Antarctic WSPR beacon operational

According to Southgate News the German WSPR beacon in Antarctica is now operational, but antenna optimisation is ongoing. Call is DPØGVN. 

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/dp0gvn-wspr-beacon-in-antarctia-is-operational.htm#.WmHKrEx2vIU .

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. Quite a decent start really with 5 stations spotted in 3 EU countries already.

UPDATE 1302z: Now 18 stations in 3 EU countries. Winter Es?

UPDATE 1600z: Now 20 stations in 3 EU countries. Best DX is currently SP8DK (1548km) who was spotted this morning.

UPDATE 1917z:  Now 23 stations in 6 EU countries.

630m WSPR RX last night

With 14 unique stations spotted, it was a reasonable night. No USA stations but a couple of Spanish stations, with one quite far south.

Sunspots - Friday January 19th 2018

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 12. A=2 and K=3.

RSGB, bandplans and AM

What is it about the RSGB and AM?

Yet again, AM is reduced to a 2m footnote with a stupid, childish and inane remark about watching bandwidth! OK, it is some time since I used AM seriously, but the RSGB really needs to wake up. AM bandwidth is less than many FM transmissions and very low cost AM gear is available from the PMR industry.

I am rapidly going off the RSGB. The image of a bunch of grey haired fuddy duddies who are brain dead is being heavily re-enforced. I am sure this is not the image they want us to see.

As a member of the RSGB for 54 years, it is possibly my last. Although I want to support my national society, I find it hard if they are incompetent.

New MGM (digital) RSGB contests

According to the latest RadCom, the RSGB's VHF contest calendar now includes a couple of contests aimed at digital operators.

See RadCom Feb 2018 p70/71

Rad Com spelling mistake

My February 2018 RSGB "RadCom" arrived in the post today. Right on the front cover was a spelling mistake! Receiver it should have been! Reciever it was for all to see without unwrapping.

How can they make such a basic mistake? What about spell checking?  Honestly, it made my blood boil. I wrote to the editor there and then. Such a basic mistake is totally unacceptable in 2018. My excuse for errors is my addled brain. What is your excuse RSGB?

10m FT8 RX

10m FT8 RX has been my "band of choice" today. I have been on since breakfast. So far, 8 unique stations in 4 EU countries spotted.

UPDATE 1522z: Currently 13 unique stations in 6 countries spotted today on 10m FT8. Es?

UPDATE 1616z: Now ZS6BUN (9130km) spotted on 10m FT8 as well as lots of Europeans. Is this Es plus F2?

UPDATE 1832z:  With 3 Africans and 3 South Americans and lots of Europeans spotted on 10m FT8, today is the best day on 10m FT8 this year.

UPDATE 1904z: It gets better and better! Now 5 South Americans including VP8NO (12773km) today on 10m FT8.

Packaging - NOT amateur radio

Well, I am appalled by the amount of wasteful packaging these days. Much of it cannot be recycled either. One UK food supermarket has vowed to go plastic free within 5 years. In my view they all should do this. It is a no-brainer. The big supermarkets have the power to force their suppliers - use it!

630m WSPR RX overnight

I was on 630m WSPR RX again last night. Overall, 10 unique stations were spotted with the best being EA7HPM (1726km).

Sunspots - Thursday January 18th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 12. A=3 and K=1.

630m WSPR RX

A few moments ago I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR RX with the shack PC on battery power. This should last until breakfast. So far, 3 uniques spotted in a few minutes.

40m WSPR

For this evening I am on 40m WSPR with 2W, but my antenna is very low on 40m.

UPDATE 2028z: So far a few European spots, but none of me on TX. Best RX DX is OM1AI (1251km).

UPDATE 2314z: Time to QSY to 472kHz WSPR RX for the night.

New dual band 4m/2m yagi

Thanks again to Southgate News come details of a new dual band InnovAntennas yagi covering 2m and 4m. At over £200 with shipping this is not cheap, but if these are your favourite bands it may be what you need. I have no doubts that it will be well made.

Time you add a rotator and low loss coax, it is too much for me I am afraid, although this is your decision, not mine. You alone have to decide how to spend your disposable income.  To you it may be a good investment.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/innovantennas-releases-4-2m-dualbander.htm#.Wl9vEEx2vIU

The first geology map - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago I just finished reading a book about William Smith who was a geologist at the start of the 19th century and the creator of the world's first geology map. In his early life he was largely passed over.

OFCOM and £££

OFCOM has given more details of the auction later this year of microwave spectrum destined for 5G. It seems all they are interested in is making money. Bring back the GPO and people who really cared.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/85A1D55D45106DCA2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

10m FT8 RX

My shack PC continued on battery power until breakfast using 630m WSPR RX, but I am now on 10m FT8 RX. No spots as yet.

UPDATE 1452z: Just a couple of Dutch stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX. Aircraft reflections?

UPDATE 1910z: No further spots all day, so time to QSY - 40m WSPR for the evening?

Carillion - NOT amateur radio

If you are outside of the UK you may not have heard of Carillion. This is a very large construction (and other) company that has just gone in to liquidation with debts, allegedly, of around £1.5B. They use a lot of subcontractors and are involved in a lot of contracts for public works.

