Stroke update - a disappointing day

Today I found a recording of my voice dated last August. My XYL heard it and thought it was a recent recording.  So, it really means my poor voice has not really improved since last summer. I was gutted. I still feel very giddy, am breathless whenever I try to speak, have poor thin liquid drinking,  although I think I am less tired than I was. I will never give up, but this is a real setback.  Am I really getting better or are my disabilities that remain with me for ever now? I certainly want to get better as I feel so unwell still.

6m - no Es here so far today

6m has remained quiet here, so far, apart from the usual G stations by tropo and aircraft reflections. No Es seen here on the band, yet at least. Their is a lot of time left today though, so things might change.

On 10m there has been some Es to Scandinavia, but Es even on 10m is below usual levels so far this season.

Thunderstorms - missing us?

At the moment, it looks like the worst of the thunder and lightning is missing us and passing up through the east of East Anglia, UK.

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See http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page_0=12 .

Sunspots and 10m - Friday June 5th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed to 80 (K=1) but 10m forecasts are still "poor". With thunder and lightning forecast for this part of the UK today it is likely I'll have to switch off equipment during the day. The best we can hope for on 10m and 6m WSPR is some short skip by Es.

UPDATE 2005z:   Very few 10m Es spots of me today.  Just Scandinavians earlier and G4IKZ (18km) since then.  In all, a very disappointing day on 10m and 6m.  No sign of any DX from outside Europe, not even spots from EA8BVP who has spotted me for months.

Early Es on 10m WSPR - June 5th

LB9YE (1533km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m at 0834z.

10m/6m F2 and Es today

EA8BVP (2986km) has yet again been spotting me on 10m by F2 propagation. I see some very recent evidence of Es with OE6PWD (1232km) spotting me a little while ago.

UPDATE 2146z: EA8BVP has spotted me 36 times today so far.

UPDATE 2148z:  Again, no evidence of 6m Es here today.

London's West End Theatres - NOT amateur radio

Waiting for the coach outside the Aldwych Theatre

London has some excellent theatres, but they are expensive. Our village (60 miles from London) arranges theatre coach trips which are excellent value as they take you door-to-theatre door (just about) with plenty of time for a meal before the show and the price includes the coach and the theatre ticket (good seats too).

472kHz (630m)

This is a fascinating MF band. I am truly amazed how slow the FCC has been releasing this band and the 136kHz band in the USA. Do they sleep all day?

Simple, small, 472kHz transverter

Even with just 5mW ERP from a just a short baseline earth electrode antenna (earths 12m apart) I have been copied on WSPR more than 1000km away. Copy at shorter range is very easy. I use my transverter with the FT817. The ARRL was due to publish the circuit over 2 years ago, but are still waiting for the FCC release. For goodness sake wake up FCC! You look total fools to the rest of the world!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr .

Sunspots (creeping up) and 10m - June 4th 2015

Sunspot number is creeping up again and stands at 55 (K=1) today. 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor" so we depend on Es to liven up 10m and possibly 6m. So far, Es is quiet with no evidence here of the overnight Es we had a day earlier.

6m Es - yes! 6m super DX?

6m WSPR has come to life with spots exchanged several times this afternoon with EA1KV (1304km).  DL4MFC (916km) spotted me on 6m WSPR at 1356z. Perhaps the 6m Es season is taking off at last? I notice there is thunder over central Europe. I wonder if this is helping? Sprites? I know one of the theories for Es involves thunder activity and upward movement into the E layer. Es is pretty complex.

No idea if the better equipped stations are working from Western Europe to Japan on 6m. This path seems to open every year around now, and some theories suggest reflections from mesospheric noctilucent clouds which are more common around this time of year. I suspect reflections would be possible right up to microwaves, but I doubt anyone is trying. See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent .

I am very suspicious of some of the multi-hop explanations for very long path Es. To me, there has to be a better explanation. Es yes. Multi-hop? Really? I have my doubts.  Some Europeans may indeed be multi-hop but some of the openings to South East Asia, Africa and South America?  I really doubt that many of these are multi-hop Es in the way most understand this. Some sort of chordal hops perhaps?

Optical mirages - NOT amateur radio

These have fascinated me for years. When I first created this page many years ago there was very little on optical mirages on the internet, but now there are lots of resources.

