Copyright - NOT amateur radio

If you believe I have infringed your copyright, please let me know right away so the offending material can be removed.

Whenever possible, I try to avoid posting material that infringes copyright. If I slip up, please accept my sincere apologies and let me know what I did wrong. I never intentionally infringe copyright, but I am human and can make mistakes.

Just tell me so I can remove whatever it is that is an issue - no arguments, it will go. Occasionally, I link to pictures on other sites, so the image is linked but not on this blog. I think this is OK, but if not tell me so I can quickly put things right.

Have a laugh - NOT amateur radio

Although I am theoretically on Twitter, I do not really use it, but get sent an email daily. This caption made me laugh and laugh. I understand the BBC corrected the error as soon as they noticed it.

Balloon Tracking

High altitude balloon tracking is an aspect of our hobby I have never tried, although I know some are really into this. As they say, you cannot do everything. ATV is another aspect I have never tried and satellite comms I have only "dabbled" with. Today, Southgate News has a link to an introduction to high altitude ballooning, which is well worth a read if ballooning "floats your boat".

See http://www.daveakerman.com/?p=1732 .

Judging by the comments, this is quite an old post, but worth a read.

Fen sky - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went for a walk at Wicken Fen (National Trust). It was cold and very frosty with a bright blue sky. In fact it was a perfect January morning. The picture shows the excellent skies we get in East Anglia. Wicken Fen is famous for the bittern and its dragonflies. The boardwalk was quite icy, so we avoided this where possible

10m JT65

In the last few minutes I QSYed from 630m to 10m JT65. No spots as yet.

UPDATE 1518z: I am having problems reaching PSKreporter maps, so have been unable to see if there are any 10m JT65 spots today so far today.

UPDATE 1712z: Zero 10m spots today. It is a full week now since I have been spotted on 10m JT65 and this is not conditions, rather lack of activity!

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday January 22nd 2017

Solar flux is 86 today and the sunspot number a respectable 67. A=11 and K=3.

We might get some decent 10m propagation, but will there be activity?

Not a bad session on 472kHz WSPR

Overnight, I was spotted in 5 countries by 11 unique stations on 472kHz WSPR. As usual, I get a measured 5mW ERP on TX from my earth-electrode "antenna". The power from the transverter is about 12W into 50 ohms.

Just about anyone could get on this band with WSPR with a similar set-up. Big antennas and great earth systems are nice, but are not a prerequisite to get started on the band.

472kHz homebrew transverter

Uniques on 472kHz WSPR overnight on TX (5mW ERP)

QSY to 630m WSPR

Around 2100z I QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR from 10m JT65. At the moment I am on battery power, so the RX noise floor is low. Later, I shall be on the SMPSU so although the 5mW ERP may be spotted, only the strongest stations will be spotted here.

UPDATE 2118z:  Just locals (out to 80km) spotting me, but I have spotted DH5RAE (995km). The WSPRnet database shows 111 stations active on 630m WSPR, but just 19 of these on TX.

Early evening spots on 472kHz WSPR

UPDATE 2330z: For about 30 minutes now I have been using the shack PSU with the mains PSU charging the batteries. Although 80% RX I am "deaf" because of my S8 noise floor.

First sunspot of cycle 25 spotted

Now, please don't get excited as the peak (such as it will be) is years and years away but there are reports of the first sunspot of the new cycle spotted. This has a different polarity to those of cycle 24.

See http://qrznow.com/fast-solar-solar-wind-first-sunspot-of-a-new-cycle/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

EME

Moonbounce (EME) impresses me as I know some work really hard to optimise their stations to achieve this most difficult aspect of our hobby. In recent years it has become a little easier (although still hard) with the advent of digital modes optimised for EME paths.

Jan, LA3EQ posted a video on YouTube showing his SSB reception of HB9Q via the moon. Amazing!

UK Politics - NOT amateur radio

In recent times, there seems to have been a swing to the right in the UK and the rest of the world and a sense that our politicians are "out of touch".  The victory of Mr Trump and his "make America great again" speeches are indicative of this. There is a danger that several European nations could move to the right this year.

Here in the UK, we have no effective opposition. The Labour opposition is in disarray and faces two difficult by-elections.

This swing to the right may be temporary, but all parties in all nations need to wake up and be aware.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38704082 .

Moving to 10m JT65 from 6m

With no spots at all on 6m JT65 (not even locals) I am going to QSY to 10m JT65. With solar flux over 80, a decent sunspot count, and not bad K index, there is a chance of some F layer DX on 10m.

UPDATE 1200z: Now QSYed to 10m JT65 (2W).

