Weak signal modes

Since my 2013 stroke my voice has been poor, so I have made more use of digital modes to save my voice and help others! On 630m I still use WSPR, but on most bands I use FT8. WSPR works with very weak signals but transmissions take 2 minutes. FT8 is much faster but less sensitive. In both cases they work with signals much lower than CW. They are not chatting modes. All the software needed is free.

Locks - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday were on the Canal du Midi in France and went down these locks.

Something for the weekend

Every week I get the MLS email offering deals for the weekend. This weekend it is about second-hand stuff. None of this interests me!

Rockall - NOT amateur radio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall#/media/

File:Rockall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1048791.jpg

Many years ago I had a website about this isolated islet in the north Atlantic. It was even referenced in a book on shipping areas! That was years ago.

It was inhabited briefly some years ago by a British explorer, but often storms can batter it and crash right over the top. I think the British "annexed" it in 1955 to claim fishing and oil rights. Many nations dispute ownership. Really it is just a small rock miles from anywhere.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall

Sunspots - Saturday September 7th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=1.

Rally

Saturday 7 SEPTEMBER : CAISTER LIFEBOAT RALLY

Caister Lifeboat station, Tan Lane, Caister on Sea, Norfolk NR30 5DJ. Access via car park in Beach Rd. Doors open 9:30am till 2pm, (8am for sellers) with easy parking. Indoor spaces and outdoor pitches available. There will be a raffle and the onsite café will be open. The museum will also be open. A special event station will be on the air. To book call Zane, M1BFI on ‪0771 121 4790‬ or Email m1bfi@outlook.com www.m1bfidx.wixsite.com/cl-radio-rally.

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

Canal du Midi - NOT amateur radio

One of our trips today was on the Canal du Midi in SW France. The weather was very good and not too hot.

GQRP Club

For very many years now I have been a member of the GQRP Club. This is an excellent organisation that produces a quarterly magazine called SPRAT. If push came to shove, this is the one magazine I should keep. Back issues of SPRAT are available on  a club DVD.  It is worth joining just for this as members get a discount. SPRAT is filled with simple projects to build and members' news. If you like QRP radio, you will enjoy SPRAT.

See http://www.gqrp.com/

Sunspots - Friday September 6th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=14 and K=2.

Boat trip - NOT amateur radio

Today we went on a boat trip to a nearby village in North East Spain. It was very sunny but windy making the sea choppy.

Same swifts? - NOT amateur radio

At home swifts flew south many weeks ago apart maybe for the odd stragglers. Today in NE Spain we have seen quite a few. It is odd to think that some of these could be the very ones overhead in the UK just a few weeks ago, but now taking on fuel.

Oscar 100

Periodically, I take a look at the Goonhilly SDR to check activity on the narrowband section of this geosynchronous amateur satellite. The last time I looked was Sept 3rd 2019.

Oscar 100 bandplan from Oscar-DL

Although it is hard to judge with casual looks, my feeling is that activity levels have not increased. My sense is that new people enjoy the challenge of getting a signal through the satellite, but many thereafter lose interest. They know they can then work stations day after day within the footprint of the satellite, just like any repeater. The difference is this one is 22000 miles up and uses microwave frequencies and fixed dishes.

It is important to keep uplink powers such that the output levels are no stronger than the beacons. If you get an alarm then reduce power! Use just enough power and never too much.

This is the first time that half the amateur world can be connected day and night without QSB with small antennas.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

ARRL

The ARRL is the national organisation in the USA for radio amateurs. It is a bit like the RSGB in the UK.

For a while I joined and received their monthly magazine QST. QST is quite a big magazine, but I decided not to renew as the RSGB's RadCom seemed to be enough for me with PW and SPRAT.

See http://www.arrl.org/

Sunspots - Thursday September 5th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=12 and K=4.

OFCOM updates

As usual, OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly statistics on its website.

10m Simple Sideband

Before my 2013 stroke I started a project to design a very simple sideband transceiver for 10m. At that time we were several years from the solar peak. Sadly, since my stroke this has not been progressed.

10m is an ideal QRP band as antennas are small and only low power is often needed. In my mind, I see a small, easily copied, design that can be built by almost anyone for not much outlay. I'd be really happy if someone else took on this challenge and finished it off.

We are soon to be on the climb to the next sunspot peak. 10m will be good again for F2 DX, although with Es it is great most summers. There are some ideas on my website linked below. If you can do better, no worries.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10msimple_sb

Sunspots - Wednesday September 4th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=10 and K=3.

