Painted stones - NOT amateur radio

I have mentioned these before.

All around our village, people hide painted stones of all shapes, sizes and patterns.

We found one earlier this week (shown in the photo) and it has since been re-hidden in a new spot. Kids love it. My wife and I are just overgrown kids! The idea is to send a photo to a dedicated group and re-hide.

10m FT8 RX again today

OK, I am a sucker! Today I am again monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far, just G4HZW (210km) spotted. Yesterday, 3 stations were spotted, all Europeans.

UPDATE 1442z: So far today 5 different G stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX, but no EU stations and no "real" DX.

UPDATE 1716z:  EA1AKS (1037km) spotted.

Sunspots - Friday March 30th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1

MLS Easter deals

Martin Lynch (MLS) has some deals for Easter.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

SDR (Software Defined Radio) book

This is fairly recent book by Andrew Barron ZL3DW. I got my copy recently from the RSGB book shop. Having no experience with SDRs I find the book fascinating. Clearly SDRs are the future.

QRP News from Oleg

Oleg RX3G reports:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,

600 kB of 3 pages, download -
http://club72.su/vestnik/qv5.pdf
enjoy reading # 5 issue of the "Vestnik" (March, 2018). Use Google or
other translator to read Russian texts. In the issue:
- QRP Rendez-Vous results
- QRP-X results list
- Sofa regen RX
- 455 kHz oscillator on ceres
- QRP Marathon "Look I the Horizon"
Thanks Igor R2AJA and Sergey RW3DF for assistance!

72! Oleg RX3G / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please."

Return to 472kHz WSPR RX

After a day on 10m FT8 RX I have now returned to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX. On 10m I also spotted an OZ early afternoon that did not get uploaded to PSKreporter.

So far, G4GIR, G8GPO and DH5RAE (995km) spotted on 472kHz WSPR this evening.

UPDATE 2106z:  6 uniques with best DX LA2XPA (1310km).

Ickworth (N.T.) lambs - NOT amateur radio

Most years around now, we visit nearby Ickworth to see the new lambs. This year, things are later, but this morning we went. Daffodils there are largely not out, but there were plenty of lambs.

Banks - NOT amateur radio

Allegedly, Barclays Bank is to pay $2billion to settle a US fraud case.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43585546 .

Now, I am no financial expert, but I get sickened by tales of banks not behaving. I am sure Barclays is no worse than many others, but at the height of the financial crisis we bailed out many banks and probably saved the financial sector from total melt-down with taxpayers money. The least we can expect is that our banks are "whiter than white". Meanwhile, the rich get richer and nurses get no pay rises for years. To quote a famous UK politician, " we are all in this together". Oh yes? Oh no we are definitely not.

33 minutes and 3 people (2 overseas) later, I managed to contact Barclays over a query that should have been made clear in a letter I got sent. As far as I am concerned, banks have got worse in the last 40 years. Their customer service is generally crap.

OFCOM and diversity

OFCOM has just published its diversity plan until 2022.

I quote (the words are their's):

These are to:

• build a diverse and inclusive workforce to better reflect the UK population we serve;
• ensure diversity and inclusion are central to our work practices and culture so everyone understands, supports and is accountable for diversity; and
• ensure the different needs and interests of all individuals are considered when carrying out our regulatory work.

Whilst diversity and inclusivity are important, I don't need OFCOM to write a darn plan!!! Instead just employ more one-legged green people to get on with enforcement, PLEASE.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-3/diversity-inclusion-programme-2018-2022?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dip

10m FT8

For a change I am trying 10m FT8. Although I am not expecting much I shall be on RX all day living in hope!

UPDATE 1300z: G4HZW (210km) spotted.

UPDATE 1706z: No further 10m FT8 spots.

UPDATE 1720z: F5RD (681km) spotted.

ISWL?

When I was first interested in amateur radio and shortwave listening the International Shortwave League (ISWL) was a strong and important organisation. I left at the end of the 1960s when I was a poor student but re-joined years later. I wrote quite a few articles for their monthly journal "Monitor" and submitted reports most months.  Some years ago I left again as it was no longer for me.

At the end, when I left, I think there was just a core membership of a few hundred. When I left, I heard nothing - no sadness I was leaving, no thanks for being an active member - nothing. This surprised me.

I wonder how the ISWL is today? Unless they have managed to attract and keep a lot of new, younger, members I suspect this is now, mainly, an OAP club of dying old men. This would be sad as it was once vibrant and very international.

Snow - NOT amateur radio

Unlike most recent winters, this has been quite a cold one, for us. Until a few weeks ago we had some snow as the photo shows. Although it is sunny and bright at the moment, rain is expected later.

