Greenpeace and a multinational oil giant - NOT amateur radio

This morning, I received a WhatsApp message from a friend urging me to sign a petition. 

Sadly, these days I get very paranoid about links thinking the link could be a virus or bot being installed. If you are unsure of a link never, ever click it. Check that it is genuine by some other way if in any doubt. Often scammers try to work on your better nature trying to oblige a friend. A common one is "are you in this video?".

In this case I think it was genuine about a multi-billion pound profit multinational oil giant suing Greenpeace. Deep state gone mad again.

See https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/ .

Sunspots - Thursday May 23rd

 Solar flux is 196 and the SSN 120. A=4 and K=1.

QMX+ plunge taken

This 5W multi-band, multi-mode transceiver has been ordered, assembled and cased. 

QRP Labs make some fantastic kit and I look forward to using it.

In the past, I would have enjoyed building it. Sadly, those days have passed and my fine motor skills are just not up to it any more.

See https://www.qrp-labs.com/qmxp.html .

Our back garden - NOT amateur radio

Spring is a great time of year. Blossom briefly appears, leaves have a fresh green appearance and everything is new. Spring soon goes and the fresh green turns to a tired green.

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

My beacon has been on all day. No spots all day.

If I had good results on 6m FT8 with 10mW, I would have expected some Es spots with 500uW on 10m WSPR. Perhaps the 13dB difference takes signals into the noise floor?

That famous plaque - NOT amateur radio

This famous plaque is outside the Eagle pub in Bene't Street  Cambridge. Within about 100m many world changing events took place. Rutherford split the atom, the form of DNA was understood, to name just two. The plaque was re-created recently to acknowledge the contribution of others.

6m 10mW FT8 (Wednesday)

My 10mW 6m FT8 was on overnight.  To my great surprise stations in Norway and Finland spotted me in the middle of the night. To be spotted at all at this time is remarkable, but with just a few milliwatts took me totally by surprise.

UPDATE 1046z: Spotted in Poland with my 10mW 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1424z: Spotted by 31 stations when I was using 10mW 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1555z:  Spotted by 46 stations (see map).

UPDATE  2116z:  My 10mW 6m FT8 spotted by 47 stations. Even with my 15dB attenuator right next to the rig, 109 stations were still copied on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots- Wednesday May 22nd

 Solar flux is 191 and the SSN 146. A=9 and K=0.

Few new radios at Hamvention 2024?

Apart from the hint about the ICOM X60, I have not heard rumours of new radios on the horizon from the likes of Yaesu and Kenwood. If my thoughts are correct (I hope I am wrong!) both these are having thoughts of getting out of the amateur radio market. 

Personally, it is my view that Yaesu has lost its way.  Nearly a quarter of a century after the launch of the FT817 the world is still waiting!! Personally I think they have, sadly, missed the boat again.

Going on and on!! - NOT amateur radio

Poinsettia plants are often thought of as Christmas flowers but my wife has one that has got new buds and goes on and on!!

Seen in Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

It’s good to see Jewish students supporting the innocent people caught up in the war following the horrific events of October 7th. This was outside King’s.

10m 500uW WSPR (Tuesday)

 Once again, my 500uW 10m WSPR is turned on although I am not too hopeful.

UPDATE 1410z:  No spots today.

The pattern seems to be that 500uW is not quite enough for most people most of the time. I guess many have a background noise floor that has to be exceeded. It is also possible there are fewer people on WSPR these days. I would have expected ŧo see far more WSPR spots by Es.

6m 10mW FT8 (Tuesday)

Once again, I am on 6m with 10mW FT8. Unless things improve, I am not too hopeful.

UPDATE 1356z:  Just 2 spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today from Portugal.

European Es

Looking at the maps of Es reports, it would seem, at the moment. that Es is not as good as the last few days. As with all things sporadic E (Es), things can quickly change.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Sunspots - Tuesday May 21st

 Solar flux is 200 and the SSN 124. A=7 and K=1.

Our green - NOT amateur radio

In our quiet part of the village is this delightful green. One of the trees has half its leaves of a different colour.

6m 10mW FT8 (Monday)

Once again I am on 6m FT8 with 10mW and the V2000 vertical omni antenna.  At 1545z, 20 stations (see map) have spotted me with the furthermost EA8/DF4UE (2875km).

It never fails to amaze me how little power is needed with 6m FT8.

10m 500uW WSPR (Monday)

 Although my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR beacon has been on all day, I am surprised to not get any spots. On 6m FT8 I have had lots of spots with 10mW. I shall try a re-sync.

UPDATE 1808z:  No spots all day.

UPDATE 1851z:  OE3GBB (1233km) has spotted my QRPP.

8m experiments

Experiments at 6m (as opposed to 8m) have FAR exceeded what I expected and convinced me that 8m WSPR at 10mW ERP would definitely be spotted by Es. The fact that 10mW FT8 on 6m reached Brazil yesterday was amazing with an omni antenna.

I may try 8m FT8 at 10mW ERP as soon as my 8m antenna is mended. At this rate, it would not surprise me if this spanned Europe as well. Judging by results at 6m, it certainly should. The only difference is the dipole, which is a bit lower in height than the V2000 used on 6m. I would expect this to (maybe) make a few dBs difference.

630m QRP WSPR

For the first time in months I was not on 630m QRP WSPR, when I was at home, last night. Gradually, the number of spots I had received had been dropping off. I shall be back on in the autumn and may try occasionally in the coming months, but not every night.

A new night-time challenge calls! I am still undecided what form this should take.