Wasted spectrum?

In the UK, great swathes of spectrum are reserved for the military. I have long argued that some of this should be made available for the amateur service on a strictly non-interference basis. Even a very low ERP level could be set and stations closed if there is any hint of interference. It seems this falls on deaf ears.

In the meantime, much of the spectrum remains unavailable for serious experimental work. In no way am I saying such spectrum should not be available for the UK military as the primary user. But surely, under NoVs, parts of the spectrum could be opened up for serious "radio science" work? A phrase like "p***sing in the wind" come to mind. As commercial gear is not available at many of these frequencies, only serious experimenters are likely to apply for NoVs. Numbers would be small and all addresses known. We could even be asked to notify someone before experiments start.

Autumn leaves - NOT amateur radio

For several years now my wife has taken a photo of a certain tree at nearby Anglesey Abbey. We went this morning to catch it in its autumn colours.

After a few more weeks and with a decent blow, the leaves will have fallen until new buds appear in the spring. When we went last week, it was mostly green.

Although it was a dull morning, it looked better last year.

Trump: please read the facts!!! - NOT amateur radio

"The scientists are "virtually certain" that the global ocean has now warmed without pause since 1970."

The BBC reports on the latest news from climate scientists at the UN. Oh, sorry, this is all rubbish and just a Chinese hoax, says Trump allegedly. The world needs the USA and China fully engaged for the good of our children and grandchildren. For some nations, rising sea levels are a threat to their very existence.

Reading means you stop watching soaps on TV, tweet less, forget lobbyists from the gun and oil people and actually read reports. A true statesman does this and listens to knowledgeable and wise advisers.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49817804 .

National Hamfest

This weekend is the UK's National Hamfest in Newark.

27-28 SEPTEMBER : NATIONAL HAMFEST

Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 2NY.

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

2m FT8

Although I have been on 2m FT8 RX overnight, just 2 spots (1G and one DL).

I may try a 10W FT8 CQ call shortly. It seems few transmit overnight. Some start at breakfast time. I think these were both normal "flat band" conditions with the DL (who is regularly on FT8) via flat band tropo judging by the signal level.

UPDATE 1242z: So far today 13 stations in 7 countries spotted with best DX on 2m FT8 RX being EB1DJ (1279km) in northern Spain. On TX (10W to the big-wheel omni) an earlier CQ on 2m FT8 was spotted by 7 stations in 3 countries with my best DX DF6PW (562km).

UPDATE 1917z: A recent 10W FT8 2m CQ was copied by 11 stations in 4 countries. One QSO with PA1BVM (367km) resulted. On 2m FT8 RX 32 stations in 9 countries spotted in the last day.

Sunspots - Tuesday September 25th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=13 and K=1 .

CME triggered auroras?

Southgate News reports that there is a risk of a coronal mass ejection causing auroras this week. In the past I have worked stations via auroras with QRP on 6m CW and 10m SSB. A geomagnetic storm is likely even if the CME debris misses Earth.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/september/minor-cme-impact-could-spark-auroras-this-week.htm

Rybakov antennas

The basic idea of Rybakov antennas is to feed these at the high impedance end via a transformer so the impedance is brought down to the range (usually VSWR better than 3:1) that can be matched with the auto ATUs in many modern HF rigs.

Somewhere in the garage I have an x80 antenna which was a commercial version. I think this antenna is no longer available, but I guess similar antennas are available. The one I have was criticised for blowing wildly in winds. If I can erect it on our bungalow, it should give me access to several bands.

If you buy the toroid formers and wind the transformers, Rybakovs are quite easy to make. There are several examples on YouTube and elsewhere on the internet.

Back on air

The storm risk seems to have passed with both the BBC and Met Office weather forecasts showing no thunder and lightning this evening, so I have reconnected the rig, PC, PSU and antenna and have returned to 2m FT8.

Distant thunder

OK, I only heard this twice but I have gone QRT and disconnected everything once again. At the moment they are not forecasting storms here, but I have done this "just in case".

RSGB's RadCom Basics

This is, as its name implies, a more basic version of RadCom that is available for members online. The latest version is now available. This is more aimed at beginners.

See https://rsgb.org/main/publications-archives/radcom-basics/

Prorogation of parliament is illegal Supreme Court rules - NOT amateur radio

The highest court in the UK has unanimously voted that the Prime Minister acted illegally by suspending the UK parliament. These are historic days. It is anyone's guess what happens next.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness - NOT amateur radio

Autumn is the season when leaves fall and the fruit trees are filled with ripe fruit. Our next door neighbour has well laden apple and plum trees. My own crab apple tree has more fruit than ever. A friend makes crab apple jelly, which is delicious with some meats. The photo shows a conker still in its shell.

It never fails! - 2m FT8

As the risk of storms has disappeared until lunchtime on 2 forecasts I use, I have reconnected the rig, PSU, antenna and PC for now.

