Advent Candles - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon, after a break of several years, we attended a candlelit Advent Carol Service in the next village. The village has 2 churches in the same churchyard.

The service was spread over both churches. One was warm. The second was freezing!

10m FT8 RX

A few minutes ago, I switched to 10m FT8 RX for the day. Nothing spotted as yet.

UPDATE 1905z: No 10m FT8 RX spots all day.

136kHz WSPR RX overnight

Last night, just 2E0ILY (209km) spotted on 136kHz WSPR. His signal is pretty consistent at -17 to -21dB S/N using my poor antenna and deaf receiver.

Sunspots - Sunday December 3rd 2017

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number again zero. A=4 and K=0.

136kHz WSPR RX

As it is now dark, I have decided to QSY to 136kHz (USB dial) WSPR RX. As you know, my antenna is poor and my RX deaf on 136kHz and I am unable to TX on that band currently.

UPDATE 2140z: There is only a single station shown active in Europe on 136kHz WSPR TX this evening, so my chances of spotting anyone are low. At the moment no spots. I shall be on RX overnight. You never know!

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

The windmill right next door has appeared on this blog several times.

It is about 200 years old, fully restored and grinds corn occasionally. We see this every day when enjoying breakfast.

They tend to have the sails turning when the local museum is open.

630m WSPR overnight

In all, my 10mW ERP was spotted by 8 unique stations with my most distant spot by LA2XPA (1310km) again. I spotted 11 uniques in 6 countries on 630m overnight. Not a bad night considering my setup!

Sunspots - Saturday December 2nd 2017

Solar flux is 70, but the sunspot number is zero. A=8 and K=0.

I see that http://www.solen.info/solar/ has been updated with November's solar data. Solar flux and sunspot number's were way down.

10m FT8 RX

Following my usual pattern, I have been on 10m FT8 RX since breakfast. A couple of EUs spotted so far, but nothing else yet.  SP5XMU (1401km) is currently the best DX.

UPDATE 1010z: 8 stations in 5 EU countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 1312z: 20 EU stations spotted so far. Not a bad haul so far today.

365project - NOT amateur radio

For some years now I have done something called "365project". Don't confuse this with Microsoft. The idea is to take a picture every day of the year. If you want total privacy it costs $19.99 a year. Otherwise it is free. Some use it to show how good they are at photography, whereas I just take photos as a sort of visual diary. Few of my shots are great artistic works! Google it.

630m WSPR

Since teatime I have been on 630m WSPR again (10mW ERP, 20%). So far 5 unique stations have spotted me with best DX a spot by PA0DRT (243km). On RX I have only spotted 1 unique station DH5RAE (995km).

Slowly declining solar activity

In the next few days, there will be a report on solar activity in the last month and past years. Although we get blips, the trend is slowly downwards for the next few years. Last month there were quite a few spotless days.

"As of April 2017 the strength and trend of the southern polar field hints at a cycle 25 with a magnitude close to that of cycle 24. " -  according to the website below.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

PSK Reporter Maps - more issues?

All morning, I have been on 10m FT8.  PSK Reporter Maps initially showed I had spotted 1 G and 2 PAs. When I last looked, one of the PAs was not there! I changed the times out to 24 hours, but still this station was not there any more. PSK Reporter Maps seem less reliable than I thought.

Trial by media? - NOT amateur radio

Like many, I am bored by media coverage of the sexual proclivities of our politicians. If they are guilty of a crime then the law will mete justice. At the moment we seem to have trials by media, with papers out to gain readership and profits by sharing dirt in public.

Throughout history what goes on behind closed doors is the business of the persons concerned only. The exception is if a crime is committed in which case justice should be left to a court of law.  Mud sticks. Media justice is wrong.

Overnight on 136kHz WSPR RX

Despite my very poor system on 136kHz WSPR (poor antenna and deaf receiver) I managed to copy a couple of UK stations. To be honest it was amazing that anyone was copied.

Sunspots - Friday December 1st 2017

Solar flux is 71 and sunspot number is 11. A=11 and K=3/

136kHz WSPR RX

For the last few minutes I am looking on 136kHz WSPR with my very poor antenna and deaf RX. So far 2E0ILY (209km) spotted.

