6m QRP FT8 ( Wednesday)

My QMX+ was turned on at 0812z.

UPDATE 1141z:  8 spots of me so far including one German. See map.

Happy New Year- NOT amateur radio

 May I wish all readers a happy and peaceful 2025? The world is a better place when we all help each other with kindness and compassion. The world is a nicer place just one step at a time. I hope health wise you and the people you love have a good year.

Around our village yesterday - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday afternoon the sun shone ( a nice change!), so we did a walk around the village and some shopping. 

This collage shows some of the views.

Change - NOT amateur radio

 At this time of year things seem more "raw". It is a time when everyone is expected to be jolly and happy, making sadness and unhappiness all the harder. 

Our younger teenage grandson has just been dumped by his first girlfriend. Most of us have felt this pain, that seems like the end of the world at the time.

When people die or are seriously ill at this time of year it seems especially hard.

Things change: things that seem constant and will go on for ever do not. We have to adapt to the new reality. Time usually heals, but change can be painful.

Often we do not appreciate the inner pain others are experiencing. It is all too easy to judge others.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

 

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon made by W5OLF has been spotted by 3 stations today so far.

UPDATE 1035z:  7 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1249z:  USA started spotting me on 10m QRP WSPR today shortly after 1200z.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear has been TXing since breakfast. Yesterday my QRP 6m  FT8 from the QMX+ was spotted in the USA + Canada and I spotted both here too. So far this morning just English stations are spotting me.

UPDATE 1029z:  11 stations have spotted me including 1 OK station.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 31st

 Solar flux is 224 and the SSN 183. A=7 and K=2.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My gear was turned on at 0750z. At 0817z 7 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 0938z:  12 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8.

10m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My beacon was turned on at 0748z.

UPDATE 1128z:  11 stations have spotted me.

RSGB proofreading (NOT!!)

One of my Christmas presents was a book on the history of the G-QRP Club that has been going for 50 years. I was more interested in the content than the cover, but was horrified to see the spine had a glaring spelling error which will be seen every time it’s put on a shelf!  Is this not checked?

I once noticed an obvious spelling mistake on the front cover of RadCom.

To be honest I am appalled that such basic errors occur. I know the organisation depends heavily on volunteers, but this is not excusable. It gives the impression the RSGB is incompetent.

Come on RSGB!!

Sunspots - Monday December 30th

 Solar flux is 255 and the SSN 209. A=5 and K=2.

Highlight of Christmas - NOT amateur radio

There’s no doubt that the highlight for us this Christmas, and our moment of greatest pride, was seeing our youngest granddaughter performing ballet in front of 2 future UK kings and many royal and other guests in Westminster Abbey in Kate’s carol service. 

Apologies for the lines, but this was a TV screen grab.

If it was me I would have been extremely nervous. She was not at all!

6m FT8

Most days I go on 6m FT8 with my QMX+ transceiver. I think that every day I have been on recently I have been spotted somewhere in continental Europe. 

If I am able to do this with just a few watts and a vertical omni antenna, it proves how useful 6m can be. Imagine if you had a reasonable beam and more power. You would have an ERP increase of several dB improving the chances of being copied even more.

In the last 30 minutes I have been spotted in Latvia, Germany and Holland on 6m FT8.

Working Russians

Well before the end of the USSR, I remember working loads of stations in the USSR and getting QSL cards. 

I have no problem at all with the people in Russia and am happy to work them or get reports on FT8 or WSPR.   

In a small way, amateur radio breaks down barriers. I like to think that whatever the race, colour, wealth or nationality, it makes no difference. After all, we all share this planet and are all human beings.

Nice pile - NOT amateur radio

As a young child, I spent my childhood living in Salcombe, Devon. 

This property is on the market not far from Salcombe, so I could move back. 

Just one problem!  It is on the market for £8.5 million, so I think I shall give it a miss!

After Christmas - NOT amateur radio

My younger son and his kids have gone home and Christmas is almost over for another year. 

We have given the birds the leftovers.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon was turned on about 0950z.  5 stations have spotted me at 1051z.

UPDATE 1532z:   28 stations have spotted me. Spots from the USA started at just after 1200z.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My gear has been on since about 0950z. So far, just English stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2015z:  31 stations have spotted my QRP 6m FT8 including one in the USA. On RX a couple of stations spotted in the southern USA.

Very clever people

Somehow I missed this on Amateur Radio Weekly. It describes how someone hacked a Casio wristwatch to act as a transceiver on 70cm and 33cm. 

As I said, there are some very clever people. I would not know where to start!

Mid winter Es

Don’t ask me why as I don’t know the answer, but there’s a small Es peak in the northern hemisphere around now so it is worth keeping an eye on 6m . I suppose this could link up with F2 propagation further south to result in some spectacular DX on 6m.