Sunspots - Thursday November 6th

Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 76. A=28 and K=3. 

Wars

We live in more uncertain times with people seeming more angry than they were, In many nations the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. 

In my view, this widening gap between rich and poor is a pointer towards revolution, when the poor say "enough is enough".  Sadly, rich billionaires control most of the media and ways by which people communicate.

I really hope revolution in many nations can be avoided. I hope that those voted into high office look beyond "feathering their own nests" and look to really improve the lot of the common man.

What is happening in the USA is a poor advert for democracy. What is happening in Russia is troubling too.

10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)

My beacon has been on since about 1130z.

UPDATE 1324z:  No spots. 

6m 5W FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear was turned on at about 1120z.

UPDATE 1634z: 30 stations have spotted me . See map. It seems that almost all times I go on 6m QRP FT8 TX, I get spotted in mainland Europe.

Making the Pixie better

The Pixie is available as a 40m transceiver extremely inexpensively from China. It is a low power transceiver, but the receiver is a real compromise often suffering from overload from broadcast stations and with poor selectivity. These mods by VK3YE 9 years ago make it a bit better. 

If you are after a really low cost way of getting into amateur radio,  this may be it. There have been several variations of it down the years.

The Pixie and Micro80 are also on my website.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 5th

 Solar flux is 159 and the SSN 91. A=10 and K=2.

Hamsphere special offer

At the moment I am being offered a year of Hamsphere at a special price of 9.99 Euros. I am not sure if this is being offered to all new members. 

I am not really a fan of simulated amateur radio, but I can understand this could appeal to some people with no access to traditional amateur radio transceivers or antennas. I imagine it is less popular when HF conditions are very good, as they are currently.

At this price I am tempted, even though I might use it infrequently.

10m 1W FT8 (Tuesday)

 My gear was turned on at about 0700z. FT8 is a very impressive mode, although not for chatting.

UPDATE 1001z:  84 stations have spotted me with the best 9K2RA-2 (4641km) in Kuwait. Really going down to 1W has made little difference, apart from increasing the fun. I might stick at this power in future, or try even lower! I think the lowest from the IC-705 is 500mW, although I can always add the 15dB attenuator.

UPDATE 1820z:  352 stations have spotted my 1W FT8. See map.

UPDATE 2024z:  QRT.

630m WSPR RX

Overnight I left my IC705 on 474.2kHz WSPR RX again using just the outer of the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna and mains earth. In all, 11 stations spotted.

10m AM

In years past I was impressed with 10m AM just above 29.0 MHz. I have not listened for a while so must try again.

Tuesday plans

 At the moment I am inclined to try 10m FT8 at 1W after breakfast.

Christ’s Pieces, Cambridge, UK

Autumn  seems to have suddenly arrived. It all seems to have happened in the last couple of weeks.

The power of AI

A few  days ago, I saw an old photo of my dad with his WW2 flying crew. It was black and white. I put it through AI and I was impressed.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 4th

 Solar flux is 133 and the SSN 87. A=20 and K=3.

On 474.2kHz WSPR RX again (Monday)

630m ATU

After the success last evening I am again on 474.2kHz WSPR RX with my ad hoc antenna and ground. 

UPDATE 2203z:   Already spotting 8 stations with the furthermost 8 spots of OH1LSQ (1733km).

Milking?

Whenever something sensational happens it seems the media "milks" the story, going on for days and days, 

Recently, we had what appears to have been a mentally ill person stabbing train passengers. Whilst fully understanding this must have been very traumatic for those on the train, I get really annoyed that the media goes on and on about it. In this case it was the BBC. It seems that every story must be rung dry and made to last. We rarely get good news as this is, sadly, not newsworthy.

Recent examples have included the UK Prince Andrew.

Google Ad(non)sense

Suddenly the number people looking at this blog shoots by a factor of about 10.  I am sure the popularity of the posts has not suddenly gone up!   I have no idea how they measure visits, but I am sure it is not correct.

Sunspots - Monday November 3rd

 Solar flux is 123 and the SSN=43.  A=18 and K=3.

630m WSPR RX (Sunday evening)

It is ages since I tried 630m WSPR RX. I connected my coax up to my 2m big-wheel via a ferrite rod ATU as the antenna and a mains plug ground. All this is very far from ideal! Judging by results, it certainly works.

Change of plan - 40m 2W FT8

 Earlier in the evening I can go on 40m FT8 TX at 2W via my coax to the 2m big-wheel antenna via an ATU.

UPDATE 1831z:  No spots of me although I have spotted a couple of stations in Germany with this ad hoc set-up.

UPDATE 1853z:  Swapped to my 10m EFHW antenna via the ATU. Lots more stations spotted on RX, but nobody has spotted my 2W.

UPDATE 1858z:  I have come to the reluctant conclusion that 2W is below the noise floor for most stations in Europe. I shall stick with it for a while longer, then go back to 474.2kHz WSPR RX only.