My main website

A reminder that there is a lot of information on my main website at www.g3xbm.co.uk . This includes quite a few building projects as well as details of past and present experiments. These pages get updated periodically. Most projects are not complex as I don't do "difficult".

Sunspots - Thursday March 29th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 0. A=3 and K=0.

LF/MF chat mode?

One of the drawbacks of WSPR is that it is really a weak signal beaconing mode not really suited to chatting. Southgate News has details of a mode created in New Zealand that is aimed at LF/MF chats. It is said to be almost as good as WSPR in terms of its weak signal capability. As yet, I have not tried it.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/lf-mf-mode-with-synchronous-decoder.htm#.Wru5JUxFzIU

OFCOM publishes its annual plan

OFCOM has publicised its annual plan.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/proposed-annual-plan-2018-19

Sunspots - Wednesday March 28th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number 0. A=9 and K=1.

2m FT8

After a very brief period on TX calling CQ (3 spots with best DX G4RRA (334km) in Devon) on 2m FT8, I have returned to RX only. As usual, I am using 2.5W to an omnidirectional horizontal big-wheel antenna. No spots yet on RX. I have only been on for a few minutes so far.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/bigwheel

UPDATE 0940z: So far just one spot on RX ON8NT (252km).

UPDATE 1145z: 12 uniques in 3 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1604z: Now 33 uniques in 5 countries om 2m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2108z: In the end, 47 uniques spotted in 5 countries. Time to go QRT now.  I definitely get the impression that people now know what can be done under flat conditions on 2m FT8 and are moving away. I suspect 6m FT8 activity will increase during the Es season. I suspect FT8 will supersede JT65.

Free range breakfast - NOT amateur radio

In the last few days we had a short visit from our son and family in Kent.

Our grandson brought some of the free range eggs from the chickens they keep.

The photo shows me enjoying one for breakfast.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

Where I originate from in South Devon is a beautiful, unspoilt part. There are some great cliff walks. We have an unbroken family tree hereabouts back to the mid 1500s and one record of land ownership here in 1428. In all probability my ancestors were here thousands of years ago.

UK Weather - NOT amateur radio

At my recent U3AC course in Cambridge on "Weather and Climate" we always started the sessions with the Met Office surface pressure charts. These can be animated so you can see the pressure map and fronts coming our way over the following few days.

See https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/surface-pressure/#?tab=surfacePressureColour&fcTime=1522108800

Actually there is a lot more data on the Met Office site, which is worth exploring.

472kHz - getting started

I have had a great deal of fun on 472kHz even with a very low ERP (10mW ERP). Most nights I run my shack PC on batteries as the SMPSU charging the laptop battery produces an S7 noise floor. Most nights I am spotted in Norway on WSPR. On RX, the PC is good for most of the night on batteries. I use my simple 472kHz transverter (10-15W into 50 ohms) that has been in QST and the RSGB book "LF Today". It is a very interesting band even if your antennas are, like mine, really useless for MF. Compromise antennas really do work!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr

2m FT8 RX yet again

Yet again, I am on 2m FT8 RX. Although only 0804z I have spotted 6 unique stations in 3 countries already.

UPDATE 1108z: I suspect something is wrong with PSKreporter or my shack PC has not been connecting to the internet as it is now showing fewer stations than before!

UPDATE 1200z: Well I turned off the shack PCB and reset the clock and all seems to be well, now at least. Now 7 uniques spotted in 4 countries in the last 6 hours.

UPDATE 1532z: Every time I put out a CQ call on 2m FT8 I get spotted by G4RRA (334km) in Devon.  Every time, despite 2.5W and my big-wheel omni antenna. 2m FT8 really gets me unimaginable distances.

UPDATE 1820z: Now 35 uniques in 6 countries.

UPDATE 2025z: 45 uniques in 6 countries with best DX spotted DK0IZ (642km) north of Hamburg. I am beginning to wonder if 2m FT8 has peaked. There were fewer stations spotted today, so perhaps people now know what is possible and are looking elsewhere?

Sunspots - Tuesday March 27th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero still. A=12 and K=3.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Not much seems to have changed recently, so this update still applies.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/stroke

Painted rocks - NOT amateur radio

I may have mentioned this before, but there is a craze for finding painted pebbles in our village. They may be found anywhere. The idea is to find one, post a photo on a Facebook, then re-hide it.

My grandson found one yesterday as the photo shows. It has been re-hidden in a different place. It is especially popular with children.

