) allocations

Before I start, let me say my "outings" on 60m are rare. 

Speaking personally I find the UK allocations totally confusing. I would much prefer to have the WARC 15 kHz wide allocation instead. Many countries now have this. Using modes like WSPR and FT8, very little spectrum is needed. 

I know much of this is beyond our control, but I am sure a narrower contiguous band would be preferable to many, especially if this was a worldwide allocation.

Amsterdam - NOT amateur radio

We like the Netherlands. The people are friendly and, in many ways, like us. 

The photo shows a typical view of Amsterdam last week with bikes (lots!), canals and lovely houses. It is our 7th visit, so we must like it! 

I have also been to the Netherlands many times for work years ago.

10m FT8 (Tuesday)

Just before breakfast, I turned on 10m FT8 with the FT817ND. At 0817z, 8 stations have been received. I am not on TX at the moment.

UPDATE 0911z: 12 stations so far spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1251z:   Doh! Guess who forgot to turn on the PSU? Silly me, this meant the FT817ND worked until its batteries died.

UPDATE 1322z: So far today (with the break!) 33 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2117z: 235 stations spotted. QRT soon.

Amsterdam breakfast

This was breakfast last week in Amsterdam. There seems to be a lack of fruit there, which surprised us. 

Sunspots - Tuesday September 13th 2022

Solar flux is 150 and the SSN 117. A=9 and K=0.

10m QRP FT8

It is now 1555z and I have been on 10m FT8 for about 5 minutes. So far, just 2 G spots on RX.

UPDATE 1638z:  Pretty poor!  Just 4 Gs spotted on RX. Nobody has spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 1657z:   Just G0FWX (160km) has spotted me.

UPDATE 1912z:  8 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost ZS1AN (9742km).

UPDATE 2118z: QRT now. 26 stations spotted including Africa, South America, North America and Caribbean stations. 

Earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Until our son accidentally cut it, I used this antenna extensively from VLF to 60m. On 630m (472 kHz) it consistently got reports from Norway with a measured ERP  of just 10mW using WSPR. 

My theory is that at low frequencies it acts as a loop in the ground. As you go higher in frequency the loop gets smaller, so the antenna gets worse. 

If my theory is correct, the loop will get larger as frequency is lowered making it very effective for sub-10 kHz communications. Indeed, such an antenna has been used to great effect by DK2FC and others at VLF.

For use on LF and MF it has worked well for me.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas .

Beginhof, Amsterdam - NOT amateur radio

This is a very secret and calming part of Amsterdam with an entrance that is quite obscure. 

Our "harvest" - NOT amateur radio

This year we grew pears, tomatoes, crab apples and beans as well as some herbs. 

Most of the tomatoes are still green. As you can see, this has not exactly been a bumper year. We had a wet winter and dry spring with a very hot summer. The pears were not bad (if a bit hard) and the crab apples just enough to half fill a small jar with crab apple jelly. Beans? Maybe enough for 1 meal. Tomatoes? If the green ones turn red I may have the same as a punnet from a supermarket. If they stay green I shall have a go at green tomato chutney. Overall, a disappointing "harvest".