14MHz to Australia - Adelaide

This evening, I went on 14MHz WSPR with a couple of watts and was rewarded with a spot by VK5AK (16224km) just outside Adelaide, Australia.  Apart from this spot and K9AN (6505km) the other spots, so far, have been from Europeans and of Europeans. I shall stick on 14MHz for a while longer.

14MHz WSPR this teatime (2W)

Semi sked 7MHz

This evening, I shall try again to work a local who is on the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Currently he is working in Glasgow but camping on Arran.

I have an S8 noise floor on 7MHz and am limited to 5W pep maximum. Although WSPR  On 7MHz at 2W WSPR is pretty easy, it is much harder work on SSB.

10m WSPR this morning - good Es

Whilst cutting the rear lawn today, I have been on 10m WSPR. There is still plenty of Es around on 10m.

10m WSPR this morning

Cutting the grass is still challenging: I still get very giddy when on my feet, but stamina is slowly improving. It may be a while before doing the lawns becomes "easy" again.  Still, the fact I can do it at all is something that might not have been possible: the worst outcomes of my brain bleed would have been horrendous, possibly leaving me paralysed, deaf or blind. Overall. I was lucky.

Rear lawn

Sunspot count today is 102 (good) but with blackouts and 20-30MHz forecast is "good", so surprised not to have seen any F2 propagation (yet) on 10m. Es so far is all from N.Europe including Scandinavia.  Nothing yet seen here from S.Europe.

UPDATE 1600z:  The Es opening today seems to have favoured N.Europe and Scandinavia with no S.Europeans seen here all day.. The 20-30MHz propagation forecast is now only "fair". As yet, no F2 openings seen here today on 10m. In past years I have noticed more Es to Scandinavia and N. Europe in the later part of the season. There must be some good reason for this, but I don't know why this is.

Ultimate 3 kit - offers of help

Our community in Amateur Radio is truly wonderful.

Already, I have had three kind and generous offers to build and test my Ultimate-3 beacon kit, which is currently beyond my building skills because of my brain injury. I still hope to build this myself, but may wait a few more months until I'm less wobbly and clumsy.

This is not the first time I have been touched by the genuine kindness of others. It restores one's faith in humankind: there are some truly kind people around. Thank you all.

Sometimes we hear about all the bad things in this world. Believe me, the world has very many kind and caring people in it.

40m WSPR

Having (unsuccessfully) tried to work a station on the Isle of Arran (Scotland) on 40m SSB, I went on to WSPR and was rewarded with the following in a single 2 minute transmission at 2W to my low (for 40m) end-fed Par antenna.

WSPR really is a great mode. I remember back earlier in the year on 40m when my second spot (on this antenna) was by a VK.

CN8LI - 6m WSPR

So far (it is now 1425z)  CN8LI (2113km) and I have exchanged WSPR spots all morning since I first went on 6m. We have exchanged spots 14 times already. Es conditions between us are perfect. My TX is on about 16% of the time only.

Unless the storms get a lot closer - currently most are north of Norwich  - I shall stick with 6m all day. I can hear thunder, but it is very distant and moving further away currently.

UPDATE 1530z: The "pipe" to CN8LI has been disconnected since lunchtime. I wonder if it will come back at teatime? Es often has a second peak at teatime.

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

No storms?

According to the lightning map, the nearest storm is over Boston in Lincolnshire some 90 miles away. There are no very recent strikes. I'll keep an eye on which way it is moving, but things here look benign, for now.

Will leave the gear on 6m for the time being unless things change. That storm map is a very useful guide to what is brewing up and heading this way.

UPDATE 1255z: Can hear distant thunder, although nearest storm is now Attleborough, Norfolk some 60 miles east of this location.

10m, then 6m WSPR

After a brief outing on 10m WSPR, I've returned to 6m WSPR since 0900z. 10m was in good shape with lots of Es about from right across Europe.

Unique 10m WSPR spots early today (repeats not shown)

6m is good too with CN8LI (2113km) already in the logs early this morning along with local G4IKZ (18km).

