Walkthrough video

Someone suggested I did this, so I have put it on my G3XBM YouTube channel. I apologise in advance for my appalling voice! You may have to view a few times to get all the words. It is a video walkthrough of the shack and antennas as of November 3rd 2018.

A free Android package called YouCut was used to make this video. It is free if you avoid the adverts and I can recommend it.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows a recent stroll with one of our sons, his children and my wife at Anglesey Abbey, which is about 4 miles away.

10m FT8

After a night off, I returned to 10m FT8 this morning. No stations have been spotted here and my 2.5W CQ was copied by no-one at all.

Ploughing a lonely furrow comes to mind! At least if anyone pops up I should spot them.

UPDATE 1102z: Lots of Europeans (8 so far) spotted on 10m FT8 plus VK8AW (13786km) in Australia. Assuming the latter is not a pirate, this remarkable for sunspot minimum on 10m FT8. Propagation does look promising on 10m FT8 today though.

UPDATE 1236z: Lots more Europeans spotted. Looking at who spotted VK8AW it would appear this is genuine. He has been spotted widely in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.

UPDATE 1650z: No further "real DX" on 10m FT8 RX here, although quite a lot of Europeans.

Sunspots - Saturday November 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN remains zero. A=4 and K=0.

QRT

Tonight, I have gone QRT and will not be on 472kHz WSPR overnight.

Another video being prepared

Later this weekend, I hope to have another video on my G3XBM YouTube channel. Someone suggested a walkthrough of the shack and antennas with me commentating. This I have done, although I need to put these clips together with MovieMaker, which I think is on an old PC.

My voice is bad these days, so I apologise in advance. Maybe you will have to watch a few times if you miss the odd word. If I can, I'll explain things in words on the screen if I can remember how to do this! As I said, should be ready later this weekend.

Like buses, you wait for ages, then several come along.

UPDATE  2225z: For reasons I don't understand, MovieMaker would not allow me to save the video. Over the weekend I may try a different package if I can find one.

"He who casts the first stone..." - NOT amateur radio

Oh to be always right!

Mind you, he is a genius and women really love him. Well, these must be true as he said so, allegedly. Iran, I am sure is not perfect. Are the USA and the UK perfect?

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46071747

UK Pound v. Euro - NOT amateur radio

Volatility. This best sums up the situation. Recently, the Pound has been clawing back some of its recent losses against the Euro, although until BREXIT is sorted we can expect big swings up and down.

Solar conditions

Every month I look out for the solar numbers for the last month and the latest forecasts for solar cycle 25, especially to see the latest "expert" views on the timing of the minimum and the size of the next peak. The best place I find is http://www.solen.info/solar/.

Although the "experts" are saying we are already at, or very near, solar minimum, the graphs could be interpreted as the minimum continuing for another year or so. If you know of better predictions, please let us know.

According to http://www.solen.info/solar/cycle25_spots.html the minimum is expected to be between August 2018 and February 2019 i.e. now.

"As of September 2018 the strength of the polar fields hints at a cycle 25 with a magnitude slightly stronger than that of cycle 24." This is a quote from the above website.

472kHz WSPR

Overnight was only average.

On 472kHz WSPR RX 16 stations spotted with LA1TN (1269km) as the best DX. On TX just 6 stations (all in England) spotted my 10mW ERP.

Young swans - NOT amateur radio

On our return from Cambridge we got stuck behind a tractor, so we took a detour and chanced upon these young Mute Swans and a few ducks. They look like this year's young losing their grey feathers and starting out with white ones.

10m FT8

An earlier CQ (2.5W) was spotted by no-one and just a single spot, so far, on FT8 RX of PA2RG (318km). I suspect this was aircraft reflection although it could be tropo.

UPDATE 1642z: Just 3 stations spotted in 3 countries on 10m FT8 today with best DX 9A7JCY (1424km) in Croatia. Dire! For me at least, this has been a bad 10m day.

Sunspots - Friday November 2nd 2018

The pits!

I cannot recall when solar conditions have been this bad since the last solar minimum around 2008. Solar flux is just 66 and the sunspot number zero. A=5 and K=2. Hopefully we will soon see the start of cycle 25 and somewhat better numbers.

472kHz WSPR

Last night was probably the best here this season with 20 stations spotted and my own 10mW ERP signal was spotted by 11 stations.

