630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

 My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has been on since teatime.

UPDATE 2220z:  7 stations have spotted me so far. All are UK.

500uW 10m WSPR (Thursday)

 Yet again, I have had my beacon running with the PA off so the output is about 500uW.  So far, and I suspect all day now, no spots.

Cambridge autumn - NOT amateur radio

This was taken from the bus earlier today. It shows one of the many parks in the city.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My system (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni) has been on for hours, with no spots at all on RX or TX. It would appear there is nobody on unless there is Es or F2 about.

UPDATE 1720z:  No spots all day. QSYing shortly to 630m QRP  WSPR.

Sunspots - Thursday November 23rd 2023

 Solar flux is 190 and the SSN 174.  A=30 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

My 10mW ERP 630m WSPR was turned on about 1620z. So far, no spots of me on TX. Just M0FMT (51km) spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1716z: 2E0ILY/KIWI (209km) has spotted me three times.

Grand Arcade, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

The Grand Arcade in Cambridge is a covered indoor mall, near the centre of town. It has some big named stores as well as a Raspberry Pi shop for geeks! It is gearing up for Christmas. 

This is a view on one of the quieter sides.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was on overnight. In all, 7 stations spotted me with the furthermost DL4SA (788km),

2m FT8 (Wednesday)

At the moment, I am on 2m FT8 with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. Already 4 spots. after 10 minutes or so.

UPDATE 1445z: So far today (as the map shows) my 2.5W 2m FT8  using the big-wheel omni has been spotted by 11 stations with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km).

10m QRPPP WSPR (Wednesday)

In the end, I decided to continue my 500uW 10m WSPR tests with my beacon. Although it is pre-programmed to report 0.5W to WSPRnet, the PA is turned off so the actual beacon output is 500uW. Any spots at all would be a bonus. The beauty of the beacon is it just runs in the background. No spots!

UPDATE 1655z: No spots all day at 500uW.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 22nd 2023

 Solar flux is 172 and the SSN 138. A=18 and K=5.

King's College Chapel, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

Walking back along this path I noticed the clouds behind the chapel.

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 2133z. So far this evening, 3 stations have spotted me.

DX - apt name

This lorry was seen from the bus this morning. I liked the name of this delivery company. Their tagline? Delivering Excellence. 

I wonder if they deliver long distance!!

Lucky? - NOT amateur radio

 

Every Tuesday we go to see a free concert at Cambridge University. Today it was the Kingsmen who were male singers from King's College Choir. It was note perfect and sublime. It is very easy to take Cambridge for granted.

365project - NOT amateur radio

One of the pleasures of 365project, where you add a photo every day, is seeing the photos that other people add. This was added by a friend earlier.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

Furthermost was just GM and PA, but 15 stations spotted my 10mW ERP overnight using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground (see table).

2m 2.5W FT8

 Using my big-wheel omni antenna, I have been on 2m FT8 since about 0830z. So far, 4 spots today.

UPDATE 0947z: Now GI6ATZ (479km) spotting me. Too easy, even with 2.5W and an omni antenna! I am still unsure if this is aircraft reflection or troposcatter. The reports (decent) suggest aircraft.

UPDATE 1754z:   12 stations have spotted me today on 2m QRP FT8.

10m 50mW WSPR TX (Tuesday)

0.5mW seemed too low yesterday (no spots), so this morning I am trying 10m WSPR TX at 50mW. I am doing this by running my 0.5W beacon directly into a 10dB attenuator. The beacon was turned on about 0830z. My WSPRnet reporting will still say 0.5W (programmed into the beacon), but the actual power is 50mW. 2 stations already spotting me.

UPDATE 1745z:  15 stations have spotted me. Even though the beacon reports 0.5W to WSPRnet the actual power after the 10dB pad will result in 50mW output. Perhaps I should try 5mW tomorrow?

Sunspots - Tuesday November 21st 2023

 Solar flux is 157 and the SSN 127.  A=5 and K=3.