630m QRP WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was on again overnight. 21 stations spotted me (see table).

In the last 2 weeks on 630m QRP WSPR, 48 stations have spotted me with the furthermost LA1TN (1305km). It works!!

Sunspots - Wednesday February 14th

Solar flux is 195 and the SSN 122.  A=10 and K=1. 

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

 Yet again I am on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. So far, 7 stations have spotted me.

70cm activity contest SSB (UKAC) - February

Every month I have a go on the 70cm SSB activity contest with my 10W pep and the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. I usually manage a few contacts, but I do stop on long because of my poor voice. I am pretty sure I could work more if I was to stop on longer. The impression I am getting is there is now less SSB activity in this contest. The 70cm FT8 activity contest tomorrow is always busier.

Chippenham, near Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

This is a village near Cambridge, not to be confused withe the better known Chippenham.

500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR (Tuesday)

No spots today with this miniscule power. I was hoping for some spots today.

UPDATE 1228z:  OH6BG (1718km) has spotted me.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

As usual, I was on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. Furthermost were Germany and Norway, with 24 spots of me in the last day.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 13th

Solar flux is 208 and the SSN 153. A=4 and K=1. 

Chippenham Park - NOT amateur radio

Every year we go to Chippenham Park, near Cambridge, to see the snowdrops. As always, they were a picture. 

We also saw these swans.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

After a night off, I am again on 630m WSPR with 10mW ERP.  So far, 4 stations have spotted me with the furthermost PA0LSB/V (326km).

6m 2.5W FT8 (Monday)

My 6m 2.5W FT8  to the V2000 vertical omni antenna has been on since lunchtime. So far, 8 stations have spotted me.

500uW 10m WSPR (Monday)

Although my QRPP beacon has been on since lunchtime, no spots today.

UPDATE 1825z: No spots all day at 500uW.

Optical over the horizon

This was 2012.

Sunspots - Monday February 12th

 Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 144. A=14 and K=1.

Short-term memory - NOT amateur radio

 Not sure if this is old age or another artifact of my 2013 stroke, but my short-term memory can be poor. When I record the solar indices, I often have to go back and recheck the figures.

Spring coming - NOT amateur radio

We still have plenty of winter left, but today is very springlike.

Fine motor skills - basically now crap

 

This morning, I came across this memory on Facebook showing a 4m transverter I designed and made some years ago. It was published in SPRAT, the magazine of the GQRP club. 

There is absolutely no way I could do this now!  My fine motor skills are basically shot and soldering anything is unbelievably hard.

Not one to be beaten, I do experiments that I can still do that do not involve building as much as possible.

My voice - NOT amateur radio

 Although I still use my voice, it is a struggle. This is why I prefer FT8 and WSPR. They are also good weak signal modes too! I guess that is also why I like blogging. My voice is not involved and I do no have to struggle to be understood. 

Even my wife often asks me to repeat things. I try to go on the 2m and 70cm SSB activity contests each month and the local club net each Wednesday, but not for long.

630m WSPR overnight

Overnight, I was again on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 18 stations spotted me (see table). No astounding DX, but a useful haul.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

Yet again, I am on 6m FT8 with my 2.5W and V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, 5 G stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 1142z: 10 G and GW stations have spotted me. No DX from continental Europe.