6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At the moment (Sunday morning) 6m seems wide open to many parts of Europe (Es?) with my 2.5W FT8  to the V2000 omni vertical being spotted by 27 stations across the continent. See map

CQWW contests in 2024?

This was, perhaps, the biggest set of contests in the world. Even without submitting a score, it gave many a chance to work new countries and US states. 

With the demise of CQ magazine, it is not clear what the situation is in 2024. Looking at the website, you could be forgiven for thinking it is still on. However, that information may have been put up ages ago, before the magazine closed. 

This is one of my pet hates - not knowing the date the webpages were updated, but that is a different story.

If anyone can tell me if it is on or off, please let me know.

10m 500mW WSPR yesterday

When I am on 6m, I keep forgetting that the 10m antenna is free and available.  Last evening I remembered so I went on 10m QRP WSPR with my beacon. The spots were as shown in the table.

6m QRP FT8 yesterday

At about 1650z yesterday, I decided to try 6m FT8 with my 2.5W using the "old" PC.  Just G spots from local(ish) stations. Later, stations in Denmark and Sweden spotted me. In all, 15 stations spotted me. See map.

Sunspots- Sunday October 20th

 Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 101. A=23 and K=1.

QDX and QMX+ issues

 With the "other" Windows 10 PC, everything seems to work on RX, but even though the QDX goes to TX there is no RF being sent. Also, I get a "rig control error" going to TX even though the CAT works and it is "seeing" the QDX. As far as I can see, everything is correctly set and I tried a power cycle on the QDX before starting the PC.  It should not be this hard.

Going back to the SignaLink USB and FT817ND I get no issues at all with the "old" PC. For now, I give up.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 My 2.5W 8m FT8 is on again. No spots, although I see far more stations are now monitoring the band.

UPDATE 1513z:  G4FKI (60km) and IZ1DYE (973km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX although nobody has spotted my 2.5W yet. The map shows the stations monitoring 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1609z: PJ4MM (7483km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

Detecting life in outer space - NOT amateur radio

As far as I know SETI, the search for intelligent life in outer space, has been going for about 60 years without success. 

According to a link in Amateur Radio Weekly there may be another technique. If we find intelligent life "out there" it could/should have a profound effect on life on Earth. 

Excuse the journalism in the link!

AI - NOT amateur radio

This morning I had an email inviting me to try Google’s new AI tool called Gemini. 

It makes some mistakes, but in the main it produces amazing text and images based on the information available in seconds.

In coming years it is likely to get even better. Used for good, it a powerful tool. In the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

Peak of solar cycle 25

It looks like we are at the peak of this cycle. We have well exceeded the peak expected.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

RX on 10m
FT8 to 0940z

Don't ask me why but WSPR-X works with my older Windows 10 PC, SignaLink USB and the FT817ND. I have yet to try with the QDX.  

Stations all over the planet are being received and (so far) I have been widely spotted with 2.5W FT8 all over Europe. See map showing the stations spotted by 0940z on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1015z: First DX spot of me today by PU4TNT (9086km).

UPDATE 1135z:  77 stations have spotted me today with 2.5W 10m FT8.

Stations spotting me today
on 10m FT8 with 2.5W

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

Shortly, I hope to go on 10m WSPR with my stand-alone QRP 10m WSPR beacon. I cannot try FT8 again until I sort out my PC. Maybe I should try downloading JTDX and see if that works? 

UPDATE 0947z:   I went on briefly.  No spots.

It’s coming - NOT amateur radio

At the moment most leaves are still on the trees, but they are starting to fall. 

The garden looks far more autumnal with it looking “soggy “.

What’s this?

Whilst rummaging through drawers in my shack trying to find a power supply for an unused PC, I came across this TX. I have no recollection of making it, but it looks like an OXO QRP CW transmitter. It must date from the 1990s or early 2000s. 

Climber - NOT amateur radio

Every winter I have grand ideas about replacing this climber but never do. It grows very fast, has no flowers but looks great in the autumn before it looses all its leaves. I cut it right back but always grows back!

B stock “bargains”

One of the biggest UK dealers is advertising B stock at considerable savings. To me, these still look expensive when you look at exchange rates against the Yen and US Dollar.

Sunspots- Saturday October 19th

 Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 132. A=14 and K=4.

Are we beginning to see a slow decline in sunspot numbers?

Is WSPRnet faulty?

Despite syncing to Internet time, I have again got no 10m WSPR spots with my 500mW stand-alone beacon whereas I usually get several. I am wondering if WSPRnet is faulty, not uploading spots, or there is a long delay?  Listening on another radio, it seems to be fine.

UPDATE 1737z:  No, it was a fault with my antenna coax. Since fixing it, 17 stations have spotted me with the furthermost DP0GVN/1 (13685km) in Antarctica. See chart that shows 15 stations.

UPDATE 2115z:  29 stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR.  Now QRT.

Friday plans

We have to go shopping, but I also want to find out if the PC or QDX is the source of my problem with the QDX not being recognised by the PC. As far as I know, everything is done in the correct order. 

It will be interesting to see if I get no problems with the FT817 and SignaLink USB. This has never given me problems in over 20 years . 

Assuming I can find a solution, my plan is to try 10m QRP FT8 later. We'll see!

UPDATE 1153z:  I shall be tackling the QDX and PC after lunch. Wish me luck!

UPDATE 1455z:  No luck. It is as if any external device is not recognised. Just to make sure the USB socket is OK (I think it is) I shall try a CF drive in it. For now, until I can fix this, I am confined to 10m WSPR. Somewhere I have another Windows PC that I must try without updating it just in case it is a Windows Update  that has screwed things.

UPDATE 1540z: I found the older Windows 10 PC. It is on charge. Later I shall give this a try.

Sunspots - Friday October 18th

 Solar flux is 174 and the SSN 146. A=8 and K=2.