UPDATED 1955z: 2E0ILY (209km) has now been spotted 4 times this evening, but no-one else.

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

We are currently in negotiations with the EU about our trading relationship once we leave. Personally, I think the main concern was over who we let in to live and work in the UK and not about trade. If the referendum was repeated making this clearer, I think we might have remained. It seems a pity that the EU did not understand this and make some exceptions for the UK.  In a few years I think the EU will regret this. I think the EU is in denial and more worried about how it will finance its budgets once we leave.

UK Rally

Saturday 2 DECEMBER : SOUTHS LANCS ARC WINTER RALLY
Bickershaw Village Community Club, Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, Wigan WN2 5TE. There are a limited number of pitches available. Stall holders entrance from 7.30am, public gain entrance is from 9am. There will be a Bring & Buy, special interest groups and trade stands. Catering is available on site. Entry £2.50. Jason, G0IZR on 01942 735828

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

10m FT8 RX

Although I have been on 10m FT8 RX since before breakfast, nothing yet spotted.

UPDATE 1112z:  Just one spot so far - G0OYQ (177km), which could be aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1308z:  PD1DL (324km) near Alkmaar has been spotted. Aircraft?

UPDATE 1600z: No further spots today.

UPDATE 1655z: G8YPE (153km) spotted.

Overnight on 630m WSPR

Yesterday, for various reasons I did not venture on to 10m FT8. Overnight on 630m WSPR my 10mW ERP was spotted by 9 unique stations and I spotted 10 uniques. Not the best of nights.

This evening I may try 137kHz WSPR RX with my crap antenna and deaf RX to see if anyone at all can be spotted overnight. The trouble is there are few stations TXing on 2200m. Most are RX only.  It is like operating with no hands and legs, HI.  If I do go on 137kHz, this will be the first time at this QTH. We have lived here for 4 years.

I suspect my earth-electrode "antenna" will be better than my vertical on 137kHz. At 137kHz the earth-electrode "antenna" is probably quite an effective loop.

Sunspots - Thursday November 30th 2017

Solar flux is 74 and the sunspot number 14. A=8 and K=0.

The US president: is he stupid? - NOT amateur radio

To become president of the USA you have to be rich and clever. Mr Trump is obviously the former and, arguably, the latter. So what on earth possessed him, allegedly, to repost some far right stuff on Twitter?  My advice, although I doubt he reads my blog (that would be something!) would be to check sources carefully before tweeting and consider whether the tweet sent is worthy of being sent or not. Maybe he employs people to check what others say about him? Silly me, bad things said are just "fake news" of course.

"Make America great again".

In this case I agree with the UK Prime Minister - Trump was WRONG to retweet these far-right videos. Doing so make him seem stupid, in my eyes. Others are quite entitled to think him wonderful.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42166663 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42172032 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42176507 .

I have reached my personal conclusions, although in a free world others are fully entitled to have theirs, even if radically different from mine.

Brother's visit - NOT amateur radio

My brother has been staying for a few days. He left this morning. It was good to see him.  The next time we see each other will probably be in March. We he is here, my wife always manages to find "little jobs" for him to do. This time we visited a local charity shop and the dump. Luckily he is quite happy being busy.

OFCOM and 5.8GHz

OFCOM has made an announcement about 5.8GHz spectrum.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/FA5636C938F705722540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

630m WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP WSPR was spotted by 7 unique stations and I spotted 6 uniques. Not a great night.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 29th 2017

Solar flux is 71 today. Sunspot number is 14. A=8 and K=1.

Allocation of amateur callsigns

Southgate News reports on another Freedom of Information request to OFCOM.

See https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/unallocated_uk_amateur_radio_cal_4#incoming-1071737  .

Yet again, I think OFCOM has provided the data on a minimalist basis.

Granddaughter - NOT amateur radio

We know that childhood is transitory. Already our 2 grandson's are changing, whereas one they were very close. Already we can see signs of innocence lost.