UPDATE 0938z: CN8LI spotted for 3rd time already.  He is getting stronger  at+7dB S/N just like a local! He is also spotting me.

6m spots to 0942z today

UPDATE 1150z:  CN8LI and I have exchanged WSPR spots twelve times already. Amazing.

Closed down station - thunder storms close

As there is thunder/lightning around, I have decided to disconnect antennas and switch off the rigs. The storms are getting closer according to http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .  As much as I'd like to continue to monitor on 6m, I think to go QRT is the right decision tonight. There will be plenty of other times to monitor 6m and 10m.

UPDATE 2110z:  The worst of the storms missed us.  However, there is a lot of storm activity around still, so the rigs and antennas will remain off tonight.   Meanwhile I am watching Brazil getting beaten by Holland. Current score Brazil 0  Holland 2. Unless Brazil create some magic, they are doomed.

UPDATE 2207z: Would not like to be in the Brazilian national football team this evening.

6m - first Es WSPR today

At 1204z, the first 6m Es today was spotted here with  HB9TJM (764km) being spotted at -15dB S/N on WSPR.  A little later and he was spotting my 1W ERP at around -17dB S/N on WSPR.  No doubt there will be other 6m Es openings later. 6m Es is less common than Es on 10m. In turn 2m Es is far less common than 6m Es: the higher you go, the less frequent it gets. 10m is the easiest Es band (in my opinion) and you get F2 openings more frequently, especially N-S, than on 6m,where F2 openings are rare.

HB9TJM claims to be running 10W, which, if correct, is quite high power for 6m WSPR.  A more common power is 5W or less.

UPDATE 1427z:   CN8LI (2113km) has been spotted twice so far (by 1745z this was 4 times) on 6m this afternoon at 1340z and 1348z. On both occasions he was very strong indeed on WSPR.

The first 3 spots of CN8LI today on 6m WSPR

UPDATE 1440z:  G4IKZ (18km) must have his horizontal Moxon in just the right position as he has been giving me excellent reports all day. No further Es seen here since CN8LI earlier.

Ultimate 3 beacon - still unable to build it

I am still far too clumsy to build this kit. This morning I was going to start on the LPF but I am still far too wobbly and clumsy to do it. Before my brain bleed this would have been a piece of cake, but today it is too much for me. Damn. I shall wait another month to see if I feel better. Blogging and WSPR I can manage. Talking in contests is hard work, but I can just about manage it for short periods.

Maybe I have to conclude it is too much for me and call on the help to build and test the unit so kindly offered? I did check the full pack and the GPS module is definitely not there but a surplus relay board is. I shall have to contact Hans Summers and return the unwanted PCB and request the GPS module that I paid for but that has not been delivered. It is some months since the bits came. I resisted opening the package until I thought I could build it. I photographed the opening and was very careful.

On reflection, I wonder how much they would have charged to build and test the unit for me?

I hate being unable to do this sort of thing: it feels like I am past it. Please no.

6m WSPR this morning

Since 1026z, I QSYed back to 6m WSPR. So far here, just locals and GDX, no Es seen so far.

6m WSPR this morning - no Es so far today.

10m - early morning GDX and Es

The 10m WSPR kit ran overnight. WSPR spots of G6NHU (78km), G7EOB (76km)  and G8JNJ/A (184km) and Es early this morning from IK1WVQ (1084km) , EA6GF (1428km) , EA5CYA (1376km) .  Spanish Es was being received at 0722z - very early.

Will be QSYing up to 6m shortly.

UPDATE 0950z:  10m WSPR is mainly from stations in southern Europe by Es now.

10m - evening Es and F2

10m was open this evening for Es around Spain and N. Africa with WSPR spots exchanged with several stations in Spain and SWL reports from 3VSWL (1845km) in Tunisia.

Also audible at 2044z and 2130z was CX2ABP (11127km) in Montevideo - very late. These are the 9th and 10th spots of this station today. I just wonder if we are seeing an Es opening to Spain linking up with an F2 opening nearer to the equator? Or is this just pure F2?

