My 10m 500uW WSPR experiment

After several days without success, I shall end my experiment later today. I have had success in the past, but not this time. 

Tomorrow, if I use my 10m WSPR TX beacon, I shall turn the PA on again and run the full 500mW.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 to the low dipole has been on since mid-morning. Yet again, my signal has been spotted in the Caribbean. In the last 2 days I have had 8m FT8 exchanges with both ZF1EJ and PJ4MM. In all today, my 8m FT8 signal has been spotted by 7 stations with 5 "across the pond".

Whilst I am sure a small beam, higher up, and more power would help, this proves to me that even 2.5W can make it when F2 conditions are good.

Christmas Wreaths - NOT amateur radio

To me, these seem too funereal and I don't like them. Our village garden nursery is selling them.  I don't think I shall buy one!

The Elgin Marbles - NOT amateur radio

In the UK there is a row growing about the return to Greece of the Elgin Marbles . These were originally in the world famous Parthenon. 

In my view these should be returned. 

Although I stand to be corrected, these were essentially stolen! My suggestion is a copy of these should be made and displayed (this has been done before e.g. the Alfred Jewel in the Ashmolian Museum in Oxford). Their proper home is in the Parthenon in Athens, which is visited by millions.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin_Marbles .

Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF)

Around the sunspot maximum we can see the MUF going much higher than we are used to. Take for example the 8m band, which is allocated to the Amateur Radio service in some countries and available to some on an experimental basis. Quite regularly, my 2.5W 8m FT8 is copied in the Caribbean, USA and Canada. This is on 40.680 MHz USB dial. This suggests the MUF is probably at 41 MHz quite often even on E-W paths. The MUF is usually higher on N-S paths.

For a long time, I have been advocating that 5 kHz at 8m be made available to the Amateur Radio service, narrow digital modes only, strictly non-interference, secondary, in the ISM band, low power, by application only.  I can see this only really appealing to true experimenters. It would appear the FCC and OFCOM (and the RSGB) are dead against, but I struggle to understand why when so much propagation research could be done. Even it permits were limited to around the solar maximum it would be useful.  Instead, in the UK we have to pay to do research - total madness and stupidity.

Selfie - NOT amateur radio

This was the selfie we took last Saturday with my wife, son and grandson.

Asian Eggs Royale - NOT amateur radio

We went out for brunch on Saturday to celebrate my wife's birthday. 

My son had Asian Eggs Royale, which is like Eggs Benedict, but with gin and salmon (see photo).

630m QRP WSPR overnight

Overnight I was spotted by 12 stations when using my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode “antenna “ in the ground.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 28th 2023

 Solar flux is 182 and the SSN 159.  A=7 and K=2.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

Around teatime, I QSYed to 630m QRP WSPR with my 10mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. At 2030z, 7 stations had spotted me.

New Zealand reverses smoking ban? - NOT amateur radio

The BBC reports that New Zealand is to reverse moves which (hopefully) would have phased out smoking. They have supposedly done this to fund tax cuts.  This would appear to be a step backwards. I do not know all the facts.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-67540190 .

Brunch - NOT amateur radio

Last Saturday, we treated our younger son and his son to brunch. The photo shows this.  My wife, whose birthday we were celebrating, took the photo.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 was turned on at about 1025z. So far, spotted by nobody.

UPDATE 1208z:  Spotted by EI9KP (649km) and G4WSZ (12km).

UPDATE 1338z:   ZS3/V51PJ (9081km) has just been spotted.

 
UPDATE 1415z:   My QRP 8m FT8 now also spotted by WW1L (see map).

UPDATE 1445z:  On RX, I seem to spot South African stations far more often than stations in the Caribbean. N-S MUFs are often higher than E-W, but it could be my dipole is a few dB better in this direction. A few dBs could be the difference between being spotted and not.

UPDATE 1625z: 6 stations have spotted me including 4 "across the pond".

500uW 10m WSPR TX (Monday)

My 10m WSPR TX beacon remains on with the PA turned off. According to my TinySA spectrum analyser the power is about 500uW.  After several days I have still to be spotted.

UPDATE 1100z:   It worked at 50mW and has worked in the past at 500uW, but I think conditions have to be exceptionally good for it to work at this power level, especially with higher RX noise floors these days. I shall probably return to QRO for me tomorrow (500mW!!).

More Google gobbledegook - NOT amateur radio

This morning I received another (near incomprehensible) email from Google. It was about video policy on AdSense. As with all things Google why use 3 words when 23 will do!! I think those in charge of communications at Google need to go on a plain English course. 

Selfie stick - NOT amateur radio

Over the weekend, we treated our son and grandson to brunch. Here I am trying my selfie stick. 

I look like a Far East tourist, but they have their uses when trying to get everyone on.

630m WSPR overnight

 

17 stations spotted me overnight with 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Monday November 27th 2023

 Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 169.  A=10 and K=2.

23cms in 2024

Where did 2023 go? 

Earlier this year I bought a 2W 23cm transverter and my intention was to go /P in some UKAC activity contests. I have not been out /P once! Maybe in 2024?

On EI7GL's blog, there is some encouraging news about the 23cm band.

630m QRP WSPR (Sunday evening)

My 10mW ERP from thw earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is being widely spotted.

UPDATE 2208z:  12 stations have spotted me so far this evening (see table).