There are some indications that some extreme amateur optical DX may be influenced by optical refraction. The most extreme "over the horizon" (NLOS) amateur optical DX is by cloud bounce when signals are reflected off the base of clouds.

Under very favourable conditions places way beyond the normal horizon become visible. This is most common in conditions when warm(er) air passes over very cold water. The common mirages seen over roads, that look like puddles are just the opposite (hot roads and cooler air above).

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/optical/mirages .

10m - LOTS of Es early today

Today looks very promising on 10m WSPR with lots of Es propagation very early.

So far, 6m has been just GDX but I am hopeful that with 10m WSPR being so lively 6m will come to life with some Es later. We will see!

PY2OHH pages

One of the best web resources is on the pages of PY2OHH.  Many pages are now in English and the site is filled with good ideas for simple circuits. If you are a home brewer then please do check this out. You will not be disappointed.

See http://py2ohh.w2c.com.br/ and look for the English translations.

Sunspots and 10m - June 3rd 2015

Sunspot number is 39 today (K=1). 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" again. Several 10m Es spots overnight from Italy and Germany.

Thunderstorms

According to the Met Office (by the way, time you bought new seaweed as a piece of wet seaweed would be nearly as good as your super-computers I think) we are due to get thunderstorms in south east England on Friday.  Very useful maps for tracking thunderstorms are available at http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=1 . Last year, I used these maps to help me with early warnings of thunderstorms in the UK that required me to safeguard rigs.

Poor Es season so far?

Maybe it is just a lack of activity on WSPR on 10m and 6m but so far this Es season has been poor. I am sure things were better last year. Up to now there has been very little Es activity on either band. So far, hardly anything outside Europe. I certainly hope things improve on both bands.

Field tests?

Although I still have several of my stroke-related symptoms, I do, on the whole, feel less tired than I did. I still get tired but seem to recover more quickly than I once did. I still feel very wobbly when doing anything on my feet (although I do not fall) and my thin liquid swallow and voice are still poor.

I am hopeful that field experiments can resume soon. My only field test was a VLF test a few months ago and that was a total failure in that what was a good location before was a "non-event" from the new QTH. I did do a quick at-home optical test bouncing a signal off our windmill, but that hardly counts. The signal was very strong and easy to find.

6m WSPR - only GDX so far today

Although I am spotting, and being spotted, by lots of G stations, I have seen no signs, yet anyway, of any Es on 6m WSPR today. Things could well change later, especially around teatime when Es often peaks.

UPDATE 1305z:  I see that I am now being spotted in Sweden on 10m WSPR.  Alas, only Gs still on 6m.

Eddystone EC10 receiver

When I was young (that is now a very long time ago!) I coveted the Eddystone EC10 all transistor receiver. When I first had my call I had one on loan from a local SWL. I used it on 160m AM and CW.  A few years later a friend at work managed to get me one from his dad who worked for Eddystone. This was a pre-production unit. I used it as a tunable IF for several years.

Looking back it was rubbish!  On 10m the whole band was about 0.5 inches on the dial. On MW and bands up to about 6MHz it was OK. It had a low IF and germanium transistors (OC171s). It was mechanically a nice radio, but almost all modern receivers are a lot better.

Prices on the second hand market for EC10s are very high. Even though a far from great radio they are still sought after receivers.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ec10 .

Sunspots and 10m - June 2nd 2015

Sunspot number today is 38 (K=1) and 10m is again expected to be "poor". Breakfast time Es livened up 10m WSPR with spots from Germany and Italy, but otherwise very quiet on the band.

UPDATE 1600z:  SA0CAM (1352km) in Sweden has been spotting me lots of times this afternoon via Es. Still no F2 DX on the band. I guess we are now in summertime conditions although I was hoping for more N-S F2 DX on WSPR. Still not spotted, or being spotted, outside Europe via Es, on 10m or 6m, this summer. 4X1RF (3519km) spotted me on 6m a few weeks ago. This was probably Es although it was a long way, so just could have been F2.

UPDATE 1618z:  I see that DK6UG (633km) is now spotting me on 10m WSPR by Es.

UPDATE 2050z:   At 1938z and 1950z EA8BVP (2986km)  was yet again spotting me on 10m WSPR. As far as I can see this was just a short opening (just 2 spots) but yet again he has spotted me. Pretty sure this is single-hop F2 and not Es.

