Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned yesterday, at the moment, amateur radio is having to take a back seat as we have 3 (of our 4) grandchildren staying together with one of our sons. We love having them, but these days I get tired.

10m conditions - don't believe what others say!

Someone once said, "10m is absolutely dead!", to which I reply, "really?" These were the stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 today. The sunspot count is 11. Previous days have been even better and the sunspot number zero. Never give up on 10m. My recommendation is try FT8 instead.

UPDATE 2046z:  Quite a few hours ago I switched to 630m WSPR transceive (10mW ERP, 20% TX) but after another very successful day on 10m FT8 RX.  Another day with 6 continents spotted including loads of South Americas, but just one 1 North American. I  am convinced FT8 is doing great things: many stations are active in a small window, so chances of being spotted go up.

Mugabe loses WHO role - NOT amateur radio

Unsurprisingly, there was widespread condemnation of the World Health Organisation making Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe their goodwill ambassador. This appointment has now been revoked.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41713919 .

Terahertz bands

Southgate News reports on a SARL report about terahertz amateur radio. Whilst a dedicated bunch have explored optical and infra-red frequencies few have tried the bands above 100GHz. I guess the reason is gear and test-gear are difficult. At optical frequencies, I found gear and test-gear easy. Apparently terahertz spectrum is being allocated at the 2019 WRC. This was news to me.

My apologies for referring to tetrahertz frequencies earlier. Now corrected. Shades of my work life long ago!

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/october/the-terahertz-spectrum.htm#.Wex7krpFzIU .

10m FT8 (late!)

Rather later than usual, I have switched to 10m FT8 RX. My first impression is that there is a lot of activity on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1036z: Lots of activity again on 10m FT8. Best DX so far on 10m FT8 RX is YB0MWM (11711km) in Western Java, Indonesia.

UPDATE 1100z: Best 10m FT8 RX DX spotted now VK9VKL (11970km) on Christmas Island.

UPDATE 1508z: Several stations in South Africa and South America and one in Canada this afternoon. Best DX spotted her this afternoon on 10m FT8 is LU3HTS (11258km) to the west of Cordoba.

Devon - NOT amateur radio

Whilst looking through some old photos, I cam across this one of South Devon where I was born and brought up. God's own country!

630m WSPR overnight

Last night I was on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%). I was spotted by 12 unique stations with best DX a spot by LA3EQ (769km) and I spotted 13 unique stations.

Sunspots - Sunday October 22nd 2017

Solar flux is 78 and there are sunspots! Sunspot number is 11. A=10 and K=3.

FCC and outmoded regulations

Southgate News reports that the FCC is continuing with the removal of outmoded regulations.

"eliminating unnecessary rule provisions, and making the agency as efficient and effective as possible"

Well, that should be pretty easy.

Does this mean they might be quicker in future releasing LF and MF amateur bands? You have to admit that they are definitely not fast! They are the laughing stock of the rest of the world.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/october/fcc-scraps-telegraph-regulations.htm#.WeuujbpFzIU

Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

For the next few days we have 3 of our 4 grandchildren staying with us. The picture shows them having tea together in our kitchen.  The wine is not theirs!

Now on 630m WSPR

For the last 20 minutes or so, I have been on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%)   Quite decent conditions.

Driving and mobile phones - NOT amateur radio

Whilst driving along yesterday I narrowly missed being hit by a car driven by a young girl who seemed to be texting.

My son's 28 year old brother-in-law was struck by a car several weeks ago. He has a brain injury, many broken bones and is still unconscious in an Australian hospital. He is fighting for his life. At the time he was a pedestrian crossing on green. The driver (busy on her phone I think) went through a red light and just ploughed him down. His family, his girlfriend and her will be affected for life.

So, PUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE AWAY WHEN DRIVING. People can wait. Concentrate on driving!!

630m WSPR overnight

Overnight, my 10mW ERP was copied by 8 unique stations. In turn, I copied 9 unique 630m WSPR stations here with best DX DH5RAE (995km). No LAs last night sadly.

10m FT8 RX

Well I thought yesterday was good on 10m FT8 RX, but today has started even better. Already, Indonesia, Namibia, Thailand and lots besides copied. Amazing. Again the sunspot number is zero.

UPDATE 0948z:  Best 10m FT8 RX DX today is VK6HV (13600km) in Australia. No sunspots!