Although it is raining heavily (the first decent rain here for months) I still get spotted in Eire, Cornwall and Germany with a 10W CQ call on 2m FT8 TX, even with the big-wheel omni antenna. In all, 8 stations spotted me, although no QSOs resulted.

Yesterday G4BAO (8km) was +18dB S/N despite running 20mW. I am sure we would have worked each other if he had run 100uW. On 2m FT8 RX no stations spotted here yet, but I expect this will change.

UPDATE 0854z: Just 1 spot on 2m FT8 RX so far G4VQZ (175km).

Spots from my latest 
2m FT8 CQ as of 1027z 

(10W to the big-wheel omni antenna)

UPDATE 0830z: Just a couple of Gs spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX. A very recent 10W FT8 2m CQ was spotted by 9 stations as shown in the map.

UPDATE 1027z:  Now 4 stations spotted this morning on 2m FT8 RX with best DX PE1ISS (409km).

UPDATE 1402z: A recent 10W FT8 2m CQ was spotted by 12 stations with the best DX being a spot by DF6PW (562km). On 2m FT8 RX I have spotted 15 stations in 4 countries so far.

UPDATE 1840z:  A 10W 2m FT8 CQ was spotted by 10 stations with a QSO with DL6YBF (471km). He called me!

UPDATE 2031z:  In the last few hours 20 stations in 4 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. On 2m FT8 TX (10W CQ) I received 8 spots in 3 countries.

Alibris sale - NOT amateur radio

At one time I used to get emails telling me about Alibris sales every week. Yesterday I had one offering £20 off for one day only. It was deleted. I have a filter to get rid of these.

Honest to God - NOT amateur radio

This was the title of a book that I read when I was younger. At the time it caused quite a stir, but I quite liked it. By many traditionalists it was considered heresy.

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

4m transverter

Although this has been on the blog before, it is worth repeating it as it may spark ideas in some people. I have to confess it is some years since I tried this in a 4m contest with a hastily erected wire dipole.

Before that, my last 4m operation was working ZB2VHF from the shack of G3OUL (Liverpool University club station) with 4W AM on 70.26MHz. I think that was 1969, so quite a while ago!

The transverter certainly works, although I am sure it can be improved. These days I am too feeble and wobbly to try to make it better. It appeared in GQRP SPRAT, although I cannot remember which one. I guess it would have been in a 2012 or 2013 edition.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

Sunspots - Tuesday September 24th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the sunspot number still 0. A=3 and K=3.

Storm risk?

At the moment we have some heavy, thundery, downpours forecast for Tuesday. As a precaution, I have disconnected all antennas, the PSU and the PC. Only if things improve will I reconnect things tomorrow. Tomorrow might be a quiet radio day!

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

2m FT8

Stations spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX 

with the big-wheel omni antenna (to 1350z)

All day I have been on 2m FT8. On RX, 30 stations in 6 countries spotted so far.

A recent 10W FT8 CQ with the big-wheel omni was spotted by 11 stations in 4 countries with DG1KDD (472km) as the best DX spotting me. Sadly, no QSOs resulted. I did call a French station without success.

ICOM IC-9700 book

Southgate News reports that there is a new book out about this popular VHF/UHF transceiver that covers 2m, 70cm and 23cm. In many ways it is similar to the IC-7300.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/september/new-book-on-the-icom-ic-9700.htm

Rather them than me! - NOT amateur radio

Today, "our" windmill next door looks rather different.

In the photo you may be able to see someone who has climbed the ladder and a sail to do some work where the sails meet. At one point there were 2 people up there. All I can say is, "rather them than me".

Windmill 1931 - NOT amateur radio

We think this photo of the windmill next door was taken in about 1931. I have no idea who took it. Our bungalow was built about 40 years later and is behind the shed on the right.

Today the windmill is fully restored and has 4 sails which occasionally rotate, usually on special occasions. The tail wheel turns regularly and we can tell the wind direction by the way the main sails are orientated. The windmill is part of Burwell Museum, which is very extensive and one of the best local museums in the UK.

In the video below, the hedge is in our garden.

See http://burwellmuseum.org.uk/

Yet more houses - NOT amateur radio

We moved to this village in 1975 when the population was just over 4000. It is now over 6000.

Wherever there is a gap more houses get built. These cater for the well healed and rarely for ordinary workers. For example, the space in the photo has recently been built on. At one time it was a pub carpark.

XBM80-2 transceiver

This was a very simple 80m CW transceiver that I designed and built many years ago, apparently in 2010.

Like all my designs please take this as a starting point as you may very well be able to do much better. As you can see this was just experimental. At the time it was fun. These days, such experimental work is probably beyond me since the 2013 stroke.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/80m_xbm80

Sunspots - Monday September 23rd 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

2m FT8 again

It is getting dark and I have switched to 2m FT8. On RX 3 stations spotted including 2 in Germany. On 2m FT8 TX (10W to the big-wheel omni) 14 spots so far with the best DX report coming from G4LOH (455km) in Cornwall.

