UK Pound exchange rate with US Dollar - NOT amateur radio

At the moment the UK Pound is worth $1.39 which is the best for a year. Some experts were predicting £1 would be worth $1. Not so.

UPDATE 1555z: Currently $1.3959 to the UK Pound.

UPDATE 1950z: There is a chance the UK Pound will break through the $1.40 barrier. Against the Japanese Yen it has gained a lot at 1.55 Yen to the UK Pound. Not too long ago it was worth 1.36 Yen

Ghosts of monks - NOT amateur radio

Very many centuries ago this was the route taken by monks on their way to Ely Cathedral. It is The Causeway in Burwell, Cambs, UK. Today it is a tree-lined road with its fair share of cars. It would be wonderful to step back over those years and see those monks centuries ago.

136kHz WSPR RX last night

As an experiment, I tried 136kHz WSPR RX last night with my useless antenna and deaf (at LF) FT817. Well, it was a dismal failure with not a single spot!

I was not really expecting to spot anyone, but hoping nonetheless. There were very few this side of the Atlantic on TX and it was extremely unlikely I would copy any USA stations.

So, I tried and failed.

Sunspots - Monday January 22nd 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the sunspot number zero. A=10 and K=2.

136kHz WSPR RX

Even though my FT817 is deaf on this band and my antenna far from ideal, I was considering taking a peek at this band. Sadly, it looks like there are very few active TX stations in Europe. I know WSPRnet does not show unreported stations, but I think my chances of spotting anyone are slim. We'll see.

If I do go on, it will be the first time at this QTH and my first 136kHz outing for almost 5 years.

UPDATE 1718z: Well I am monitoring 136kHz WSPR RX. If I spot anyone it will be a miracle!

UPDATE 1852z: Nothing spotted.

Laid low - NOT amateur radio

For the last couple of days I have been suffering from a head cold. At the best of times I am usually giddy and exhausted, but at the moment I feel really unwell: a walk to the local shop this morning really did me in. A few days and I should be better.

I think this is a cold rather than flu. Plenty of lemon and honey!

Building site - NOT amateur radio

One of our local village pubs has been empty for years. Like many spaces in our village, it is going to be used for new houses. We moved here in 1975 when the village had 3 schools and about 4000 people. Now it has 1 school and a population of way over 6000. Signs of the times. Building work started last week.

10m FT8 RX

Although I have been on 10m FT8 RX since breakfast, nothing at all copied so far. I shall continue until this evening. 10m does throw up surprises!

UPDATE 1256z: Just 2E0XXO (121km) spotted so far on 10m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1610z: F5IGF (547km) spotted.

UPDATE 1820z: no further spots,.The spots I got may have been aircraft reflections? I also see I spotted an OZ calling GD, but this did not get uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps. Now on 136kHz WSPR RX.

Best night ever on 630m WSPR RX

Despite my unbelievably poor 472kHz setup, last night I spotted 18 unique stations on the band including 2 USA stations. WA4SZE (6802km) is the furthermost I have ever spotted on the band.  Running the shack PC off batteries makes a huge difference.

Sunspots - Sunday January 21st 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number zero. A=8 and K=2.

630m WSPR RX

At about 1946z, I went QRT on all bands and moved to 630m WSPR RX. Within minutes a couple of stations spotted with DH5RAE (995km) as best DX. This was on the shack PC on its internal batteries. For a while now I have been charging the batteries so I can run the shack PC overnight on its battery, so the noise floor is lower.

UPDATE 2055z: Now back with shack PC on battery power, which should last most of the night.

Blog visits, not hackers - NOT amateur radio

Already, visits to this blog are higher than all day yesterday. As far as I can tell, these are genuine visits and not bots or hackers. If you are a visitor, I hope you find something of interest either here or on one of the sites linked from my main website at www.g3xbm.co.uk .

Government in the USA - NOT amateur radio

OK, I am no political expert, but it is amazing to the world at large that a US government that controls both the US Senate and the White House is unable to get a budget agreed. Each side is blaming the other, but it is a sorry mess. Many Federal Services will be forced to shut down. It is not clear how long this will last.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42759934 .

Fame again? - NOT amateur radio

My photo of the angry sky over our windmill was used on BBC Look East last night. My last one on the BBC was November 2015.

10m WSPR TX and 6m MSK144 RX

For a change, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW, 100%, frequency randomised) with my beacon and RX MSK144 on 50.280MHz. As yet, no spots. Mind you, I have only just started!

UPDATE 1044z: SM7FJE (905km) near Malmo spotted on 6m MSK144.

UPDATE 1116z: G4MOI (67km) spotted on 6m MSK144. No spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon.

UPDATE 1300z: LA3EQ (767km) copied strongly a few moments ago on 6m MSK144.

UPDATE 1436z:  SM5EPO (JP80, NW of Uppsala) spotted about 30 minutes ago calling a GD0 on 6m MSK144 but this was not uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps for some reason. Maybe I lost internet connectivity?

UPDATE 1605z: No posts at all on 10m WSPR TX and nothing new on 50.280MHz MSK144.

UPDATE 2106z: Tomorrow, I shall probably try 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Saturday January 20th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 11.  A=8 and K=3.

630m WSPR overnight and this morning

Overnight, 14 unique stations spotted, but all Europeans.

Windows 10 decided it needed a big update this morning, so I am still on 630m WSPR RX at the moment to check things still work. At the moment the PSU is connected so G0MRF (139km) has a lower S/N than usual.

The PC still synchronises to internet time and WSJT-X v1.8 still seems to work.

QSYed to 630m WSPR

At about 1950z, I QSYed to 630m WSPR RX. A couple of stations immediately copied with several more shortly afterwards.

UPDATE 2044z: Already 6 unique stations spotted with best DX EA5DOM (1525km).

UPDATE 2214z: 10 uniques so far tonight. For a little while I have gone QRT to let my shack PC batteries charge. Later, I'll run the shack PCs from batteries again, so I have a lower noise floor.

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

We live right next door to this 200 year old restored windmill. There was an angry sky earlier this afternoon as the photo shows. We can tell which way the wind is blowing just by looking at the sails each breakfast time! Most days the sails point in a new direction. We rarely hear any noise.

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.