UPDATE 1152z: Yes today 10m FT8 is even better than yesterday! PV8DC (7830km) in the north of Brazil was spotted at 1132z.

Sunspots - Saturday October 21st 2017

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=8 and K=2.

630m this evening

After a great day on 10m FT8 RX, I returned to 630m WSPR transceive earlier this evening.

As on previous nights more people are spotting me than I am spotting. Either this tells me my RX is deaf (true) or my TX ERP is competing with many others transmitting on 630m WSPR.

Sadly, it is the former as I know my FT817 RX is deaf on 630m and I could do more to reduce the noise floor. Signals need to be quite reasonable to "beat" my noise floor. Last year the noise floor was much lower - I was lucky.

ICOM IC9700 (VHF/UHF/23cms)

This rig was announced in Japan in September. It will replace the IC910 and cover 2m, 70cm and 23cm. I have no idea about price. It looks like the same architecture as the IC7300. At the right price this looks an attractive radio, but I expect it will be too expensive. MLS is already taking £100 deposits.

How to look a total ..... - NOT amateur radio

It pays to arm yourself with facts before tweeting.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41695667

Another rally in the UK

22 OCTOBER 2017 : GALASHIELS RALLY
The Volunteer Hall, Galashiels TD1 3JX

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

630m WSPR overnight

You may remember that I found the 2 radials across the lawn and an additional local ground made no difference and may have made my ERP lower. This surprised me.

Last night my 10mW ERP was spotted by 11 unique stations on 630m WSPR with best DX a spot from LA3EQ/MW (769km) and I spotted 10 unique stations on 630m WSPR.  This is, I think, the first time more stations spotted me than I spotted others.

Sunspots - Friday October 20th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today. Sunspot number is again zero. A=12  and K=2.

10m FT8 RX

After overnight on 630m WSPR transceive, I am again on 10m FT8 RX. Best DX spotted is 4Z5ML (3571km) in Israel. I assume this is F2 propagation. F1DLZ (362km) also copied in northern France which might be aircraft reflection.

I am still using WSJT-X V1.8.0 rc2. I really must upgrade later.

UPDATE 1105z: Lots of 10m Europeans and lots of DX on 10m FT8 today, despite a sunspot count of zero again. As they say, "FT8 cuts the mustard". Very impressive.

UPDATE 1312z:  Now spotting Mauritius - 3B8CW (9751km). Today has been a very good day on 10m FT8. I expect South Africa next, then South America.

UPDATE 1428z: There is no doubt that today is the very best day on 10m FT8 this autumn. So far, 9 North Americans spotted here as well as every continent except Antarctica.

UPDATE 1716z: Best DX today on 10m FT8 was LU8XAF (13413km) in southern Argentina.

Moved to 630m WSPR

In the last 30 minutes I have moved from 10m FT8 RX to 630m WSPR transceive (10mW ERP). Quite a few spots of my signal on each transmission.

10m FT8 today

Already, I have spotted stations in 5 continents on 10m FT8 today: Australasia, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. This with a low end-fed wire antenna - no big towers and beams here, HI.  I suspect there will be a few more South Americans in the next few hours. And all this is on a day with zero sunspots and when 10m is supposed to be "dead".

At the moment I am still using WSJT-X V1.8.0 rc2. There is a later version (rc3) too that I must download and use.

Many desert 10m. Stick with it, as you may be very surprised.

This autumn, 6 continents have been spotted on 10m FT8. A great band and FT8 is proving to be a great mode.

Catalonia - NOT amateur radio

Catalonia is quite a rich part of Spain. Spain cannot afford for it to break-away. It is hard to see how the EU would handle this. If Catalonia goes, surely the Basques will want to follow? This would leave Spain in a right mess. By comparison, BREXIT is quite simple and clear. Personally, I think this will grow into the EU crisis of 2018.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41678086 .

My memory - NOT amateur radio

I mentioned earlier that I go to a series of lectures on Samuel Pepys in Cambridge each Wednesday. So far, there have been 2. Let me recount an odd story.

The first talk was Wednesday last week. I travelled into Cambridge on the service bus that leaves at 9.49am. This should arrive at about 10.43am. It is a 10 minute walk from where the bus stops to where they hold the lectures. The lectures are from 11am -12noon.