Secondary School - NOT amateur radio

It seems just a blink of an eye since our elder grandson was born, yet today he starts secondary school. Amazing.

I guess we'll bink and he'll be driving and blink again and he'll be married!

The moral seems to be that they are only little for a short while, so enjoy them as much as you can. We certainly have.

I guess they turn into stroppy teenagers next and won't want to see us. Ho hum.

2m FT8

Even though it is very early already one French and one German station spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last few hours. By 0755z there were 6 stations logged, most at good range.

East Cambs net - 144.575MHz FM 8pm Mondays

Mark G7LEU's FM signal 

last night 59+60dB

After some deliberation, we decided to go back to our old time and day. It seems to have worked, as there was quite a good turnout last night. Feel free to call in, as we rarely talk for more than 30 minutes and our technical discussion rarely gets, well, technical. A small friendly group.

• Monday nights
• 144.575MHz FM (yes, one four four) vertical
• 8pm UK clock time

Sunspots - Tuesday September 3rd 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 12. A=21 and K=3.

Another IC-705 video

As you can tell, I have been looking for good, informative, videos.

2m FT8

Although it is very early I have already spotted 5 stations in 3 countries on 2m FT8 this morning.  Not sure if these are via flat band tropo or aircraft scatter. Probably some of each?

UPDATE 1255z: Now 21 stations spotted in 5 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX. My best DX today on 2m FT8 RX is GI0OTC (561km) in Northern Ireland.

UPDATE 1354z: A brief 2m FT8 CQ just now resulted in no QSOs. However, it was widely spotted with my best DX being a spot (again) by EI2FG (565km) in southern Eire.

UPDATE 1600z: Now 34 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1626z: Amazing! A brief 2m FT8 CQ (10W to the big-wheel omni) was widely spotted and I was called by DO8SAS (601km). On 2m FT8 RX I have spotted 35 stations so far today.

2m FT8 RX stations spotted today

UPDATE 2035z: 36 stations spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX using the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 2052z: 53 stations in 8 countries spotted in the last day on 2m FT8 RX, even with my pathetic antenna!

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

Whatever else one says one thing is certain. The UK has become a very divided nation with chasms between those that want to leave the EU and those who wish to remain . These divisions exist in our politicians and people. There seems little will to compromise on both sides. 

More on the ICOM IC-705

There is a video which shows more of the ICOM prototype IC-705 QRP transceiver at the Tokyo Ham Fair.

Fewer older hams in Japan?

Looking at recent videos of the Tokyo Ham Fair, there look to be fewer old amateurs wandering around. Certainly in the UK amateur radio seems to be an old man's hobby, although I am not sure how commonplace this is.

Sunspots - Monday September 2nd 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=45 and K=5.

2m FT8

As there is so little on 6m FT8 today, I think I shall QSY to 2m FT8 to see what that produces. Although no QSOs resulted my 2m FT8 CQ (10W to the big-wheel omni) was spotted by 11 stations in 3 countries with the best DX being a spot by EI2FG (565km). On RX so far just one spot of M0NPT (125km). Most people seem to be just RX only.

Imagine - with 2m FT8 southern Eire and Isle of Man any time with 10W to the omni!!

UPDATE 1553z: 9 stations in 3 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1745z: Now 19 stations in 6 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

2m FT8 spots of my 10W today

UPDATE 1922z: Now 26 stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX. A recent 2m FT8 CQ (again 10W to the big-wheel) was copied by 14 stations with my best DX spots by DF6PW (562km) and EI2FG (565km). It's great not having to turn a beam. Mind you, with a beam I could perhaps gain 6dB in the most favourable directions. The RX log on 2m FT8 since mid-afternoon is shown below.

UPDATE 2130z: Now 35 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX since mid-afternoon today.

Passed the minimum?

The figures for last month have been added to the solar forecast. Much to my surprise, this is still forecasting that we have passed the solar minimum. Let us hope they are right!

See http://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png

6m FT8

Presently, I am on 6m FT8 RX. 3 stations have been spotted so far (at 0816z) with the best DX spotted HB9SHD (761km) in northern Switzerland.

UPDATE 0827z: A brief 6m FT8 CQ call (10W) was copied by no-one at all!