UPDATE 2156z:  EA5CYA still being spotted here strongly at -10dB S/N on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2212z: Being spotted strongly by EA2CNU as late as 2204z. Just off to bed now.  I shall leave the 10m WSPR kit running overnight.

EA5CYA - teatime Es on 10m WSPR

Since 1626z EA5CYA has been coming in via Es at a reasonable level for his 200mW.  I suspect there will be further Es spots this evening. It has been rather quiet on 10m Es today so far.

CX2ABP - 7 times so far this afternoon

CX2ABP (11127km) has been spotted here seven times since lunch so far. Rodolpho is using 2W but is a very consistent signal with me. He has one of the best signals from South America. Not sure what antenna he uses?

UPDATE 1645z: CX2ABP has now been spotted 9 times this afternoon. Conditions N-S on 10m are good today.

10m F2 propagation this morning. GDX this afternoon

FR1GZ (9724km) was spotted several times on 10m WSPR around 0930-1000z this morning.

Sunspot count is 159 (good) and 20-30MHz propagation "good",which is probably why FR1GZ was putting in an appearance today.   

EA5CYA was spotted (by Es) at 1118z and LB9YE at 1156z.

Also spotted were local G4KPX and more distant G6NHU (78km).

In terms of GDX, 10m seems better than 6m. Es is also better on 10m and there is still F2 around on 10m, which is all but absent, from here at least, on 6m. If I had to choose between the two bands, 10m would be my favourite. At the moment I am enjoying both bands.

UPDATE  1445z:  Best DX spot is of CX2ABP (11127km) by F2. Best GDX spot is of G8JNJ/A (184km). The best spot of my 2W ERP is from G3JKV (123km). Lots of spots exchanged with local Richard G4KPX (14km). who lives in Ely.

10m GDX and Es

My PC was doing odd things again earlier - said WSPR was TXing when it was not - but restarted WSPR software and all OK now.

G8JNJ/A (184km) GDX and EA5CYA (1376km) via Es (twice)  seen here in last hour.  The long F2 DX to South America seems to have gone now?  I love 10m -  a band of true variety and not hard in any way. My antenna is a 3 band Par end-fed 10/20/40m just strung to a nearby tree and not that high. On 10m I am currently using 2.5W from the FT817. The cable loss take this down to about 2W (max) at the antenna. This seems to get out fine. I am sure with a more efficient antenna just a few mW would be enough, although 5mW to this antenna has got spots from Israel and 100mW from the USA. Maybe it is somewhat directional?

At the moment my TX is only active 6% of the time on 10m. I am mostly on RX.

UPDATE 2030z:  Nothing further heard from CX2ABP in Montevideo since late afternoon.  He is using 10W, so if the 10m band is open, I would expect to copy him.  G8JNJ/A (184km GDX) has now been copied several times already this evening at up to -22dB S/N. Not strong, but there.

UPDATE 2112z:  G6NHU (78km 100mW) has been copied at -24dB S/N from JO01ou. Just a local and GDX currently.

UPDATE 2128z: Just when you think that is it for the evening up pops EA5CYA at 2118z at -21dB S/N and again at 2126z. So there is still Es around. even this late. I shall reset the software and clock and leave the kit running on 10m overnight.

UPDATE 2204z: G6NHU and EA5CYA are still being spotted.

Free Microsoft eBooks

Steve G1KQH has again passed on some data, this time about free eBooks from Microsoft.

The collection covers Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 365, Office 2010, SharePoint 2013, Dynamics CRM, PowerShell, Exchange Server, Lync 2013, System Center, Azure, Cloud, SQL Server, and much more.

I am just acting as postman here as I have not read any of them.

Again, my thanks to Steve for finding these.  See Eric Lygman's blog which has more details.