As 10m FT8 was dire today, I have already decided to QSY to 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 2200z: In the last 2 weeks, 30 different stations in 6 countries have been spotted with EA7HPM (1726km) as the best DX. My own 10mW ERP has been spotted by 20 different stations with the most distant being LA3EQ (769km). My only "antenna" is the earth-electrodes about 10m apart with just a low wire running back to the shack. At the old QTH running the wire on the ground made very little difference. In my view this acts as a loop in the ground at MF.

10m FT8

Very disappointing here. Nobody spotted my CQ calls and no spots of others. Dismal!

Sunspots - Thursday November 1st 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN zero. A=4 and K=1.

Rallies

Saturday 3 NOVEMBER : VERON Ham Radio Convention (Dag voor de RadioAmateur 2018)

IJsselhallen, Rieteweg 4, 8011 AB, Zwolle, Netherlands. 9.30am to 5pm, €9.00 entry fee, free to Under 16s. Tickets available on the door from 9am. On-site Car Parking €5.00. The organising committee of the Dutch Radio Society (VERON) created an attractive programme. Besides the official part, the 'Radio Amateur of 2017' will be announced, and several lectures will be given. There will be a homebrew exhibition, demonstrations and measuring facilities, the AMRATO (Amateur radio equipment sales), and the VERON Components market (flea market). Several commissions, working groups & associated societies are also presenting, and there will be a Youth Zone to inform youngsters about techniques and the many aspects of our hobby.


4 NOVEMBER 2018 CANCELLED : WEST LONDON RADIO & ELECTRONICS SHOW (Kempton Rally)


Sunday 4 NOVEMBER : BUSHVALLEY ARC ANNUAL RADIO RALLY
United Services Club, 8 Roe Mill Road, Limavady, Co Londonderry BT49 9DF. Doors open from 11am to 4pm with disabled visitors gaining access at 10.50am. Admittance is £3. There will be an auction, trade stands, a Bring & Buy, RSGB Book Stall and Special Interest Groups. A Talk-In station will be on the air. Catering is available on site. Contact Jason Smyth, MI3UIW, 07793 314 313, jason.smyth@pepsico.com.


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

472kHz WSPR

Earlier this evening I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR. So far, 8 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP signal and I have spotted 16 stations on RX. Promising.

Stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR so far tonight.

Kings College Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

This picture typifies Cambridge. People come from all over the world to see this view. We get it for just a free bus ride!  Even access to all the Cambridge colleges is free for locals. It is hard to think people pay thousands of pounds to see this.

10m FT8 RX

For now, I am on 10m FT8 RX.

With sunspot minimum conditions and being well outside of the Es season, I am not expecting much. Of late the South Americans have not been spotted in the early evening on 10m FT8 with my low antenna.

UPDATE 1556z: 3 stations in 2 countries spotted so far. Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is IT9PZM (1890km).

UPDATE 1650z:  I have just updated to WSJT-x V2.0 rc3. My recent 2.5W CQ was copied by no-one at all!

Last night on 477kHz OPERA RX

Disappointing with just the 2 stations already spotted in the evening spotted overnight. This could mean several things. Perhaps my "antenna" is not brilliant. Perhaps conditions were not good. Perhaps there are fewer operators using OPERA. Maybe it is a combination of all of these or some of these.

Tonight, if I go on MF, I shall opt for WSPR again?

Sunspots - Wednesday October 31st 2018

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0. Spooky poor conditions for Halloween.

477kHz OPERA RX

For a complete change, I am on 477kHz OPERA RX. This is a mode I have not tried this autumn on MF or on any band for that matter. In deep search I believe it is even better than WSPR, but I am unsure how many people are on 477kHz OPERA TX. No doubt, I'll soon find out!

UPDATE 2135z: So far G6AVK and SO5AS (1392km) spotted on OPERA RX on MF.

New video

It is a while since I posted a video on my YouTube channel G3XBM.  I have just made one showing the shack and antennas as of now in October 2018.

As my voice is not brilliant, there is no voice commentary, but there is music.

It was made with iMovie using my XYLs iPad. There is an Android version, I think, but I have not used this. It is a bit sad that my 7 year old granddaughter can use iMovie to make films better than me!

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBIHNPAkaac

2m FT8 again

It's a safe bet. My 2.5W FT8 CQ was copied by 4 stations in 3 countries including N. Ireland and the Lizard in Cornwall by G7RAU (461km). On RX, 4 stations spotted in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1642z: Now 16 stations spotted in 5 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1854z: Now 24 stations spotted in 6 countries.