UPDATE 0954z: A recent  6m FT8 CQ was spotted by G0GLS (171km) and resulted in a QSO with G6NNS (26km). John G6NNS is fairly local to me. No Es evident. So far, just 4 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1122z: Apart from the French and Swiss stations spotted much earlier, just 4 G stations spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX. A pretty poor session.

UPDATE 1150z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 3 stations with the best DX being a spot by GM8IEM (753km) in the north of Scotland.

UPDATE 1500z: What a difference a day makes! Just 12 6m FT8 RX spots all day with the best DX being SQ9KFZ (1305km).

Overnight on 2m FT8 RX

Overnight, I left 2m FT8 RX running. In all 8 stations spotted in the last 6 hours with the best DX spotted being DL2AKT (761km).

Results published for RSGB's 70cm activity contest

The results for the latest 70cm UKAC have just been published. Although I missed a few sessions in recent months, I appear to have improved my position in the AL (low power) section.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2019

Granddaughters - NOT amateur radio

Earlier in the last week we had all our grandchildren here. The photo shows our 2 granddaughters together.

Sunspots - Sunday September 1st 2019

Solar flux is 66 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=38 and K=5. For those who read August 1st my apologies!! I have just noticed this error and corrected it.

Solar numbers

Usually very early each month my favourite source of solar data updates its information. This usually happens either late on the first day or on the second day of the month. As last month, one wonders what the forecast for sunspots looks like later this year. As far as I know, we have been pretty spotless in August.

Homemade recordings - NOT amateur radio

When still at school, i.e. a very long time ago, a friend and I made some homemade records using a big horn, lots of shouting and the plastic lids of coffee jars.

Looking back, these were very exciting days. Although I still have a record, I no longer have a means of playing it.

As we have moved increasingly to digital and streaming, analogue decks are fewer, although some still swear by vinyl records. As I recall there was nothing too profound recorded.

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

CEPT position at WRC 2023

Although several years off, CEPT has agreed on the items to be on the agenda of WRC-23 according to Southgate News. It seems likely that bands under threat may be safer.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/august/cept-cpg-decides-position-on-144-50-and-1240-1300-mhz.htm

2m FT8

At about 1820z, I switched to 2m FT8, initially calling CQ. Best DX spot was by DL3YCX (475km), which is not bad with 10W to the big-wheel omni. In all 5 stations in 3 countries spotted me.

UPDATE 1855z: On 2m FT8 RX just 3 spots so far this evening.

UPDATE 2024z: A recent 2m FT8 CQ was spotted by 4 stations. On RX just 4 G stations spotted. In all, 7 stations have spotted my 2m FT8 CQs this evening.

UPDATE 2146z: A recent 2m FT8 CQ (10W) was spotted by 9 stations with best spot being by EI2FG (565km) in southern Eire. I shall probably remain on 2m FT8 RX overnight. 8 stations spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX in 4 countries. This is disappointing as it feels people have now had their FT8 fun and have "moved on", but what to and where?

Icom's IC-705

Image on the ICOMuk link shown

Great! ICOM has just announced a new multi-band QRP transceiver at the Tokyo Ham Fair. It should be available March 2020 and for less than $1000.  I hope they sell this world-wide as it exactly fits my needs.

See https://icomuk.co.uk/Icom-IC-705-and-IC-PW2-Prototypes-Shown-at-Tokyo-Hamfair-2019/2/1982/

See also https://dx-world.net/new-icom-ic705/

See also https://qrpblog.com/2019/08/icom-ic-705-hf-vhf-uhf-portable-transceiver-announced

See also https://icomuk.co.uk/files/icom/PDF/newsFile/IC-705_Tokyo_Hamfair.pdf

The last but one link has lots of photos. It looks to me like a great addition to the range and a bit like a 2020 IC703, but based on SDR technology!

Fred tells me 4m will be available on European versions - even better!

My thanks again to Steve G1KQH and Fred G4BWP for spotting this.

6m FT8

An earlier 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 6 people including 9A5CW (1253km).  This looks like Es. It was very early. So far, I have just spotted a couple of Gs on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1040z: Quite a bit of Es now in 6m FT8. An earlier CQ was spotted by several Gs with one G QSO. Best DX this morning on 6m FT8 RX is UW1HM (2293km). In all, 34 stations from across Europe already spotted this morning.

UPDATE 1202z: Now 49 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE  1532z: 50 stations in 13 countries spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1605z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 3 G stations only.

UPDATE 1743z: A very recent 6m FT8 CQ resulted in no QSOs and was spotted by just 1 G station.