10m WSPR

As 6m was looking pretty quiet, I decided to QSY down to 10m at around 1500z. Within a few minutes CX2ABP (11127km) was being spotted (F2 propagation) at -22dB S/N. 10m is in decent shape. So far, CX2ABP has been spotted 5 times in the last hour. Best report is -15dB S/N with his 10W.  He has yet to spot me, as has anyone else on 10m.

6m this morning

A quiet morning so far on 6m with a little GDX but no Es seen yet. M0EMM (192km) has exchanged spots with me around 1118z. Also local G4IKZ (18km). Otherwise quiet.

Conditions 20-30MHz are described as "good" with sunspots 183 with blackouts. Maybe I'll QSY to 10m later unless 6m improves?

6m - Es today

The 2 spots of me by 9H5G (2116km) on 6m WSPR mid-afternoon appear to be the only Es seen on 6m here today. There may have been Es earlier but I was out and did not have the rigs turned on. Since 1544z, I have been copied by local G4IKZ (18km) only.  My best reception was of G4NRG (58km).

Do I stick with 6m WSPR tonight?

University of Liverpool on-line courses

Very many years ago (1967-1970) I was an undergraduate student studying Electronics at the University of Liverpool.  Since those days, the Department has become heavily involved with on-line learning as reported by the Southgate Amateur Radio News page. This course could suit someone needing a grounding in electronics. I think there is some (easy-ish) maths. To do the honours degree course we had to do maths to degree level. I found this very hard.

Proving how small the world is, one of our close friends in the village is the brother of my personal tutor at university. The brother is now a visiting professor at Liverpool. I believe my old tutor still works at the university as an emeritus professor.

A new Massive Open On-line Course (MOOC) covers Analogue/Digital Electronics, AC/DC Circuits, Electromechanics and an introduction to C programming.
Over the last few months here at Liverpool we have been putting together a MOOC (Massive Open On-line Course) which introduces aspects of electrical engineering. The course starts in September, but you can sign up now. It's free and there are no gimmicks.
The link to the MOOC info is here: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/electrify
Any ideas on how to make this course better are welcome.
Matt O’Rourke
MOOC developer
Liverpool University On-line Electrical Engineering Course

9H5G on 6m WSPR

Most of the day I've been out, with rigs and antennas disconnected. Since getting home again just after 1520z, I've been on 6m WSPR and see I've been spotted by 9H5G (2116km) by Es.  I am amazed this is just a tiny bit further than Morocco from here. Also spotting me is local G4IKZ (18km).

Early morning on 10m WSPR

Overnight, I was on 10m rather than 6m hoping to catch any early morning and overnight activity. FR1GZ (9724km) was spotted very early at 0554z  on Reunion Island in the southern Indian Ocean. My QRP WSPR signal has (so far) been spotted on Es by Scandinavian stations.

Sunspot count today is 209 (good) with blackouts and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". The early morning appearance of FR1GZ proves there is N-S F2 propagation around on 10m. This remains my favourite band. Of course, with high sunspot numbers and stable HF conditions it is a very good band. In the quiet years things get MUCH harder on 10m.

There was also GDX around on 10m with G8JNJ/A (184km) and G6NHU (78km) spotted during the night.

In the last few minutes, IK1WVQ has been spotted.

70cm contest

Having missed VHF NFD at the weekend (I forgot and we had a visitor) I went on the 70cm UK activity contest from home this evening with 5W and the hand-rotated 5 el beam. Conditions were very flat but best DX was 183km. After 10 QSOs I had to stop because of my voice was so poor.

70cm - stations worked with 5W and 5 el

VC1T copied in the UK on 2m

If you can access the ARRL pages see http://www.arrl.org/news/view/brendan-quest-team-s-2-meter-signal-copied-in-the-uk .

G4SWX copied the Canadian group VC1T for 4 hours, but was unable to complete a 2-way QSO. The Canadian's ERP was around 150kW from a beam 100 foot long.  The mode was FSK441 and this was on July 6th 2014. A 2m 2-way terrestrial QSO will happen across the Atlantic sometime, maybe this summer?