Virtual Amateur Radio

This has never really "floated my boat", but it may appeal to some especially when HF conditions are poor.  Also, if you just want to chat this may appeal. Unlike "real" radio, this does not need real transceivers or HF propagation. Instead the "bearer" is the internet.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/virtual .

Sunspots - Monday March 26th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the sunspot number zero still. A=16 and K=3.

On 2m FT8 again

This mode/band never fails. Although only 0934z I have already spotted 16 unique stations in 4 countries. A recent TX period (2.5W) resulted in a couple of spots with the best being in Devon.

UPDATE 1910z: 62 uniques in 7 countries so far today on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 2112z: 71 uniques in 7 countries currently on 2m FT8 today.

BST and GMT - NOT amateur radio

It will take me a while to realise GMT is 1 hour different from BST. Already I have had to correct a posting on this blog!

Philosophical questions - NOT amateur radio

These sort of questions have been mentioned here before.  As one get older, I guess thoughts turn to our finiteness more and more.

Those with a religious belief probably believe in some sort of continuity after death in a form we cannot understand. Some believe we just cease to exist: we were not aware of life before we were born, so why worry about death?

I guess the truth is we just do not know. With quantum physics and multiverses, it is a brave person who says he/she knows. My own view is all religions are struggles to come to terms with our finiteness.  None is probably right, but all hint at a deeper meaning.

If we have a faith at all, what we believe is largely an accident of where we were born. If in the UK or USA were probably more likely to be Christian, whereas if we were born in India we are more likely to be Hindu. There are 1.03 billion Hindus in the world!

It probably hinges on whether or not we believe existence "exists" beyond our own minds. One thing is certain: we all die and we all struggle with our finiteness.

The rise and rise of FT8

There is no doubt in my mind that FT8 has been phenomenal. 

Every day this new digital mode seems to attract more and more people. It works with the briefest of openings and the software needed is free. It takes up about 60Hz only and works with weak signals. On a recent (rare for me) visit to 20m, DX from all over the world was spotted.

Even on 2m VHF, most days I spot signals from all over western Europe under flat conditions even with my omni antenna.

What will the Es season bring on 6m this year with this mode?

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hf-ft8

Slow decline?

It has been my view for some time that amateur radio is in a slow decline.

Recent figures of licenced amateurs in India on Southgate News paints a mixed picture. Although there quite a few new licences, the number of renewals indicates a gradual decline, on average. In the UK most radio amateurs are older men. Yes, there are exceptions, but unless more young people are attracted and retained, the hobby will be in terminal decline. As the market shrinks there will be fewer products, fewer magazines and fewer adverts. The future is in our hands.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/india-releases-ham-radio-license-figures.htm#.WrdqxUxFzIU

Sunspots - Sunday March 25th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=9 and K=4.

Auction of Promises - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday our local WI held an "Auction of Promises". They must have made thousands for local defibrillators. The auctioneer was David Palmer who is a famous UK TV personality on the programme "Bargain Hunt". He was good and funny. The place was really really packed. It was a good village event.

2m FT8

Same pattern as yesterday. After a brief TX period (2.5W, omni antenna). 4 spots, but no QSOs. Best DX on TX was GW6TEO (371km).  On RX 14 uniques in 6 countries already at 0945z.

Most days at least one person has their QTH locator showing them in the middle of the sea. Today we have someone who thinks he is in the middle of the English Channel! I expect he will soon realise his mistake.

UPDATE 0937z: 23 uniques in 6 countries currently.

UPDATE 1035z: 40 uniques in 6 countries.

UPDATE 1230z: Well we still have 2 stations on 2m FT8 with webbed feet. One is in the North Sea and one in the English Channel 😕. Now 46 uniques in 6 countries in last 6 hours on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1938z: Now 92 uniques in 8 countries in just the last 12 hours on 2m FT8. And these are flat conditions. Best DX on 2m FT8 RX is DK2DTF (644km). Unbelievable.

UPDATE 2017z: Now 94 uniques in 9 countries in last 12 hours. Incredible.

ICOM D-star portable

Southgate News has links to the new ICOM portable that comes loaded with digital D-Star and analogue repeaters. It has GPS built-in and a micro-SD card. Perhaps I am odd, but repeaters and D-star have never really appealed to me. With D-star you can talk to others across the globe with internet linking, but to me this is no great fun. It appeals to some. Years ago I was a regular user on GB3PI, which was the very first UK repeater. I even donated an antenna!

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/icom-id-31e-plus.htm#.WrbLokx2vIU

Village Cafe - NOT amateur radio

This café opened in our village a few months ago. It is well located and appears to be doing well.

View - NOT amateur radio

This is the view from our lounge. The 200 year old windmill is on the left. The buildings behind it are our local museum.