UK amateur license changes

Whilst I understand recent OFCOM changes to the UK amateur radio licenses, I am disappointed that power levels have been increased. Having worked all over the world with 10W pep SSB many years ago and now with even better modes like FT8 available, why do we need more power? 1kW linears are VERY expensive, re-enforcing the message that amateur radio needs deep pockets for rigs, linears, towers and beams. 

As I hope I have shown, deep pockets and high power are definitely NOT needed to have fun or work the world. I hope more stick with foundation licenses!! You can work the world, and have far more fun, for the cost of a few pints of beer or a good night out.  

You definitely do not need to spend much money or run loads of power!!

Sunspots -Saturday February 24th

 Solar flux is 173 and SSN 116. A=3 and K=0.

630m QRP WSPR (Friday)

 

In the last 12 hours (see table) 22 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR.

Patience pays off -10m QRPP WSPR

After several days with no 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR spots of me, today I was spotted 4 times. I was not expecting this. My beacon is pre-programmed to report 500mW even though with the PA off it is 500uW (0.5mW).

What do modes sound like?

Someone on the Cambridge Club (CDARC) email list posted this useful link.

See https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Category:Amateur_Radio .

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

In the last day and overnight, 20 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR.

Gaza-Israel conflict - NOT amateur radio

This conflict continues to trouble me. 

It would seem that Israel is dead set against journalists going into Gaza to see things for themselves. They continue to drive the people of Gaza (including women and children) to hunger and thirst using the horrific events of October 7th by Hamas as their reason.

I only wish peace and mutual respect. This requires compromise on both sides.  

Both Hamas and Israel have done things wrong. Both will be judged by history.

Sunday Rallies

 The following have been notified to me. Usual caveats apply about checking before going far.

Sunday February 25th - British Vintage Wireless Society , Biggleswade, SG18 8JH. Contact secretary@bvws.org.uk .

Sunday February 25th - Red Rose Winter Rally, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Contact lesjackson@ntlworld.com .

What is reality? - NOT amateur radio

This term I am attending (via Zoom) a series of lectures on the formation of the brain. Once we thought of our eyes like cameras and the brain interprets reality. It turns out this is totally wrong. This led me to a TED talk. It is quite short, but fascinating. I commend it to you.

‘The space-time continuum is a construct’

Sunspots - Friday February 23rd

 Solar flux is 173 and the SSN just 46.  A=6 and K=0

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is turned on. So far, 8 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2018z:  One of the advantages of WSPR is it will decode whether the signal is strong or weak as long as the S/N ratio is good enough. With a "decent " antenna and ground system, the S/N may be better, but a weaker signal will decode as long as the S/N is sufficient. 10 stations have spotted me so far this evening.

UPDATE 2145z: Spotted by 11 stations this evening.

Propagation today

 The MUF in some parts of the world is high. It "feels" as if we are at the start of the long decline to sunspot minimum, although there is sometimes a second peak.

See https://prop.kc2g.com/ .

Seen on Facebook - NOT amateur radio

 This was on Facebook earlier.

Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) talk

About a year ago, I gave a talk at CDARC. Because of my poor voice these days actually I produced the slides and someone else did the talking!  Ovearll, it was quite successful.

See https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16QLftIhUmeL-0y6VytIvgnhbiM9GX2Nz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104978760719971510470&rtpof=true&sd=true.

Good and evil - NOT amateur radio

When I was younger I believed everyone was basically good and the evil they had was a result of upbringing or genes. These days I am not so sure.  That evil exists is not in doubt. In this world that we share there are plenty of signs.

It is my view that we are all capable of evil. That is what frightens me.  We all have to do our best to replace evil with good.

SETI (the search for intelligent live in the universe) - NOT amateur radio

To the best of my knowledge this has been going on since the mid 1960s at least, without success. 

Now AI has been brought in to help data processing. According to the BBC there are potentially 10-50 billion places where intelligent life could exist just in this galaxy alone. 

There are so many variables like where do you look in the electromagnetic spectrum. Indeed, is this the best place to look? 

If we found signs of intelligent life, it could have profound effects on this small blue dot.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68346015 .

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

With the sunspot number being so low compared with a few months ago, I think it is very unlikely I shall be spotted today with this tiny power. As a sucker for punishment though my 10m WSPR beacon is again on without the PA.

UPDATE 1710z:  No spots all day. Am I surprised? No.

2200m transverter

Last night I gave the latest version of Google's AI tool (now called Gemini) a try. I tried various family names, without being impressed. Basically, compared with ChatGPT4, it was hopeless. They have a long way to go to catch up in my view.

I then tried G3XBM and it came up with a French site that had a copy of my 137kHz transverter from 2011. I think it was a prototype (no RX preamp) and I cannot even remember producing the circuit. The schematic is the best I have. It shows the loop antenna that I used. Zooming in on the schematic makes it a bit clearer. As I recall, the furthermost I got was the Netherlands on QRSS3.

630m WSPR overnight

 

23 stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR overnight.

Unsafe? - NOT amateur radio

On Monday there were no punts visible on the River Cam. I wonder if they were banned as it was unsafe?