Brandon Country Park - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, I posted some fungi on a fallen tree. This is a picture on the same walk. Nice place for a stroll.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 30th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number is zero still. A=3 and K=2

472kHz last night

Not a bad night. In all, 14 stations spotted here on 472kHz WSPR RX and I was spotted by 8 stations with the 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Interestingly, my noise floor with the PC charger working on mains is S0 on the FT817ND.  Last year, with the old FT817 it was S7 and I had to turn off the mains to get down to S2 on RX. On the face of it, I have made no changes. All very odd.

QSY to MF WSPR

Every time I try 2m FT8 I seem to spot at least 7 countries. Even my QRP CQs get spotted at distances that I'd consider remarkable by any other mode.

As 2m was getting too easy, I QSYed to 472kHz (630m) WSPR with the usual 10mW ERP this evening. Already 10 stations have been spotted since 2010z, including LA8AV (1035km). He seems to be spotted most evenings. My own 10mW ERP WSPR has been spotted by 5 stations. Not a bad start.

Fungus - NOT amateur radio

This is the season when odd fungi appear. It must be the autumn chill and dampness in the air. This afternoon we went for a stroll at Brandon Country Park where this fungus was growing on a fallen tree trunk.

Vestnik 14

This just came in from Oleg:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,
Enjoy  reading the new issue # 14 of "QRP Vestnik" (Reporter) October
2018. Download 4 pages PDF 420 kB -
http://club72.su/vestnik/qv14.pdf
Any comments, offers, materials, pictures are welcome!
Thanks for assistance Alex SV8CYR and Jos ON6WJ!

72! Oleg RX3G / KH6OB "Mr. 72" "

472kHz WSPR overnight

Last night was quite a good session with 15 stations spotted and 8 people spotting my 10mW ERP signal from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

472kHz WSPR RX overnight

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) overnight

Exhaustion - NOT amateur radio

This is probably an after-effect of my stroke 5 years ago. Every morning after breakfast I am totally exhausted. I need to rest and do very little. Then I feel a bit better. Compared with 6 years ago, I am much more clumsy and lacking in energy. A few nights ago I dreamt I could run. Sadly, it was just a dream.

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

Sunspots - Monday October 29th 2018

Solar flux is 67 (low) and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

2m FT8

After a night on MF WSPR I have returned to 2m FT8. A 2.5W CQ to the omni was spotted in 3 countries with the best DX being a spot by F4IAA (802km) south of Limoges.  Yet again I was spotted in Cornwall.

UPDATE 1020z:  Currently 7 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today. Best DX spotted is DF3JR (439km). Interestingly, my own CQ calls were spotted further than I have so far spotted myself.

UPDATE 1153z:  Now 12 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1738z: Now 32 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

472kHz WSPR

As 28MHz FT8 was not very productive this evening I have now QSYed to MF. My first 2 minute transmission (10mW ERP) was spotted by 4 stations. No great DX, but an encouraging start.

Best DX so far on 472kHz WSPR RX is DF1VB (506km).

UPDATE 2204z: PA3ABK (306km) is the best DX on 472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) this evening.

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) this evening

QSYed to 10m FT8

Hoping to see if there are any South Americans on 10m FT8 RX, I have just QSYed from 2m FT8. I put out a brief CQ (2.5W). Unsurprisingly, no spots! On RX , no spots either.

UPDATE 1954z:  Only a couple of spots on 10m FT8 RX: 2E1CIT (94km) and F5BQV (561km) in Brittany. No South Americans.

Granddaughter time - NOT amateur radio

I don't think this has been on before. If it has, apologies.

Our grandchildren are growing up fast and I know she will not want to do this for ever. Whilst I can, I am enjoying it.

Early Halloween - NOT amateur radio

As our "London" grandchildren came up to stay this week, we had an early Halloween party with silly games they just love! Here is our elder granddaughter playing the chocolate game.

More grumpy old man stuff - NOT amateur radio

If there is one thing that really irritates me it is Christmas starting in the shops months too early! Yes, I know retailers are having a hard time on the high streets, but this is all driven by profits.

For me, Dec 1st is quite early enough for Christmas fare. Grumpy old man! This photo was shared on social media earlier.