UPDATE 2009z: A recent 10W 2m FT8 CQ was again copied by GI6ATZ (479km). The antenna was still the big-wheel omni so the ERP was maybe 20W? FT8 is pretty remarkable.

Climate change facts - NOT amateur radio

Unlike President Trump of the USA who allegedly thinks climate change is a Chinese hoax, I prefer to believe in evidence as presented by people that have studied the real data. Sorry that means reading, which President Trump allegedly does not do that often.  A true statesman looks at the facts.

People of the USA, when you vote next year look at the evidence, please. This is a global emergency which requires us to think beyond the votes and lobby groups active in the next few years. The whole future of our planet is at stake, not who is US president in 2020 November.

Just look at the fiercer hurricanes and the Bahamas. It is happening now!!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49773869

Time flies - NOT amateur radio

It seems hard to remember that we were abroad on holiday just a few weeks ago. We seem to have packed in a lot since. On the whole the weather here has been mild and sunny. Yet again we went on a Saga holiday, which was very good. The holiday rep who looked after everything was local and very good. I kept a blog.

See https://roses2019.blogspot.com/

Inconsiderate parking - NOT amateur radio

Most times we love living next door to a restored windmill and museum. However, today is a special day with music and dance, so there are more people than normal. What I do not like is people who park without consideration for local residents, blocking driveways by parking badly. In future, if we need to go out in the car on such days, we need to park on the road and not on our driveway.

6m FT8

According to the weather forecast and the storm maps, the worst storms seem to be further west in the UK and here looks OK. So, I have reconnected everything and gone on 6m FT8 calling CQ (10W) initially. No spots received and nothing spotted yet on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 0929z: Still no spots. Many are still asleep in the UK or have deserted 6m.

UPDATE 1045z: A recent 10W FT8 6m CQ resulted in 2 G spots, but no QSOs. Still no spots on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1250z: Just 2 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX so far (G and GD).

UPDATE 1315z: 3 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX (G and GD). In answer to my own 10W 6m FT8 CQ call just now, just a couple of Gs spotted me. No QSOs resulted.

UPDATE 1608z: A recent 6m 10W FT8 CQ was spotted by one G station. At first I was puzzled as it said I was spotted 6 minutes ago, but there was nothing on the 6m PSKreporter map. Switching to "all bands" revealed that G4RDC (127km) was incorrectly reporting me as on 2m. He had obviously forgotten to change his band setting. Just 4 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX being HB9DVZ (870km) in eastern Switzerland.

Early 2m FT8 RX

Overnight, I stayed on 2m FT8 RX. Around breakfast time I was again spotting lots of stations including 3 Germans. Then the weather was forecasting storms, so everything was switched off and disconnected.

70cm Moxon antenna

Many years ago, I raided my wife's cupboard to make a 70cm Moxon antenna from a coat-hanger. If I remember correctly, the whole thing took about 30 minutes to make. It was used out portable with my FT817 and worked well.

Never say you don't have a 70cm antenna!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/70cm_moxon

Oscar 100 update

Periodically I check the web SDR at Goonhilly to see what the activity level is on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite.

My own view is activity levels are similar to a month ago. Certainly the band is far from crowded. There is room for many more stations.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Very simple 28MHz WSPR, FT8 or PSK RX

My trouble is I cannot remember where I've posted things!

So, if this has appeared here recently please accept my apologies. It is a simple, low cost, circuit and worth sticking on 10m WSPR when you have an antenna free. Most days you will copy something. As you can see it uses an oscillator running at half frequency and a Polyakov mixer.

I used a cheap GQRP 14.060MHz crystal, pulled. It worked well on 10m WSPR. The same idea would work on FT8 and PSK as long as you can find cheap crystals!

Our garden - NOT amateur radio

As the sun was shining, we did some work in the garden yesterday. In a month or so the leaves will fall and the garden will "sleep" over the winter. At the moment it looks tired and "late summer".

We'll blink and it will be spring.

Sunspots - Sunday September 22nd 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

Late switch to 2m FT8

Just now, I moved to 2m FT8. Yet again, my 10W FT8 CQ was widely copied with my best being a spot by G4LOH (455km) in Cornwall. On 2m FT8 RX all very quiet so far with just one G spot so far. I shall stay on 2m FT8 overnight.

Crosses - NOT amateur radio

Time and again I notice how hard life can be for some people and most of us are unaware.

Many people have mental health issues, or difficult parents or children, or a serious illness, yet choose not to share this with others. This may be their choice: some choose their hobbies to escape from these traumas. Many times I have said, "never judge a book by its cover".

We do not know the struggles some people have. All we can try to do is treat everyone with kindness.

Madness - NOT amateur radio

The UK is in a mess over BREXIT so what does the main opposition party (Labour) do? They hold a party conference and try to oust their deputy leader.

Personally, I think this is self-destructive and will lose them votes. Utter stupidity when all eyes are on them! This is pathetic navel gazing.

UPDATE 1105z: Apparently, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has quashed this. I expect he realised the harm it would do. Well, it is now almost inevitable I shall not be voting Labour in the near future.