In my mind I have a very clear picture of being the very first there and helping to set out chairs and the main table. I sat at the same spot yesterday, furthermost from the door. This memory is very, very, clear. However, to get in very early would have been impossible using this bus. I would have arrived shortly before the lecture started. I have absolutely no memory of arriving "just in time". I am still deeply puzzled: was this a dream? Only if I suddenly have a flash-back will this mystery be solved. In the meantime, I cannot be sure what is a dream and what is reality!

Some would say, "old age". Others might say, "your stroke". The truth is I just do not know what happened a week ago.

Rallies this Sunday

21 OCTOBER 2017 : CARRICKFERGUS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB RALLY
Downshire Community School, Downshire Rd, Carrickfergus BT38 7DA. Doors open 11am and admission is £3. Light refreshments will be available. All will be welcome. Details from Elizabeth Forde, elizabethforde64@yahoo.com

21 OCTOBER 2017 : YEOVIL ARC 71 ANNIVERSARY
Sparkford Village Hall, Sparkford, Nr Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7ED Free admission and light refreshments. Displays, computer controlled radio, SDR, Morse, Spy sets. Ex Members welcome. Bob on 01963 440 167

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

You can tell it's autumn! This was our nearest garden centre this morning.

At the other garden centre they had lots of Christmas things on sale. Well, it is October and profits are profits. Personally I think Christmas things should only be allowed for sale in December, but I am a grumpy old man!

Rain - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday it rained.

This is a view of Rose Crescent, Cambridge, looking towards the Market Square. If it rains in Cambridge, we are quite unlucky as rainy days are quite rare. We get them, but it rains far less in the SE of the UK than in the west.

10m FT8

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1124z: Several DX stations to the east spotted on 10m FT8 including VK9VKL (11970km) on Christmas Island. He appears to have been widely spotted, so he looks genuine. This is my first VK this autumn.

Food - NOT amateur radio

Every Tuesday and Wednesday I travel into Cambridge for University of the Third Age lectures.

On Tuesdays it is, "Weather and Climate" and on Wednesdays, "Samuel Pepys". We are very lucky in Cambridge having a huge variety of courses.

Afterwards, my wife joined me for lunch.

630m WSPR overnight

Spots of my 10mW 630m WSPR overnight

For last night's test I removed the radials across the lawn (2) and a local ground quite close to the shack. If anything results were better! On TX I was spotted by 9 unique stations (10mW ERP) and on RX I spotted 12 unique stations. I was spotted in Wales for the first time this autumn on 630m and G0KTN was another new one this season. My conclusion is, in my case, the radials made no difference and actually may have made things worse. I guess this says my ground is actually more effective than I thought. The actual antenna needs improving if I am to up my ERP.

Sunspots - Thursday October 19th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number zero.  A=5 and K=3.

Now on 630m WSPR (no radials)

At 1750z, I switched to 630m without my radials and additional ground outside of the shack. Antenna current is the same.

UPDATE 1804z: Initial indications are that the radials made no difference at all. This suggests my ground connection was already pretty good and that only a better antenna would make a real difference to my ERP.

Switched to 10m FT8 RX

A few minutes ago, I switched from 10m WSPR TX to 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots. Later, I shall go onto 630m WSPR having removed the radials and additional ground, that were of questionable benefit.

UPDATE 1750z:  No spots. Now switched to 630m WSPR.

UK pound versus euro exchange rate - NOT amateur radio

Some time ago I predicted that the pound would appreciate against the euro before the year end. Well, it is mid October and, if anything, it is losing value! I guess BREXIT uncertainty is the main reason. Fundamentally, the euro still has issues, although I think my end of year may be out.

10m WSPR

As the 10m antenna was not being used, I have been on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) since just after breakfast. OZ9QV (864km) is the only spot so far. This was at 1322z.

630m WSPR - not convinced of improvements

Overnight, I was on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP). In all, I gave out spots to 12 unique stations and received spots from 6 unique stations. I am not convinced that adding my 2 radials across the lawn and an additional earth near the shack has made any improvements. This suggests my mains ground is actually quite good.

6m FT8 RX

Since breakfast, I have been in 6m FT8 RX again. No spots as yet. Yesterday surprised me with several UK spots plus a German on 6m.

UPDATE 1542z: No 6m spots all day.

Sunspots - Wednesday October 18th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number again zero. A=6 and K=2.