Solar flux is 135 and the SSN 96. A=6 and K=2.
26 Sept 2022
25 Sept 2022
70cm activity contest results
These have been published. My position is unchanged in the low power section.
See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2022 .
Help always at hand
Whenever I ask for help trying to find something, I usually get a positive response within a few hours. There are so many kind people who always offer their help. Thank you!
Don't ever let anyone say the spirit of amateur radio has gone. It most definitely is there. This week alone I have had kind offers from several people.
Help needed to find a circuit please
Back in the 1970s my first outings on 70cm were using a circuit I found in a VHF Communications magazine. I guess it would have been 1971-1974 sometime. I think the magazine came out quarterly.
The circuit used a varicap diode as a tripler on TX and as a mixer on RX. The IF was 2m and on 70cm it produced about 100mW as I recall. In those days most were crystal controlled AM and on RX we tuned "low to high", or similar, to get a QSO.
Do you recall this circuit? If you have a copy of the article I would be most grateful for a copy.
I have no intention of building it, but it would be nice for old time's sake. From an East Anglian "hill" (yes there are a few, HI) it worked as far as Yorkshire with a very small beam.
UPDATE 1341z: Found it!! Thanks Henry.
M0ZAE was a great help - thanks again. The edition was November 1971. The link takes you to all back numbers and is a great resource.
10m FT8 mainly RX (Sunday)
Later today, I hope to be on 10m FT8. Although some of the time I shall be QRP TX, most of the time I shall be RX only.
If F2 E-W is very good, I may QSY to 8m FT8.
UPDATE 1134z: Been on RX since about 1050z. 62 stations spotted so far today.
UPDATE 1255z: 152 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX (see map). |
| Stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today |
UPDATE 1628z: 471 stations spotted today.
UPDATE 1835z: Now QSYed to 40.050 MHz to monitor the new (this weekend) GB3MCB 8m beacon.
Dragonflies? - NOT amateur radio
I was going to use other words, but thought the censors might object and ban me.
24 Sept 2022
23cm antennas (again)
At one time, a very popular 23cm antenna, for ATV I think, was the bow tie designed by G8GML (now SK). As I recall it was 2 diamond shaped elements with a solid reflector. I think it had a useful (not high) gain and a fairly broad forward lobe.
For DX contacts, a decent beam with lots of forward gain is usually essential, but such an antenna might be better for me than the PCB HB9CV that, I believe, is supplied with the 23cm transverter that should come next month.
What I am wondering is does anyone make this commercially and at what price?
Such an antenna might be useful on 70cm too.
UPDATE 1907z: As David says in the comments, Wimo make such an antenna. It looks expensive.
8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
At the moment, I do not think conditions are good enough for E-W F2 propagation on 8m. Unless things change, I think I shall give 8m a miss today.
UPDATE 1659z: On 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 (first). ZS6WAB has been very strong in central Europe on 40.680 MHz FT8 in the last hour, but I doubt he will be spotted further north. I think this is TEP.
Shack walk-through
Nearly 4 years ago, I did a walk-through of my shack at that time. Since then, the rigs have changed a bit and I have an 8m dipole erected.
10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
 |
| Stations spotted mid-afternoon on 10m FT8 RX |
The future of radio clubs
For several years radio clubs have been unable to meet because of Covid-19. Some turned to Zoom and found it far better than many expected. I have been very impressed how good these meetings have been. With Zoom all participants can chat and see each other if they wish.
The Cambridge Club has started meeting again in person, but has held "virtual" meetings, so that people at home can still see the talks and take part. As I am really unable to drive far by car at night, I have joined the last 2 meetings by Zoom.
Last night there were far more people on Zoom than in person! I just wonder if this is the future of radio clubs? The advantage of Zoom is speakers and listeners can be anywhere in the world. In the past, CDARC has had people give talks from Canada. With screen sharing this has been really good. We have had viewers from all sorts of places, from where they would be totally unable to attend in person.
What I wonder is should clubs do talks via Zoom with "in person" meet ups, say, once a month? No need to hire rooms, members could be from across the world, they could have lower fees. For those without PCs, people could get together in each other's homes. Social meetings could be in a pub or someone's home.
Love lies bleeding - NOT amateur radio
Until a friend in the village grew these from seed and gave them to us we had never heard of them. We planted them and they made a great display. The name is apt.
Plans for today
After breakfast, I hope to be on 10m FT8. If 10m is promising, I shall QSY to 8m FT8.
Where I come from - NOT amateur radio
This is where I come from in South Devon. It is still very beautiful. I try to get there every year. My brother still lives there.
23 Sept 2022
Slovenia - NOT amateur radio
It is like Switzerland, but about half the price!
Different challenges
Next year, assuming I am still around (!), I should have some new QRP challenges. I hope to be active on 23cm and on 4m. Both are quite different, but should be fun.
4m next Es season?
I know 4m is unlikely to be "open" as much as 10m, 8m or 6m, but there should be several Es openings into Europe. Using my transverter, this should allow me some 4m Es QSOs, especially with FT8.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/4m-transverter .
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