This photo was in the back of the garage in 2013. It was a Facebook memory.
22 Jan 2024
Punting on the River Cam last week - NOT amateur radio
8m QRP FT8 (Monday)
Conditions look a bit more promising than yesterday (in places the MUF is above 40 MHz) so I am trying 8m FT8. No spots. At the moment I am on my dipole, but may try the loop which has a better match.
8m CEPT allocation proposal
As I could not immediately see on the RSGB website to whom it should be sent , I sent my 8m CEPT proposal to the RSGB General Manager with a request that it is forwarded to the right people. Apparently these are the VHF Manager and the Spectrum Forum Chair.
I hope my request is looked at favourably as there is a great deal of propagation research that could be done by radio amateurs at 8m. There are countries within CEPT that have already granted amateurs access to this spectrum. Just 5 kHz within the 8m ISM band with very limited modes and power, by application, no interference, should encourage experimentation and avoid "chatting".
Maybe others would care to support this?
I am mindful that the real purpose of our hobby is self-training and research.
630m QRP WSPR overnight
There were fewer stations spotting me overnight. There could be several reasons. In the UK we had a severe storm with high winds (Storm Isha) so there may have been fewer stations on. If my theory of the earth-electrode "antenna" forming a loop in the ground is correct the effective loop size will be smaller in wet weather. It is now bright and sunny with much lighter winds
21 Jan 2024
630m QRP WSPR (Sunday)
My 630m 10mW ERP was turned on at 1832z. 2 stations have spotted me so far.
UPDATE 2210z: 4 stations have spotted me.
8m QRP FT8 (Sunday) - not today
At one point I had thoughts of going on 8m QRP FT8 today, but I have decided against this. Borat S50B has antenna issues, so that is one keen person not around. Conditions do not seem to be exceptional, which is probably necessary for me to be spotted "across the pond". So, I shall stick with 6m FT8 at 2.5W and 500uW 10m WSPR. 6m has more FT8 monitors and this helps.
King’s College residents pass - NOT amateur radio
For many years we have had resident’s passes that give us free entry to King’s College Cambridge as well as other colleges. As part of the renewal I had to send a recent photo. I should hear next week.
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My 6m FT8 QRP (2.5W to a vertical omni V2000 antenna) is on. So far just a spot by M1ABK (70km).
UPDATE 1140z: 3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost SM7KOJ (935km).
UPDATE 1405z: 11 stations have spotted my QRP (better than I was expecting), but I am unsure of the propagation. I am sure it is not F2 backscatter, so it is possibly aircraft scatter or patches of Es.
UPDATE 1445z: No further stations spotting me, suggesting the propagation is some short-lived mechanism such as aircraft or Es that quickly went.
UPDATE 1701z: 12 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 today.
HF propagation
Conditions on HF do not seen exceptional today. I am not expecting to get any spots on my 0.5mW 10m WSPR beacon, but you never know!
See https://prop.kc2g.com/ .
Scenes around Cambridge - NOT amateur radio
20 Jan 2024
Sunday plans
My intention is to continue my tests with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR, but I may go on 6m FT8 rather than 8m FT8. 6m has the advantage of more people monitoring, both in the UK and Europe. If things look very promising, I might try 8m FT8 in the afternoon.
Changing world order - NOT amateur radio
Most of us have grown up in a world dominated by western democracies. We have been told countless times that this fair and just: it is the right way for people to follow.
However, things are changing. Increasingly, developing countries are looking towards China and Russia. Many of their ways appear bizarre to those of us in the west.
We have to admit that western democracies are not perfect. Under capitalism the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The gap gets ever bigger.
The world was once in the thrall of the USA. This is no longer the case.
In the end, things will (I hope) sort themselves out. Capitalism is not perfect and neither is communism or extreme right wing politics.
630m QRP WSPR (Saturday)
My 10mW ERP was turned on at 1700z. 4 spots on the first transmission.
UPDATE 1807z: 9 stations have spotted me.
CEPT 8m amateur allocation?
Before I start, there are no plans for this.
However, the band is now available to radio amateurs in at least 2 CEPT countries and in many CEPT nations some are experimenting on 8m with special permits.
From figures provided to me by an amateur in Belgium, radio amateurs would produce less interference than ISM users between 40.66-40.70MHz. It would be great if CEPT allowed radio amateurs access to the band.
These are my proposals for an 8m amateur band:
- 40.675-40.685 MHz (just 10 kHz wide in total, in the ISM band. A minimum would be 40.680-40.683 MHz)
- Secondary
- Only available by application (NoV or equivalent)
- 5W maximum
- Narrow digital only (modes like FT8, WSPR and CW), no phone
- Strictly no interference
- Only available to full licencees
Almost all the activity on 8m is propagation research. Such a small CEPT amateur allocation could really advance radio propagation science.
Please approach your national society and licencing authority for an 8m amateur band.
See https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/sm/R-REC-SM.1056-1-200704-I!!PDF-E.pdf .
8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
As my 8m dipole is showing a high VSWR, my 2.5W 8m FT8 is connected instead to my loop on the shack windowsill on which the match is good.
UPDATE 1847z: No spots all day.
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