Coat hanger 70cm beam

Some years ago, I was in need of a 70cms antenna for portable use and had to improvise by raiding my XYL's wardrobe!  The result was a 2 el Moxon antenna made in about 30 minutes which worked some impressive QRP (2.5W) DX into France on 70cms. Gain is quite low but all you need is a wire coat hanger and a few bits for insulation and to attach the coax feed. Simplicity! It does not look pretty, but it works. The mast was made from a short length of PVC pipe.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/70cm_moxon .

Lawns - NOT amateur radio

Usually our lawns look pretty good and weed free. They ought to as we pay Green Thumb a decent amount each month to treat, scarify and tine.  The last time they treated the lawn they scarified and removed a fair bit of moss. I have removed the dead moss and reseeded in places, but there is a lot of course grass and there are brownish patches.

Reseeded patches

My wife is very cross and wants them back to fix the lawn, which looked far better last year. They are coming again on Friday and have promised to put things right. We shall see. If not, they will lose our business and I am pretty sure my XYL will "go viral" with her displeasure. They ought to have done a better job as lots of people have looked over the wall and asked, "what happened to your lovely lawn?". The front lawn is right next to the local windmill and should be a showcase for Green Thumb.

6m/10m Es

There was some 6m Es earlier on 6m WSPR.  At 1344z IV3APH (1162km) was spotting me on 6m.

On 10m WSPR, over lunchtime, I see my 500mW beacon was copied  in Spain and Germany. No great DX as yet on either 10m or 6m.

UPDATE 1800z:  CT1JTQ (1843km) was spotting me on 10m a few minutes ago by Es.

Sunspots and 10m - June 1st 2015

Sunspot number has climbed to 47 (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" again.

10m F2

EA8BVP (2986km) was spotting me on 10m WSPR yet again at 1552z.  He has spotted me now for months on end, sometimes until very late in the evening.  So far, this is the only longish distance DX to be heard. With the poor sunspot conditions I suspect this will be the best DX on 10m today.

UPDATE 1936z:  At 1916z SA0CAM (1352km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m by Es. This was the first Es report since this morning here on 10m.

No real voice

Although I (just about) get onto the East Cambs 2m FM net most Mondays on 144.575MHz for about 20 minutes and I get on for about 1 hour in the 2m and 70cm legs of the RSGB's Tuesday evening UKAC contests, I find using my voice hard work, so I avoid talking on the radio too much currently.  CW is not easy either. 

I certainly hope my (stroke affected) voice improves this year.  In the meantime I tend to use WSPR a lot, currently on 10m and 6m as this gives me a good indication about propagation and can be monitored elsewhere in our home via WSPRnet.

Tenner - a 500mW CW transceiver for 10m

This was a rig I built and used a few years ago for 10m CW.  As you can see, the design is simple but it worked across the Atlantic many times. Pull the crystal too much and the RX-TX offset becomes too great. Ideal as a simple rig for 10m CW.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10m_tenner .

Sunspots and 10m/6m - Sun May 31st 2015

Sunspot number is little changed from yesterday at 27 (K=1) and 10m is expected to remain "poor". Apart from local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me there was a little Es evident mid morning with my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon being spotted in France and Sweden.

UPDATE 1145z:  On 6m this morning no F2 or Es seen here but plenty of G stations spotting me or being spotted.

East Anglian Churches blog updated - NOT amateur radio

We actually visited Wiveton Church in North Norfolk a couple of weeks ago,  but I have only today updated the blog to reflect our visit.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/.

MOSFET crystal sets

Some years ago, QST had an article on a crystal set based on a zero bias MOSFET.  Although I have yet to try this sort of design I have no doubt they will work well.  Crystal sets derive all their power from the TX and in the past I have achieved some remarkable (well for me!) results.  Best was receiving Radio Australia (from Australia) as well as some amateur Gs on 80m and 160m at a considerable distance. In the USA some 75m AM amateur stations are regularly heard at great distances.

See http://makearadio.com/visitorsprojects/ralf-mosfet.php .

GQRP Club and SPRAT magazine

Several times in the past I have said that, if all other magazines had to be cancelled I'd keep GQRP Club's SPRAT magazine. This small format magazine comes out quarterly and is excellent value for money. You don't get the endless adverts by the few remaining national radio companies in the UK, just a few adverts from companies selling bits.  Every quarter there are articles showing things to build or ideas on which to base your own projects.