Our 2 granddaughters are still little, but we know this cannot last. For now, we are making the most of them being very little. In the photo, one of the 2 grandchildren is reading a comic.

630m WSPR

So far this evening just G0VQH (15km) spotted. I have been spotted, so far, by 6 unique stations (all in England) when using my 10mW ERP. So far, not a good night.

Overnight on 630m WSPR

Quite a poor night really with 9 unique spots of my 10mW ERP. These were all Gs, which is quite  unusual. Best DX spotted on RX was DH5RAE (995km).

10m FT8 RX

Nothing spotted yet, although it was late (for me) getting on the band. I made the switch at about 1030z.

UPDATE 1140z: Still no spots on 10m FT8 RX here today.

UPDATE 1352z: Just G4CJC (73km) spotted.

UPDATE 1852z: No further spots. Time to QSY to 630m WSPR.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 28th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number 15. A=5 and K=2.

MLS offers

MLS is offering some winter savings. For example, the ICOM IC7300 ships with a free PSU worth £89.95. Price drop soon? It should be much less by now.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-base-station-radio-icom-base-station-radio-pc-309.php

Low cost UHF portables?

Gearbest is advertising 2pcs (which I take to mean 2 transceivers) for about £24 on eBay. The last time (the only time) I bought from them I ordered 2 pcs, but only got sent one transceiver. Despite lots of communications with them including copies of my order, they insisted I only ordered one. When I threatened to tell PayPal, I got a full refund.

Basically I concluded that they do not understand English. If you order 2pcs, you may end up with just one.  Good prices, but their customer service is lacking. Caveat emptor.

See https://www.gearbest.com/walkie-talkies/pp_775271.html

630m WSPR

For the last hour or so I have been on 630m WSPR TX (10mW ERP, 20%) and RX. So far, 9 unique station spots of my QRPP with best DX a spot by G0LUJ (278km) in the north of England. No international reports as yet.

137kHz WSPR RX

At some point I intend to take a look at 137kHz WSPR. At present I can only receive and not transmit. Also, my RX is deaf and my antenna poor. Still, "nothing ventured, nothing gained" as they say. In other words, it is worth a go. If I copy anything on LF, that would be a bonus! I might copy the stronger  stations. Maybe later this week?

I should also try my coax outer, used as my antenna on 630m, on other bands.  I can TX on any HF band.

17kHz VLF tests (amateur)

Stefan DK7FC who is well known for his sub-9kHz tests recently applied for special permission to test around 17kHz with a low ERP.

"Hi VLF,

Since 23 UTC a 700 mA carrier is running on 17.4701 kHz!
It is a little surprise to the VLF community i think ;-)

Legal? Yes: http://www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/schaefer_vlf/VLF/17,47kHz_Sonderlizenz.jpg
Actually the document has 3 pages but the other ones are no so relevant.
My ERP is limited to 5 mW. I did not request more because more isn't possible anyway with this antenna.

I wound a big single layer coil with 0.5 mm enameled wire on a PVC tube with 315 mm outher diameter.
0.7 A is just a first careful step. The coil is designed to hold 1.5 A 'key down'.
The carrier will run the whole night and even tomorrow at daytime.

Worldwide reports are welcome ;-)
It is not sub-9-kHz but still VLF, the 17 km band!! So give it chance :-)

The tree has still some solar power to stream the signal from the EW loop down to the city, so there is a feedback spectrogram at http://www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/schaefer_vlf/DK7FC_VLF_Grabber2.html

73, Stefan

PS: I still can hear that tone of the coil. It is terrible! Be happy when you are older than me!"

UK amateur licences

Southgate News has a report on the number of UK amateur licences according to data released under a Freedom of Information request by OFCOM. The data (not in a clear form) shows the numbers from 2010 to now. I think it shows a peak in 2014 in full licences, but numbers rising for the foundation licences, but I found it not easy to extract. It looks like a dump of data held on a database with no attempt to be very helpful.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/november/uk-ham-radio-license-statistics-released.htm#.Whvd4bp2tMs .

Sunspots - Monday November 27th 2017

Solar flux is 76 and the sunspot number 16. A=3 and K=1.