Cambridge Store - NOT amateur radio

Many overseas visitors are fascinated to see what is on sale in UK shops. This was the fruit section of a Cambridge shop last week.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)

Gear turned on about 0845z.  At 0905z, no spots.

UPDATE 2112z:  Today, 23 unique stations have spotted me. QRT shortly.

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear on 40.680 MHz FT8 (TX 1st, DF about 1950Hz) was turned on about 0845z. Unsurprisingly, no spots at 0856z.

UPDATE  1426z:  I am told by HC02 (1808km) that I appeared briefly in Southern Portugal but this did not appear on PSKreporter.  On RX the only spot is of 9A3TN (1481km).

UPDATE 1750z:  HC02 has spotted me again this evening. His report is now on PSKreporter. Also spotted (just!!) by SR4BBX (1217km) in Poland.

Plans for Wednesday

The impression I am getting is that Es is not as good as yesterday. My plans are 10m WSPR TX with the 500mW beacon and 8m FT8.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/

Sunspots - Wednesday May 31st 2023

Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 144. A=5 and K=1.

Clematis - NOT amateur radio

 

This picture shows clematis in flower in the garden at the moment. It is past its best now.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

On 10m with 500mW WSPR TX. So far (at 0848z) already 36 unique spots!

UPDATE 1340z:   56 unique station spots of me today!! Incredible.

UPDATE 2017z:  63 unique station spots. QRT soon.

8m QRP FT8 and WSPR (Tuesday)

After a brief outing on FT8, I have decided to try 8m QRP WSPR all day. HC02 (1808km) has spotted me on FT8 and WSPR.

On WSPR I am using 2W on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1550 Hz).

UPDATE 1444z:  Several WSPR spots for HC02 (1808km) as well as a couple from DC1RDB (884km). No spots on 8m WSPR RX.

UPDATE 2035z:   More WSPR spots by HC02 this evening. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 30th 2023

Solar flux is 154 and the SSN 153. A=4 and K=1. 

What is it? - NOT amateur radio

This plant was in the herbaceous garden at Anglesey Abbey. 

I should know the name but I don't. 

UPDATE 2130z: See below it looks like it is called the King's Spear.

10m QRP WSPR (Monday)

As my 10m antenna is free, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. At 1051z, spotted by 4 stations with plenty of Es.

UPDATE 1807z:  19 stations have spotted me today. Lot of Es.

UPDATE 1947z:  22 stations have spotted me today.

QDX-M 630m - not yet!

Following a recent email from Hans it is clear they are concentrating on the 160m version first. The 630m version could be some time, as the toroids on the LPF will need lots of turns! Judging by the results of the higher band versions of the QDX, I have no doubt the 160m and 630m single band versions will be very good.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

A few moments ago, I QSYed to 8m FT8 QRP.  My thanks to Hugh HC02 (1808km) who has already spotted me in southern Portugal.

Stations spotting me
today on 8m QRP FT8

UPDATE 1900z: 6 stations have spotted me today so far on 8m FT8.  3 stations in Eire. Quite a good day really. Thank you to all reporters.  2 stations spotted on RX. One was an EA. I hope he was legal.

10m QRP FT8 (Monday)

At the moment (0824z) I am on 10m FT8 with the little QDX transceiver. I have yet to check conditions this morning! So far, just a couple of Europeans spotted, but nobody has spotted me yet.

UPDATE 09427z:  25 EU stations have already spotted my QRP 10m FT8 today, so I may QSY to 8m QRP FT8 and 10m WSPR with my 500mW WSPR beacon. On RX, stations as far as Western Australia have been copied on 10m FT8.

Sunspots - Monday May 29th 2023

Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 119. A=11 and K=1.

QDX-M 630m

When this is available, I quite fancy one. My transverter produces about 10-12W of WSPR on this band.  It would be good to try the QDX-M next winter, on 630m, if available. I think the output would be about 5W on the QDX-M.

See https://qrp-labs.com/qdxm .

15m QRP FT8 with the tiny QDX (Sunday)

At the moment I am trying 15m FT8 with the tiny QDX transceiver. Conditions are better than 10m, but still pathetic compared with yesterday.

UPDATE 1513z:  I have gone RX only after a brief period on TX. 

Stations spotted on 15m
FT8 RX today to 1518z

UPDATE 1618z:  326 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1923z:  720 stations spotted.

UPDATE 2132z:  877 stations spotted. Now QRT. The QDX RX works really well.

10m QRP FT8 with the QDX (Sunday)

As 8m seems quiet compared with yesterday, I am on 10m FT8 with the tiny QDX transceiver. At most, it puts out 5W and it is probably nearer 4W. Conditions do not seem very great.

At the moment my furthermost report is from IM0LZK (1589km) on Sardinia.  To be honest, conditions seem really poor on 10m. On 15m, I was spotted in the central USA, but I did not stop on very long.

Good quote - NOT amateur radio

This quote was in the Knowledge today. The Knowledge is a free email newsletter that condenses the news from various world sources. As far as I can tell, it is pretty neutral. I find it very good.

"Remember yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present."

ICOM IC-705 transceiver

One of these was owned by me until last year when I traded it in for a Yaesu FT710. At the last minute ICOM dropped the internal auto-ATU and 4m in the European version. Personally, I find the auto-ATU feature in the FT710 useful as well as 4m. Sadly, the FT710 does not cover 2m and 70cm.

The IC-705 is a great rig, although it did have noise issues when a USB cable was connected between the rig and a PC. This issue was overcome with a decent, filtered, cable, but this was a design fault that should have been fixed.

I am still surprised Yaesu seems to have dropped out of the HF QRP market when they were clear market leaders at one time.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/icom-ic-705 .