They have been in trouble, apparently, for a long time. What seems incredible is that the UK government continued to give them work when they were clearly in trouble. Their payment terms were, allegedly, changed from 30 days to 120 days. So a subcontractor would get paid nearly 4 months after doing work. Personally I think this immoral.

Now they are in deep trouble, lots of people could lose their jobs.

Bribes - NOT amateur radio

I have been watching a TV programme that reveals the bribes paid to a certain Middle East country. It make you wonder how many other nations need bribes to "oil the wheels" of business. Personally, I find this totally wrong.

Sunspots - Wednesday January 17th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 13.  A=4 and K=0.

630m WSPR RX overnight

Last night, I spotted 11 uniques on 630m WSPR RX. Nothing from the USA.

QSY to 630m WSPR RX

At about 1940z I left 10m FT8 to move to 630m WSPR RX. So far, just G0MRF and PA0SLT (456km) spotted.

California shackled children - NOT amateur radio

As I write this we do not know the true facts. From what little we do know, it appears the kids in this large family were found emaciated and in some cases shackled to their beds. No doubt the full facts will emerge in the next few days.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42698562 .

QRP Club Newsletter

Oleg has made this available to all QRPers who are members and friends of the QRP Club.

See http://club72.su/
See also https://groups.io/g/72

Amaryllis growing - NOT amateur radio

If I remember right, I mentioned an amaryllis that did not seem to be growing. Well, it is!

There is a small shoot that has grown overnight. If things go as expected this will be several centimetres by next week.

10m FT8

Since about 0930z, I have been on 10m FT8, mostly RX. I did call a Polish station calling CQ unsuccessfully. At the moment, SQ4OJD (1357km) is the only spot.

UPDATE 1310z:  So far today, just 2 spots with IK4DCT (1181km) in northern Italy copied late this morning.

UPDATE 1918z:  In the end 5 stations spotted on 10m FT8. The others were from Croatia and Italy

630m WSPR RX last night

On 630m WSPR RX it was an average night. In all, 13 uniques were spotted, but all within Europe.

The great outdoors

At the moment here in the UK it has been very dull and wet. Today is bright, but cold and windy.  However, in a few months things will improve and it will be time to venture again into the great outdoors. Some great handheld DX can be worked with just a whip antenna and a few watts of SSB or FM.

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

No 472kHz TX - the mystery deepens

Last evening I tried the same antenna as used at 472kHz using the FT817 via the Z-817 ATU, but on a different band. No antenna current was detected. I'll check that power is coming from the FT817.

UPDATE 0950z: Well there is definitely power from the FT817. Checked with a power meter and power was OK. So, it is either leads or the PA device in the transverter probably.

FT8 operating guide

Thanks again to Southgate News, I see an amateur has written a "Noddy's guide" to this digital mode that has taken the world by storm. It certainly has helped to show bands are often useable when people thought they were "dead". I have found this mode particularly useful on 10m.

See http://www.g4ifb.com/FT8_Hinson_tips_for_HF_DXers.pdf

Russia flexing muscles? - NOT amateur radio

Well, I guess this happens quite a lot. No doubt we don't hear about UK and USA jets nearing Russian airspace!  Remember the U2 spy plane? No doubt the USA, China and Russia have plenty of high resolution spy satellites that we hear nothing about.

Like in any war or cold war, don't believe all you read as it is likely to be rather one-sided. During the Vietnam War we all believed the USA was whiter than white. History tells us otherwise. It is often a good idea to check news from several sources, preferably from sources other than just western media.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42697065/uk-jets-intercept-russian-bombers-near-uk-airspace

Sunspots - Tuesday January 16th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number zero. A=10 and K=2.

UK Pound against US Dollar - NOT amateur radio

About 18 months ago "experts" were talking about the UK Pound being worth about 1 US Dollar. At the moment the UK Pound buys about $1.38.

Moral? Don't always believe the "experts"! They guess too.

UK Pound against the Euro? I was wrong last year!

Summits on the air (SOTA)

This is an activity that has taken off in recent years. Keen operators hike up a mountain and "activate" it. Points can be gained by working (or hearing) these activations. It combines hiking and amateur radio. My days of hiking up mountains is probably over (not that we have many mountains in East Anglia!) but others do it. Great fun.

See http://www.sota.org.uk/

Popular? - NOT amateur radio

Either I have suddenly become very popular or the bots are back! I suspect the latter. My blog visits shot up just after the USA woke up. Should this blog suddenly disappear or start producing rubbish (more than usual!) you will know why.

Good news - NOT amateur radio

President Trump has allegedly told the world he is not a racist.  So his alleged remarks about shithole African nations is obviously false news then.  That's good to know. We are so lucky having a genius leading the western world.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42685356

6m MSK144 RX

As of 1018z, I am monitoring 50.280MHz MSK144 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1306z: 2 spots so far on 6m, with best DX GI4OWA (583km) very strong at +7dB S/N. This could have been random MS or aircraft reflection.

630m WSPR RX overnight

15 uniques spotted last night with one spot of N1BUG (4940km). Another new one for me was EA7HPM (1726km).

Sunspots - Monday January 15th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number zero. A=14 and K=2.

Will it or won't it? - NOT amateur radio

At the moment we have 3 amaryllis plants. One is way out with plenty of flowers, one is growing well and this one.

It is hard to tell if this one is coming out. There appear to be some shoots but another week and it will be clearer.