SPRAT really is first class and all produced by unpaid volunteers who love our hobby. As much as I enjoy browsing PW and RadCom, I look forward to getting SPRAT far more.

See http://www.gqrp.com/ .

10m Es, no Es on 6m today so far

There was Es propagation on 10m WSPR with spots from Sweden and Portugal starting before lunch, but, so far at least, no signs of any F2 propagation. Quiet on 6m WSPR so far with just G stations up to 134km (G4BRK) and no signs of any Es on 6m so far today here.

UPDATE 1625z: EA8BVP (2986km) has been spotting me several times this (late) afternoon. This is single hop F2.

CCS - NOT amateur radio

My wife sings in a local choir and I do their website. You do not want to hear me sing, believe me!

See www.cambschoral.org.uk  for details of the choir. If local you may want to join the choir and sing? Otherwise you may want to attend the next concert?

6m WSPR this morning

On 6m WSPR this morning I have only seen GDX spots and no sign, yet, of any Es propagation. It is early days and Es later is entirely possible.  Best DX so far is G0OQK at 98km. Some of this GDX may only be possible via aircraft reflections, evidenced by lots of Doppler traces on the received traces.

6m WSPR this morning so far (overnight spots not included)

Sunspots and 10m - May 30th 2015

Sunspot number has risen to 23 (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor".

UPDATE 0925z:  Only local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me overnight and this morning so far on 10m WSPR.  I reset the 10m beacon clock to internet time just before breakfast time.  No F2 or Es spots seen yet on 10m WSPR here.

UPDATE 1835z:    EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me 32 times so far today by F2, but no further DX.

Es on 10m and 6m WSPR

I noticed Es propagation on 10m and on 6m WSPR today as well as single-hop F2 to EA8BVP (2986km) on 10m.  Conditions otherwise on 10m have not been good.

UPDATE 2015z:   EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me (single hop F2) no less than 77 times so far today. Getting further is proving impossible, but this path seems to be open daily.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Not sure if the cranial osteopathy is the reason, but I do seem to be less tired than I was.  This week we have had all our little grandchildren staying (2 lots of 2 and they are all less than 7.5 years old) yet I am coping better.

Overall, I still have a poor voice and poor thin liquid swallow and I still feel drunk when walking, but feeling less tired is a positive step on a long road. Small steps.

Return to 6m WSPR

Last night I had to use my FT817 and PC to check the frequency and DT of my 10m WSPR beacon. Since about 1000z I have returned to 6m WSPR as well as 10m WSPR.  So far, no Es seen on 6m WSPR but I did get spotted by G3ZJO (79km).

I received a weak 6m WSPR direct signal with lots of aircraft reflection signals, but this did not decode. The signals reflected off aircraft were much stronger but with lots of Doppler shift., sadly too much to allow the WSPR software to decode. This is often the case. Aircraft reflection only works on WSPR if the Doppler is sufficiently low.

UPDATE 2022z:  A little Es on 6m WSPR but most spots were GDX.

6m unique WSPR spots today.

Big wheel antenna

Big Wheel for 2m

A good 2m antenna for horizontal polarisation is the big wheel. Quite a few beacons use these as they require no rotator and a couple of these stacked give about 5dBd gain horizontally. So, these would be ideal for fixed station use. They would suit me well for UKAC 2m contests and general 2m SSB/CW use. I know that my 3 el, hand rotated, beam has about the same gain.  One big wheel alone is better than a halo, but two suitably phased would be better than a small beam.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/bigwheel .

Sunspots and 10m - Friday March 29th 2015

Sunspot number has dropped to 11 (K=1) and 10m is expected to remain "poor" today. These are figures more typical of a good day in the sunspot minimum  years.

At least my DT was good on my 10m beacon overnight. Still unsure why it was so high before doing a frequency change and long hard reset by turning off the beacon's DC power supply.   My WSPR signals on 10m should all be in-band now, whereas before some fell outside the lower WSPR sub-band limit so most people would not have noticed these.

UPDATE 0822z:   Most spots overnight were by Nick G4IKZ (18km) but there was one spot from Italy by Es at 0730z.