Sunspots - Wednesday August 14th

 Solar flux is 260 and SSN 199.  A=17 and K=4.

Low lightning risk?

It has suddenly turned very dark and cloudy after a very hot and sunny day. It quite took me by surprise.  Looking at the lightning map, the storms look far away at the moment. 

As you know everything will be disconnected overnight "just in case".

10mW?

 As a keen QRP FT8 operator on 10m, 8m and 6m this thought occurred to me.

If you are copied with a plus value S/N (say at 1W, or even 5W) there is a very good chance you would still be copied at 10mW. Of course, this will depend on the noise floor at the RX and finding a clear frequency.

Many have been surprised that licence free 8m 10mW ERP FT8 has been copied right across Europe. It does not surprise me at all. 

What does surprise me is how few have tried this especially in the Es season. Just think, no licence, make up a callsign that WSJT-X and PSKreporter can work with and have fun. 

Remember operating under ISM rules is not amateur radio.

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 2.5W 10m FT8 was turned on at about 1015z. One RV6 called me and I was immediately worked. So far, my signal has been spotted by 5 stations.

UPDATE 1056z: Spotted by 19 stations so far today.

UPDATE 1101z:  Some people are very against working Russian stations. I can remember back in the days of the USSR working loads of Russian stations. I have nothing against the Russian people and the more we can break down barriers the better. One Russian station in Moscow emails me most Christmases.

UPDATE 1302z:   So far spotted by 53 stations. 237 stations spotted here on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1830z:  673 stations have been spotted here and I have been spotted by 151 stations including Reunion Is and South America.

UPDATE 1935z:  696 stations copied here today and 153 stations have spotted me.  See map for stations spotting me.  Now QRT.

YouTube Channel

Just a reminder that many of my projects are on my video channel. Together with my main website http://www.g3xbm.co.uk you should find all the data you need on any of my projects.

As I remind people, experiment! Many (most?) of my projects are capable of improvement.

See https://www.youtube.com/@G3XBM

FT290/FT790

Many people around the planet own an FT817 or its successor. 

Before the FT817 became ubiquitous there were the 2m FT290 and 70cm FT790. Even today there are FT290s driving transverters.

I never understood why stupid Yaesu never offered a replacement, but it is now far too late as they have "missed the boat". These days there are plenty of rigs. In 2010 the world was their oyster.

Early morning walk - NOT amateur radio

 

As today is again expected to be hot, we went for a walk before breakfast as it was still cool. In all, we walked about 4km.

Best modes for VHF MS?

Just wondering what the best mode is for MS on VHF?  MS signals may be strong, with Doppler, but fleeting.  

I assume WSPR would be useless as it takes too long. I have no idea about FT8/4 in such conditions. Maybe there is a mode that copes well in these conditions? 

Overnight I was on 50.280 MHz MSK144 RX and this certainly is popular in Europe. This was the Perseid meteor shower. 30 stations from Spain and Italy 🇮🇹 to Sweden were spotted on 6m RX. See map.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 13th

 Solar flux is 272 and the SSN 245  A=122 and K=1.

MSK144 on 50.280 MHz RX

G8SEI (131km) is the only station so far spotted on 6m this evening on MSK144. Although I am no expert in these matters, I thought I would try monitoring 50.280 MHz (Europe) during the night to see if I manage any copy during the Perseid meteor shower. I suspect G8SEI is being copied by normal tropo and not via MS!

Simple regen RX

This site is really, really good. He is so modest and talks through his journey into amateur radio. In this video he is trying to make a simple regen RX better.

Mid-summer in the garden - NOT amateur radio

For several years our grass went brown, before recovering in autumn As we had a wet spring last year and this, the grass is still green ..... for now. 

Today is expected to be very hot, so I don't want to speak too soon! The photo shows part of our garden this morning.

2m activity contest last Tuesday

My mother-in-law would have called me a gunner. Why? Because I am "gunner do this and gunner do that". 

Several days ago I was going to submit my (pathetic) entry into the RSGB organised 2m activity contest (UKAC). I nearly forgot and submitted my entry just now. 

I get the feeling this contest is waning in popularity. Yes, there are still plenty of entries, but I seem to have fewer QSOs than I once did. This could be because urban stations find my 10W PEP harder now with increased local noise?

The map shows the QSOs with 10W PEP and the big-wheel omni antenna. I only stopped on very briefly.

Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It looks as if the swifts have largely left the UK on their long journey to central Africa with a return next spring.  You rarely see them go, but look up and notice they are no longer around. The odd straggler might be seen, but most have gone.

On a more positive note, we get migrant birds from the far north, who think we are warmer in winter.  It takes all sorts! 😊

Decorated postboxes - NOT amateur radio

There seems to be a fashion at the moment to decorate postboxes. This one was near our co-op shop at the weekend.

Perseid meteor shower - reminder

 A reminder that this meteor shower is at its peak and may result in enhanced VHF conditions.

10m QRP FT8 (Monday)

 My 2.5W 10m FT8 has been on since just before breakfast. 17 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1256z:  88 stations have spotted my QRP with the furthermost OD5KU (3468km). 

UPDATE 1258z: 99 stations spotted here with the furthermost South Africa.

UPDATE 1420z:  104 stations have spotted my 10m QRP FT8 today (see map) and 122 stations have been spotted here.

UPDATE 1811z:  130 spots of me today. 205 spots by me in the last day on 10m FT8.

Sunspots - Monday August 12th

Solar flux is 282 and the SSN 194. A=28 and K=6.

Ukraine war - NOT amateur radio

From the BBC website:

"Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 30km inside Russia, in what has become the deepest and most significant incursion since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022." 

Although I don't like commenting on political matters, it would seem correct that Russia has to accept this sort of action. Wars, in the end, do not resolve conflicts. Both sides need to agree to a compromise in which both sides feel winners.

I just wish a ceasefire could be agreed here and in Gaza leading to a peaceful resolution of both conflicts. 

How do they stand the heat? - NOT amateur radio

The museum next door has a blacksmith that comes from time to time. It was one of the hottest days of the year, so in the forge it must have been incredibly hot.