The only spots of me today look like F2 and local, with no Es. EA8BFK (2880km) and G4KPX (14km) have spotted my 500mW.
17 Sept 2022
Ripening? - NOT amateur radio
This year our tomato plants have been a failure with very few turning red. The green ones are on the windowsill to ripen. If this fails it will be green tomato chutney!!!
Still no luck here with the EI1KNH 8m beacon
Although Keith in Lincoln has been successful, I have still not decoded the beacon. We are at similar distances from the beacon, I think. It would seem my low horizontal dipole is not as effective as Keith's long wire. I note that the beacon has a vertical dipole whereas mine is horizontal. With scatter and MS this probably does not matter, but with WSPR and tropo it could make all the difference. I shall keep trying!!
I must check the screen during a WSPR slot to see if it is there at all. It sends WSPR every 20 minutes. If I can detect it at all, I might briefly try my other antennas just in case these are better in that direction and with vertical polarisation.
Otherwise, it is MSK144 in a meteor shower.
UPDATE 0936z: In the last WSPR slots absolutely nothing on the screen with the 8m dipole or 10m end fed antennas.
UPDATE 1410z: In view of Paul's (G9PUV) comments that he has never spotted WSPR from this beacon, I have switched back to 8m FT8 RX. You never know! It will be monitored all weekend.
16 Sept 2022
Yaesu FT-710 MLS price
Puzzled.
MLS has just announced the price of the new 100W SDR transceiver, that seems to have a very similar spec to the FTDX-10. It seems the price is lower than the FTDX-10 and the rig a little smaller. What I cannot understand is why Yaesu has done this.
Was the FTDX-10 not quite right? Where is a proper FT817 replacement? It still seems to me that Yaesu is in a muddle and trying to find its way.
EI1KNH/B Irish 8m beacon on 40.013 MHz WSPR
Tim, the beacon keeper, has recommended I try 8m WSPR RX.
The WSPR sessions are several times an hour and WSPR works with very weak signals. I am on 8m WSPR now, but a bit uncertain about the 2 minute cycles. This may only work with tropo and certainly not work with MS or aircraft. I may try from now and over the weekend.
The beacon is only active from 0600-2400, but I am not sure if this is local time or GMT. With tropo, I would have suspected my best chance would be early in the morning?
If this fails (I have low expectations) I may try MSK144 in an MS shower.
8m MSK144 RX
After a period on 40.680 MHz FT8 QRP TX, I have switched to 40.013 MHz MSK144 RX hoping to spot the Irish beacon EI1KNH/B. My best chance (I think) is early morning.
8m QRP FT8 TX (Friday)
All being well, I hope to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz at about 0900z. If the other Irish 8m beacon has FT8, I may try for that overnight.
UPDATE 1020z: 8m FT8 TX gear turned on at 0907z. No spots.
10m QRP WSPR (Friday)
As the 10m antenna should be available, I hope to be on 10m WSPR with my 500mW W5OLF WSPR beacon at 0900z.
UPDATE 0918z: Gear was on overnight. Just 1 spot from local G3KPX (14km) this morning.
23cm portable
I have sent an email about price and delivery to the UK. If promising, I may get one ready for next year, assuming it is still available!
See https://www.sg-lab.com/TR1300/tr1300.html .
UPDATE 1256z: Just got this email. I think I am going to get one.
"The price of 23cm band transverter V3 is 156 Euro.
The price for shipping is 8 Euro by BG Post .
Payment can be made by Paypal (our account is : info@sg-lab.com ) or by bank transfer.
Now lead time for 23 cm units is 2-3 weeks"
UPDATE 1422z: I shall place an order. All being well, I shall try some local 23cm SSB tests when the transverter arrives and I have a suitable antenna. Next year, I shall try some 23cm activity sessions from a local highspot. Yes, there are a few in East Anglia!!
No luck on 8m with EI1KNH/B
Overnight I was trying to receive this 8m beacon on 40.013 MHz FT8 using WSJT-X. I was expecting to get the odd MS ping, but nothing.
