A few moments ago I switched on the 8m FT8 QRP TX. This was about 1025z.
UPDATE 1840z: No spots today on TX and RX.
27 Jan 2023
10m WSPR QRP TX (Friday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR TX was turned on at 0946z.
UPDATE 1006z: 3 spots from the Canary Is so far this morning.
Voltage dropping
In a few weeks' time (with a following wind) my QDX digital transceiver should arrive. With a 12v supply, there is a danger of the PA being badly over-rated and failing. Most of my gear runs from a 13.8V, so it would be prudent to run the QDX from a lower supply voltage.
My easiest solution is a string of suitably rated diodes in the supply. I have 10 off 3A silicon diodes that should be here next week. I could drop 6V with these if I want, making the QDX run safely from 9.8V.
Fame? - NOT amateur radio
To my surprise, an email I wrote to the BBC regional programme "Look East" was read out on the programme last night. It was about our local bus service.
In the past, a couple of my photos have been used on the local TV weather forecasts, but this was a total surprise.
23cm beacon hunting
Last night I went beacon hunting on 23cm with my tiny indoor 2 element beam. I monitored GB3DUN on Dunstable Downs for several minutes. This is probably my best chance of copying a 23cm beacon.
Just occasionally there was a very brief signal that may have been this beacon. It was there for (at most) a second, then was gone. The direct path is very obstructed and my only real hope is by aircraft scatter. The impression I got was this was not aircraft. I have no idea if you get MS on 23cm.
Other beacons I also looked out for on my waterfall, but nothing was seen.
26 Jan 2023
Assembled QDX status?
The status of the queue of assembled transceivers from QRP Labs has not been updated since late last week.
Rally
The following rally has been notified to me: -
Sunday January 29th - Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Rally, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Contact m5zzz@outlook.com .
As always, it is worth checking before going a long way.
8m QRP FT8
My 8m FT8 on 40.680 MHz was turned on at 0952z.
UPDATE 1625z: Just G0HVQ (181km) spotting my QRP and nobody spotted on 8m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1925z: QRT. No further spots.
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)
My QRP 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at 0952z.
UPDATE 1000z: Just local G4KPX (14km) spotting me so far.
UPDATE 1610z: 17 stations spotting my QRP (see table).
UPDATE 1922z: 18 stations spotted me today. QRT soon.
10m FT8
With sunspots again good, 10m is again coming into its own. It is quite easy to copy stations on every continent in daylight now on 10m. More people are using FT8 now. This is a digital modulation that is even better than CW, handling and decoding very weak signals. It has already shown that the 10m band is "open" when many leave it.
If you are after a simple 10m FT8 RX that is effective and does not tie up "the big rig" how about my 10FT8R receiver? This is very simple and low cost, but works well.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .
Plans (Thursday)
Later, I hope to go on 10m WSPR QRP TX with my 500mW beacon and 8m FT8 QRP. I may also see if I can detect any 23cm beacons with my 2 el beam indoors.
Kingsbridge Estuary - NOT amateur radio
This photo of where I come from in Devon was on social media a little while ago. This not actually an estuary. It is actually a ria, a drowned river valley. One of my favourite walks was between Salcombe (bottom left) and Kingsbridge (top). It took me about 90 minutes then. It would take me hours now, if at all!
25 Jan 2023
Ukraine war - NOT amateur radio
The war in Ukraine is almost 1 year old. What a total waste of everything!
I hear now that Germany and the USA are sending tanks. I am sure we in the west, as well as people in Russia, are not being told the whole truth. This often happens in wars.
Russia is paranoid about its security, but at the same time invading a neighbouring country is not the answer. More countries (Finland and Sweden) want to join NATO. If these countries were attacked or any NATO country, the reaction would be devastating.
In the end I very much hope some sort of peace can be found. It seems to me that the elements of this must include:
- No nation to be invaded by neighbours.
- Russia gets guarantees that nobody ever intends to invade it.
- Sweden, Finland and Ukraine do not join NATO but have their security guaranteed by NATO.
- Russia has access to Crimean ports for its Navy.
- Sanctions are lifted with guarantees of good conduct after a fixed period.
- Both Ukraine and Russia do not apply war crimes against each other.
8m - is 10mW ERP legal for beacons without a licence in the ISM band?
Recently, I was asked this question. If it is, many more UK stations could get on 8m. It is my firm view that 10mW ERP is enough to get into southern Europe from the UK in good Es conditions by WSPR. It might even be possible rarely with FT8. Local tests have proved to me that well over 17km is possible locally, even without 8m antennas at the RX end.
Now, I am no legal expert, so you will have to seek your own legal advice. In different countries, different regulations will apply, so it is your duty to ensure legal operation.
My interpretation is WSPR beacons without a licence are legal in the UK in the ISM bands as long as the technical requirements and IR 2030 are met. This means 10mW ERP. Interference must not be given and must be accepted.
This is NOT the Amateur Radio Service, but is arguably very much amateur radio!
This is what OFCOM said when I asked:
"The use of licence-exempt apparatus is authorised under exemption regulations, with set emission powers and other criteria. This is in order for it to be available to all users with minimal risk of disruption or interference.
The limits, including maximum power levels and whether airborne use is permitted, are set out in the UK Interface requirement IR2030. If apparatus being used for testing meets the relevant technical criteria and complies with IR 2030, then a licence will not be necessary. Please note that some frequency bands which may be licence-exempt in other countries, such as the USA, may not be so in the UK and only the frequency bands listed are eligible for the exemption of qualifying apparatus.
In some circumstances we may be able to authorise the test or development of non-compliant radio apparatus under an Innovation and Trial (I&T) licence. However, this generally will be under conditions that are sufficiently remote, shielded or otherwise unlikely to affect other users. I&T is not intended for the operational use of radio apparatus, such as for the monitoring / control / telemetry of other apparatus, where a licensed or exempt authorisation is already generally available. Even if it were the radio apparatus itself that is under test or development (in excess of normally permitted limits) we should emphasise that, as described above, it will not be possible to grant an operational permission for its future deployment and use."
10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at 1406z. So far, no spots.
U3A course - late on radio
As I am in Cambridge for my University of the 3rd Age lecture on the Bank of England history, I will be late on the radio today.
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