UPDATE 1542z: Disappointingly, no spots (yet) on 10m JT65. Is this due to lack of activity? Conditions look quite promising.

Useless Weather Forecasts - NOT amateur radio

At 0830z the Met Office weather forecast for our village said full sun all morning from 0900z. Very very briefly we saw the sun at 1140z. Really, the Met Office weather forecasts are useless. Yes I know weather forecasts in the UK are hard and complex, but surely 30 minutes ahead they can get it better?

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday January 21st 2017

Solar flux is 83 today and the sunspot number 61. A=11 and K=2.

Amaryllis progress - NOT amateur radio

Every winter we grow an amaryllis in the lounge. It has really shot up in the last week, with what looks like 2 flowers coming, barring any disasters.

Last year we supported it with a cane and elastic band.

At the moment, it is 19cms tall.

6m JT65

I have returned to 6m JT65, although I have an S7 noise floor on the band this morning. Even with the PC on battery power it is still there, so I think it is coming from outside the house. Maybe on JT65 TX (2W) someone might spot me? In the past I have not had a noise problem on this band. I suspect 10m JT65 might be even worse?

472kHz (630m) and 28MHz (10m) WSPR yesterday and overnight

10m was dead on WSPR with not a single spot received.

630m was better even with my 5mW ERP but no spots received further than Holland on MF. I copied DL, LA, ON and F stations on 630m RX.

UPDATE 1042z: I have yet to decide on today, but probably 6m JT65 during the day for a change.

Cold, bright days - NOT amateur radio

For the last few days it has been cold, frosty and bright - perfect winter days. This is a picture of where we live (RHS), taken in the frost this morning.

472kHz (630m) WSPR to Norway

LA8AV (1035km) has been spotted here many times this afternoon on 472kHz WSPR.

Last night Jan, LA3EQ (769km) spotted me - thank you Jan - and he kindly sent a link to a screen shot of my signal with him which I have attached here. To spot me, I reckon Jan must have good gear and a quiet noise floor.

On 10m WSPR TX, no spots at all.

On 630m WSPR I have now got the PC on the SMPSU, so my RX noise floor will be too high now to spot any but very strong signals.

Church Blog Updated - NOT amateur radio

After a long break I have updated our church blog to include Grantchester.

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

Sunspots and 10m - Friday January 20th 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 26. A=11 and K=2.

630m and 10m WSPR

For a change today, I am staying on 630m (472kHz) WSPR all day (5mW ERP) on battery PC power so the noise floor on RX is low and I am on 10m WSPR (500mW, 100% TX) rather than JT65. PA0RDT (243km) was copying me on 630 WSPR in daylight. Overnight (actually yesterday evening) the best DX on 630m WSPR was LA3EQ/MW (769km) in Norway.

Memory - getting ever less expensive

It is fascinating to see the price of PC and camera memory getting lower and lower and the capacity increasing. Only a few years ago we thought a 1GB SD card was amazing. Now you can get 128GB (at least) on a mini SD card at quite respectable prices.

Ten years from now I expect we will be used to 1-2TB mini SD cards and think how did we manage in 2017? I recall the hard drive on my first PC was 0.5GB and we thought that was massive.

UPDATE 2035z: You can already buy a 512GB SD card!!

630m (472kHz)

Around 1830z I returned to 630m (472kHz ) WSPR. Initially I used the PC on batteries but it is now on mains power. On battery power the noise floor is low and best RX DX was LA8AV (1035km) in JO59 square. I am hopeful of reaching Norway again on TX tonight (5mW ERP, earth-electrodes).  It would be great to break the 1000km barrier on 630m TX this season, as I have yet to do so this year.

In past years, I reached Finland, which is much further. Another absentee this year is EA5DOM who was regularly copied last season on 630m WSPR. Maybe he is using a different mode or is on 137kHz?

See http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/spots putting in "g3xbm" to see what is being spotted.

UPDATE 2000z: So far, only G4FTC (123km) is able to be spotted in my S8 noise  "fog" when I use the SMPSU on the shack PC.

UPDATE 2028z: Yet again, my best spot on 472kHz TX so far this evening is by PA0RDT (243km).

UPDATE 2104z: Still not been spotted further than Holland so far this evening on 630m WSPR TX.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday January 19th 2017

Solar flux is 78 today.  Sunspot number is 25.  A=17 and K=3.

UPDATE 1240z: So far today, nothing remotely "DXy" seen on 10m JT65.

OFCOM

They have just published a statement about space spectrum.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/space-spectrum-strategy?utm_source=updates&utm_campaign=Space-spectrum-statement&utm_medium=email

10m JT65

Following my usual pattern, I went QRT on 630m WSPR around 0800z and am now on 10m JT65 (2W), but no spots yet. 10m JT65 will probably be my "thing" until tonight.

