Sunspots - Monday June 12th 2023

Solar flux is 154 and the SSN 116. A=9 and K=2.

8m QRPP WSPR (Sunday)

Having got decent results from Portugal on 8m FT8, I have just switched to 8m WSPR with 5mW. You never know.  Probably I shall also be on 8m 5mW WSPR tomorrow. If anyone at all spots me, I expect to be weak!  If 5mW makes it, 10mW ERP, the ISM limit in the UK without a licence will definitely make it. The main issue on 8m is there are too few RX stations widely spread. Also the 120 seconds for WSPR is quite a long time when conditions are up and down.

Remember, these are ISM research beacons and not the Amateur Radio Service. The experiment is to find out how far away ISM beacons can be spotted, not 2-way communications. This is an interesting experiment.

Even if  you do not have an 8m antenna, have a go with whatever antenna you have.

UPDATE 1940z: 2 WSPR spots by HC02 (1808km) of my 5mW 8m WSPR. Hugh was wrongly reporting this as 6m to WSPRnet. If 5mW WSPR can make it, then 3dB more without a licence can definitely make it!

Too late! - NOT amateur radio

This collared dove was having a welcome drink from our bird bath. Just as I was getting my camera ready, it flew away!

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At the moment I am on 8m  FT8 using 2.5W and a dipole. G9EFE is active with 10mW FT8 from IO91 square. Not spotted yet.

UPDATE 1655z: No spots on TX or RX.

UPDATE 1756z: Just spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. Now trying 5mW 8m WSPR.

10m QRPP FT8 (Sunday)

After starting out with 5mW and getting 6 spots quickly, I am now using 1mW FT8 on 10m as an experiment. I'll check spots at 1mW later. If this is too easy, I shall try QRPP on 8m WSPR.

UPDATE 0900z: No spots so far on 10m FT8 at 1mW. I suspect this is really too low on FT8. For most stations this is below the noise floor or below the decode threshold.

UPDATE 1417z: Much to my amazement, just 1mW of 10m FT8 has resulted in 2 spots this morning from France and Spain.  QRPP rocks!! 

Plans for today (Sunday)

My current plan is to try 10m FT8 with 5mW. Based on the 10m QRPP WSPR I might get some spots.

Two-way or one-way?

In the past, many got into amateur radio because it allowed social contact with like minded people anywhere in the world. To some, this is still the most important aspect of our hobby. However, to others it is not important to have two-way contacts. What matters is the propagation and FT8 or WSPR are perfectly fine. 

What is clearly the case is fewer enter the hobby these days for the social aspect as there are many free and better ways to talk across the planet with people of like minds using the internet. 

I have no idea of the future, but the magic that got most of us interested is different today.

Our hobby is changing. 

Sunspots - Sunday June 11th 2023

Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 116. A=5 and K=2.

Church Fête - NOT amateur radio

We have not had a church fete since 2019 because of Covid. Today we had one in glorious sunshine. It is was a real village affair and well attended. 

Yaesu curtains?

For several years I have been worried about Yaesu. At the Dayton Hamvention 2023, I was hoping they would announce a new SDR QRP radio to replace the FT817/818. They have the technology.  Sadly, nothing HF was announced just, yet another, VHF/UHF mobile.

Since the early 1970s, I have been a real Yaesu fan. Many Yaesu radios have been bought over the years. At the present time I have 4 Yaesu rigs.  In my view, they have blown their last chance.

In my view Yaesu will quit the amateur radio market in the next few years. I hope I am wrong.

10m 1mW QRPP WSPR (Saturday)

 The lowest power I can run with WSJT-X is 1mW, so that is what I am running now. No spots yet at 1mW.

UPDATE 1230z:  DK6UG (633km) has spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR 4 times already. At best he was getting me at -6dB S/N.

UPDATE 1736z: 5 stations have spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR with the furthermost EA8/DF4UE (2876km). 5mW now seems like high power!

UPDATE 2020z:  8 stations spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR, which was better than I expected. Amazing.

10m QRPP WSPR: 5mW (Saturday)

My 10m WSPR is on 40% TX at just 5mW with the attenuator as close as possible to the TX. This also means the 20dB pad is also in line on RX.

How is it going? On TX, 4 unique stations have spotted me (one report is so strong I could certainly be copied at low microwatts!!).  On RX, even with the 20dB pad, I have spotted 10 stations already after about 30 minutes!

I am tempted to try FT8!

UPDATE 1115z:  I have another 10dB attenuation I could add. Tempted to try 500uW TX WSPR just for fun!

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Today, I had every intention of not going on 8m at all. 

Instead I was going to make an attenuator for 10m WSPR and concentrate on that. However, I am currently on 8m FT8 TX using my usual 2.5W. I have been on since about 0855z, ad already been spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

UPDATE 1040z:  On 8m FT8 TX, spotted by 4 stations. On 8m FT8 RX 2 stations spotted.

OFCOM publications

 Just a reminder that OFCOM updates the records it holds on licences and similar matters every week.

Saturday plans

If the Es looks encouraging today, I hope to try mW 10m WSPR TX. This means adding attenuation very close to the transceiver. 

Sunspots - Saturday June 10th 2023

 Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 152. A=4 and K=1. 

Rallies this weekend

The following have been notified to me, but do check first  if the details are correct.

Sat June 10th - Rochdale and Ditrict Amateur Radio Summer ally, Norden, Rochdal, OL12 7QR. No contact details.

Sun June 11th -Mendips Rally. Farrington Gurnesy, BS39 6TY. Contact mendipsrally@hotmail.com

Sun June 11th - Junction 28 Radio Rally, Alfeton, DE55 7BD. Contact secretary@snadarc.com

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw these orchids this morning in a meadow near Cambridge. When we went last year, they were dead.

Sunspot peak in November?

 I had not noticed but the solar peak is again shown as November this year. We will see. 

Es so far

We are about half way through the Es season in the northern hemisphere. Although there have been some good openings at times, the impression I have is that overall things have been below average.