I was surprised making me wonder if it is active and using FT8? Anyone know please? I was using the information on QRZ.com.
15 Sept 2022
PI4 decoding
For some reason (probably by mistake) I assumed that PI4 was one of the modes supported by WSJT-X. Imagine my surprise today when I found it not there. My version of WSJT-X is 2.5.4.
Instead I had to download some special software to decode PI4. I have not yet checked if there is a map upload a bit like PSKreporter maps.
I was hoping to decode one of the Irish beacons, EI1KNH/B on 40.013 MHz PI4.
If PI4 is not supported by WSJT-X why is it used rather than FT8 or WSPR by beacons? I don't think it is magically better than FT8.
My other questions are (1) what mode do I select and (2) what dial frequency do I set to decode EI1KNH/B in PI4? At the moment it is set to 40.013 DIG on the FT817ND, but I have no idea if this is correct.
UPDATE 2057z: It looks like EI1KNH/B now uses FT8 instead of PI4, so I am now monitoring FT8 instead. It sends FT8 every 10 minutes. See https://www.qrz.com/db/EI1KNH/. I shall monitor overnight.
HF conditions
It is rare for me to go lower than 28 MHz on HF. Certainly conditions on 10m seem good with loads of spots of my QRP 10m FT8 from the USA. I had to QSY, but when I left the band it was still good.
I was hoping this was my first chance of F2 to/from the USA on 8m, but not this time. Whenever 10m F2 looks promising E-W, I shall try 8m FT8. Hopefully there will be other chances.
Having worked the USA with QRP SSB handheld from the bedroom, I am in with a chance on 8m FT8.
23cm portable?
At one time there was very good 23cm transverter available from the Ukraine, but I doubt that is currently available.
I was considering 23cm portable operation next year using the FT817ND as the driver/IF. What 23cm transverters are currently available and at what price please? What would you recommend? I assume 2W is the typical power for a /P station.
Sadly, my fine motor skills these days rule out kits, so I would be looking at a ready made unit.
Rally
The following rally is due this weekend. As ever, check first before travelling far.
Saturday September 17th - Angel of the North Radio Rally, Gateshead. Contact westona84@gmail.com
Cornish 8m beacon
I gather the GB3MCB beacon cluster has got approval to add 8m and 5m beacons. I don't think these are active yet, but the 8m beacon will be interesting to monitor on PI4. I expect it will beam towards the USA.
For me in East Anglia the most likely propagation will be random MS or aircraft. I think tropo is unlikely.
10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)
The 10m WSPR QRP (500mW) beacon has been on for just over 1 hour. Furthermost (at 1238z) is FY5KE (7110km). The only other station spotting me is local G4KPX (14km).
8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
Yesterday was wide open to the USA on 10m FT8, so I was hopeful of copying, or better still being copied, on 8m in the USA. No such luck! The only 8m station spotted was G9PUV on the south coast of England.
UPDATE 1134z: 8m QRP FT8 gear turned on at 1127z.
UPDATE 1234z: No spots.
UPDATE 1517z: EI9KP (649km) has again spotted me and I have spotted him this afternoon on 8m FT8. I am still wondering what the propagation mechanism is - MS, aircraft? Es would seem unlikely at this distance and time of year. It seems too far for tropo. EI9KP spots me far more often than others. Interesting that EI9KP is about 7dB stronger at G9PUV/A than with me. Is this because Paul has a beam? Now 8m FT8 RX only.
That free PDF book
Already, I have thought of things left out, so these will be included in an issue 2 later.
Feel free to download the free book if you want. You can keep it as a soft copy or print out relevant pages.
See https://tinyurl.com/y56vjhd6
UPDATE 1306z: Someone in the USA has very kindly made a donation. Thank you! As I have said before, I have absolutely no wish to make any money at all from this book. It is a labour of love. I shall give this to the local foodbank, but I really appreciate the kindness.
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