My thanks again to Steve G1KQH for this news. 

Ultimate 3 kit build

I thought my hands and eyes were good enough to make a start on this kit, which I have only just unpacked, having had it for months. I was waiting until I was less clumsy. When built, this will make a really useful WSPR beacon.

The packing is wrong as I had asked for a GPS module, which is missing, but there is a surplus relay board in the box.  I was very careful unpacking the kit. and have left in packets those parts not yet needed. Some are anti-static.

Sadly, my eyes and hands are not really good enough: I started on the 10m LPF PCB and, frankly, this was a real struggle both for my eyes and hands. Tomorrow I shall test this with my generator and 50 ohm load.

Two people have very kindly offered their help building the kit. I fear I shall have to admit defeat and ask them to help me. This is a great pity as I was so hoping I'd be fit enough to build this. Sadly, this seems unlikely any time soon.  My stroke is taking its toll on my abilities. WSPR is OK, but I am struggling with building still.  Talking in tonight's contest will be hard.

6m WSPR and 70cm UKAC

So far today, 6m WSPR is running to form: most spots are from local and semi-locals, a smattering of Es (but nothing like the Es on 10m) and no "super-DX" to be seen here. If I QSY back down to 10m I am almost guaranteed S.American F2 propagation, but "sod's law" says I'll miss a stronking great big opening to the Caribbean on 6m. I am bound to do the wrong thing! For now , I plan to stay on 6m. We'll see.

This evening is the 70cm UK activity contest. I plan to operate for the first hour or so, as long as my voice holds - I am not good at SSB contests because of my stroke damaged voice - it is really hard work. About 10 QSOs is my very limit. At least I can WSPR on 6m at the same time as I use different rigs and antennas (both FT817s). WSPR saves my voice.

Another Pixie

Yet another variation on the Pixie arrived by email today from Sverre Holm in Norway who has LM386 mods to reduce BCI, provide mute and add sidetone.

See http://la3za.blogspot.no/2003/04/using-pin-7-of-lm386-to-reduce-bci-and.html .

This looks a very useful mod to this simplest of circuits. Sverre also added a much wider tuning range that helps to get contacts. Low power does not seem to be the main handicap.

6m WSPR

After a very brief spell on 10m WSPR before 0808z, I QSYed back to 6m WSPR  very early today. 10m was very busy with Es coming through from right across Europe.

On 6m, in the early morning, a couple of Germans were spotting my 1W ERP WSPR signal, but since then just locals and semi-locals.

10m tomorrow?

Tomorrow morning, I think I am going to take a look on 10m WSPR rather than 6m. I may go on to 6m lunchtime onwards. 6m (apart from some Es, GDX and locals) seems pretty quiet.   Later in the day there is still a chance of some super-DX across the Atlantic, but I'm not holding my breath!

Polyakov Pixie

Peter DL3PB has sent details of his version of the Pixie transceiver. He claims no broadcast breakthrough by using this configuration and lots of QSOs.

Peter DL2PB's Polyakov Pixie

6m - past the best?

I am beginning to think that 6m is now past its best both for Es opportunities and, of course, for F2 propagation. Almost zero Es on 6m in the last few days, mainly locals and a little GDX. I may give it a few more days before QSYing back down to 10m where both Es and F2 DX are more plentiful.

10m conditions should be good for N-S F2. Sunspot count is 256 (high) and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "normal".

If anything, solar activity has staged a bit of a comeback lately, but this may be just a blip.

UPDATE 1545z: As if to persuade me to stay on 6m, CN8LI (2113km) was spotted at 1450z.

UPDATE 1810z:  No more Es here since CN8LI at 1450z. One blog reader tells me that I should try JT65 as there is more activity. JT9-1 worked well for me on MF with international 2-way QSOs with very low mW ERP. I think JT65 is more commonly used on 6m?

Smart Meters

More news via Steve G1KQH.  Thanks Steve - again:

Subject: Energy industry unveils £85m plan to tout smart meter benefits | News | Marketing Week
Get Green Go Smart!