UPDATE 1235z: Just G4CJC (73km) in North London spotted on 10m JT65 so far today. Nothing outside the UK spotting me, or being spotted, so far today.

472kHz WSPR overnight

No great excitement overnight with the best TX DX being spots from Holland on 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground). Only 6 unique spots last night, which was rather disappointing.  At some point I must count how many unique spots I have had on the band this season, but I am sure it is fewer than a few years ago.

Ice Clouds? - NOT amateur radio

It was cold and bright here today. The photo was taken by my XYL on our way to Cambridge this afternoon.

472kHz last evening and overnight

Best DX on 472kHz WSPR TX was LA3EQ/E (769km). As usual I was using 5mW ERP from the earth-electrodes in the ground. Best RX DX was DH5RAE (995km).

Don't judge a book by its cover - NOT amateur radio

We often hear bad things about young people, but let me tell you what happened yesterday...

As usual, I was on the bus coming back from my Polar Studies course in Cambridge. It was a crowded single decker bus with several people standing. On got an old couple and immediately a young girl with "punk" styling got up and offered the old lady her seat. It was kindness itself. She just did it. Well done.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday January 18th 2017

Solar flux is 78 today and sunspot number 26. A=4 and K=3. If there was more activity on 10m I am sure we'd see the band was open N-S by F layer. No winter Es evident here on 10m so far.

Return to 10m JT65

About an hour ago I went QRT on 630m WSPR and returned to 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1124z: No spots as yet.

UPDATE 1332z: Still no 10m JT65 spots.

Back to 472kHz WSPR

In the last few minutes, I have returned to 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground). As the SMPSU is on I am not expecting to spot stations unless they can beat my local S8 noise floor. However, I am only on TX for 20% of the time with 80% of the time on RX.

I may turn off the SMPSU so I can listen through the night on batteries with a nice low noise floor.

UPDATE 2124z: So far this evening best TX DX is just G4FTC (123km) in IO91 square.

UPDATE 2244z: PA0RDT (243km) is now the best TX DX so far.

UPDATE 2304z: PI4THT (448km) is now the best TX DX. So far, only G3KEV (232km) has managed to be copied over my local noise!

CEPT

Southgate News has an interesting piece linking to the CEPT pages about amateur radio.

See http://www.cept.org/ecc/topics/radio-amateurs/ .

UK Pound UP - NOT amateur radio

Since the Prime Minister clarified our position on leaving the EU following the BREXIT vote, I see that the UK pound is up against every currency. I guess people had already factored in that we are leaving the EU and are happy to have some certainty.

Although I have said this before, it would not surprise me at all if the Euro lost a lot of value this year. The EU is in grave danger of falling apart. We may be the first to vote to leave, but we will not be the last.

OK, I voted to "remain" in the EU, but think many nations want free trade but not a United States of Europe. Originally the EU was about maintaining peace in Europe but it has grown a lot in recent years and has rather lost its way.

Free trade? Yes.
Uncontrolled immigration? No.
U.S.E.? No.

Unless the EU changes, it is in grave danger.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/market_data/currency/default.stm .

Sapphire Jubilee Coin - NOT amateur radio

I see there is new £5 coin being minted to celebrate the sapphire jubilee of the queen. She has done well to reign for so long. The £5 coin is legal tender in Guernsey. I think I shall give this a miss.

50MHz UKAC - missed

This was last Tuesday, so I missed it. The next one is Feb 9th 2017 2000-2130z.

Although I only have a vertical V2000 on 6m and 5W, I occasionally come on to see what I can work. Usually I can work the locals. A few watts and a vertical are easily enough to work all over Europe in the Es season.  However, such an antenna is not so good for working Gs.

See http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=6mukac&year=2017 .

Blackbirds - NOT amateur radio

Every other Tuesday I have been going in to Cambridge on the service bus to my U3A course on Polar Studies at the Scott Polar Institute. As the speaker today was commanded to go to the Economic Forum in Davos, we had a different speaker at short notice: he was very good.

On the way in, I just relax and count the bird species I see. Usually it is between 8 and 12 different species, although in total I have seen many more.

What struck me today was the vast number of blackbirds. They were everywhere. I am not sure why there seem to be so many: are the marking territory or seeking mates?

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/b/blackbird/. The image on the LHS is on the RSPB site.

There are some waxwings in Cambridge. These birds come from Scandinavia and are quite rare most winters. I have yet to see one. They are often seen eating berries in supermarket car parks.

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday January 17th 2017

Solar flux is 77 today and sunspot number 24. A=2 and K=0 .