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/utilities/news/energy-industry-unveils-85m-plan-to-tout-smart-meter-benefits/4011020.article

Coming your way soon to interfere with your Ham kit

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2681954/Unveiled-New-200-smart-meters-household-pay-not-work.html

They are also not saying how many meter readers will lose their jobs?

See also:
http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/
http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/do-i-have-to-accept-a-smart-meter

6m - quiet overnight, now some GDX

6m remained quiet here overnight with just local reports but at 0728z I was spotted by G8JNJ/A (184km) weakly. This is the first GDX spot of the day.   Later, at 0834z, M0EMM (192km)  was decoding me at -20dB with what seems to be aircraft Doppler (-3Hz)

No WSPR spots of others yet but reasonable signals about 1 minute long seen (MS or aircraft?). Maybe JT65 would be better with a 1 minute decode period? Some of these shorter bursts are actually at strengths JT65 would have no trouble with. JT65 is usually a few dB worse than WSPR but is a proper 2-way comms mode, whereas WSPR is really a beacon mode.

Yesterday my WSPR software crashed so I reset the clock and restarted the software this morning to be sure all was OK.

My TX periodicity is now much lower (around 10% TX) so I am listening far more than transmitting. No stations copied though for very many hours!

UPDATE 1051z: M0EMM (192km) copied at -27dB S/N at 0940z. This is my first WSPR spot since yesterday.  No Es here (yet) today.  M0EMM is the station I have been seeing for hours (judging be frequency) but with TX periods less than 2 mins (MS pings?).

UPDATE 1235z: M0EMM spotted again here at 1224z. Still no 6m Es here today.

Pixie and Micro 80

These little QRP transceivers first made an appearance some 20 odd years ago. They are extremely simple transceivers that use the TX PA as the RX mixer to save parts.

I built a Micro 80 some years ago and my best QSO was around 300km.  Biggest issue (for me) was broadcast breakthrough from strong broadcasters just above the 80m band. Variations included the Pixie 2 which added some refinements at the expense of more parts. Kits are available, but the circuits are so simple it is not work paying over the odds for these. The Micro 80 uses all discrete components whereas the Pixie and Pixie 2 use an LM386 for the RX audio.

If you build one, be prepared to fight for contacts. It is not the TX power that is the problem: it is the receiver that is the limitation.Given good conditions and little broadcast breakthrough, these rigs work.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/pixie .

The same basic schematic will work on any HF band with changes to the output filter. Watch out for chirp on the higher HF bands: don't be tempted to try to pull the crystal too much, especially on the higher HF bands.

6m - quiet so far today

So far today it has been very quiet on 6m with just locals copied. No Es seen here yet today on 6m.

Sunspot count today is very high at 213 and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "normal". Conditions on 10m should be good for F2 N-S propagation, although expect blackouts.

UPDATE 1505z:  still no Es on 6m here today.

6m transatlantic

Looking on the internet, the better equipped stations measure the number of  transatlantic 6m QSOs each year in hundreds (to Spain). With my very modest 6m set-up I am still pleased to have worked just a single USA station on Es CW back in 2007.

I am still surprised not to have caught 6m Es transatlantic on WSPR as I've been monitoring 24/7 more or less (with occasional breaks) since late April. I know there have been transatlantic Es openings on other modes, so it may have been down to a lack of WSPR activity. I''ll continue monitoring and TXing through July, but will probably QSY to 10m after that. I am still hopeful.

WSPR software closed itself down yesterday PM (Win 8.1)

Some time between 1440z and 2124z yesterday, my WSPR software decided to close down, so all reports in that period were lost. I think the PC decided to update Windows 8.1 software.  I should have noticed it had closed sooner, so I blame myself and no-one else. I like to leave updates running so I get the latest Windows updates as soon as I can. WSPR closing when updates come in seems a common issue with Win 8.1.

Since 2124z yesterday only locals and GDX on 6m, no Es here.