SAQ (17.2kHz) VLF - no transmission Oct 24th

If you were listening for the special UN Day CW transmission from the historic alternator VLF 17.2kHz TX SAQ you would have been disappointed as it did not happen. They hit a problem, so the transmission had to be abandoned. I think they are trying to find out what the problem is.

Somewhere I have a QSL card for a transmission about 10 years ago.

Sunspots - Wednesday October 30th 2019

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number still 0. A=8 and K=2.

Oh to be young again! - NOT amateur radio

Whilst going through some old pictures I came across this one of me when about 18. Then I had hair and life was mostly before me. Good old days in autumn 1967.

This was the photo on my Liverpool University Student's Union card. Gosh, I do look a fresh faced country bumpkin!

End fed 10/20/40m antenna re-erected

After being down for all the summer, I have re-erected my 10/20/40m end fed antenna. It broke earlier in the year and I thought some ladder work was needed. I am wobbly on ladders these days. Luckily I could reach the parts that mattered without a ladder and it is now strung to a different tree in the back garden. Getting the wire over the tree was surprisingly hard for me. Years ago this would have been trivial, but not any more.

Although I get a good match on 10m there is a high VSWR on 20m and 40m even with the tuner. At least I am able to WSPR and FT8 again on 10m. Most of the far end (after the 10m choke) is in the tree. To get a decent match on 20m and 40m , I need to choose another end point. It is probably fine on RX on 20m and 40m.

472kHz WSPR TX

Just now I tested the 472kHz WSPR TX. It works, so I should be on TX (10mW ERP) this evening and overnight. It is a pity that I cannot listen between the TX transmissions currently, but at least I can TX and RX WSPR on 472kHz.

Amazingly, a couple of locals received my transmissions just now.

UPDATE 1421z: Now 2E0ILY (209km) copying me too.

UPDATE 2019z: Darn Windows 10 updates! As usual, I am on 472kHz WSPR TX and monitoring on a different PC in the lounge. I was wondering why no-one had spotted me in 3 hours. Closer inspection showed the shack PC had turned off all programs waiting to install a Windows 10 update it cannot do without an external hard drive attached (internal hard drive is too small). Darn Microsoft!! Once I close this message, resynced time and restarted WSJT-X, all is well and reports are flooding in again. I am seriously fed-up with Microsoft. If I try to open a spreadsheet it tries to get me to use Excel, which of course you pay for. Instead I prefer to use free Open Office. How do you close the Excel message? With great difficulty as there is no "X" to close it! Darn Microsoft again. As I said before, I am seriously considering a Chromebook for the next PC for the lounge. These now run Linux, if you want to, as well as giving access to the Google Play Store and loads of Android apps.

UPDATE 2037z: Already spotted by 9 stations this evening on 472kHz WSPR running 10mW ERP with best spot being by LA8AV (1035km) up in Norway. MX0NCA (100km) is a new spotter.

UPDATE 2130z: I shall stay on 472kHz WSPR TX overnight, assuming Microsoft allows me!

2m FT8

At the moment I am on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna. 
So far today, 21 stations in 6 countries spotted (to 1108z).

Anglesey Abbey tree - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we did a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

Autumn is coming, although many trees are still green. This one looks autumnal (see photo).

CQWW SSB contest - doh!

Last weekend was the CQWW SSB contest. I forgot! Although I do not enter a log, the bands are usually busy, so this is usually a good chance to work a few stations. Of course it helps to remember the contest is on! It is surprising how bands like 10m spring into life proving it is often low activity rather than conditions that is the problem.

In past CQWW SSB contests it is often possible to fill pages in the log with 10m QRP SSB QSOs.

472kHz WSPR

At the moment "split" is not working on my FT817ND. I suspect this is software and will be a fixable issue.

What I had forgotten is I can still TX on 472kHz WSPR and still RX on 472kHz WSPR, but not at the same time. So, tonight, all being well, I shall be on 472kHz WSPR TX for about 25% of the time with the usual 10mW ERP. On another occasion I shall concentrate on 472kHz WSPR RX.

10m QRP

Whilst rummaging through some old photos I came across this one. It dates from the late 1980s I think and shows me (still with some hair!) operating 10m SSB from my parents back garden. The rig would have been my 2m MX2, with my homebrew transverter producing about 1W pep SSB on 10m. The antenna was a mag-mounted base loaded whip on the grass lawn. As I remember, several USA stations were worked. On another occasion I recall copying a 6m Canadian beacon indoors from my parents house with a whip on the FT817.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 29th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=11 and K=3.

Primroses - NOT amateur radio

Every autumn we plant primroses in our front garden (see photo).

These provide colour all through the autumn and winter.

Normally they get replaced in the spring with flowers that last until the first frosts. Incidentally, we had our first frost of the autumn last night.

2m FT8

As I am (for now) unable to operate the FT817ND in "split" mode I am again on 2m FT8 (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna).

An initial FT8 CQ was spotted by 8 stations in 3 countries with the best again being GI6ATZ (479km). This never seems to fail. If he is active, irrespective of conditions, he spots me! On 2m FT8 RX 4 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX spotted being DJ9IE (515km).

UPDATE 1710z:  15 stations in 6 countries spotted this afternoon on 2m FT8.

OFCOM and 5G spectrum

Today OFCOM announced that it was freeing up spectrum for 5G at 700MHz and around 3.6GHz.

It still insists on using the term "airwaves", suggesting to me that this quango is being run by a bunch of school kids who actually know very little about RF and spectrum. Perhaps I am being a grumpy old man. For this I apologise.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

 

When I was young I lived in South Devon. The photo shows where I lived. We owned some land near here in 1427! Many of my ancestors lived at Hope Cove and we have a direct line back to William of  Hope in the mid 1500s.

Sunspots - Monday October 28th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=15 and K=3.

FT817ND issue?

This evening I intended to go on 472kHz WSPR RX and TX, but I noticed the antenna current was zero. On closer examination, I noticed that the "split" function on the FT817ND had disappeared. With my brain fog as a result of my 2013 stroke I attempted to reset the "split" memory function.

I struggled for 30 minutes without success. I am sure I was doing things correctly. Even the micro-processor was reset, following the instructions in the manual. Again, no success.

Maybe leaving it until the morning, just in case I am doing something wrong might help. I am just a bit suspicious that the "split" function just disappeared.

Unless I can get "split" working again I can only RX on 472kHz WSPR. Tonight I am not on any band.

Horse chestnut tree - NOT amateur radio

In our local churchyard are two large horse chestnut trees that were planted (19th century?) to commemorate the battle of Waterloo in 1815. The photo shows our elder grandson standing under it.

Crabapple jelly - NOT amateur radio

We have just one crabapple tree but a friend has already made three jars of crabapple jelly. There are several hundred crabapples left, so I may have a go myself.

Moan time: cookies - NOT amateur radio

In recent months every website I visit asks me to OK cookies. I think this must be some new EU directive.

As with most such things, it is counter-productive. If you read the terms and conditions they can be pages of legal mumbo-jumbo, so most people will just "accept" without reading the terms. In fact this pop-up about accepting cookies becomes a real pain.

Surely I am not alone.

Return to 2m FT8

A short while ago I returned to 2m FT8. Initially I called CQ (2.5W to the big wheel) and now I am RX only. Although my CQ got no QSOs, I received 8 spots with the best again being N. Ireland GI6ATZ (479km). On RX 10 spots in 5 countries.

UPDATE 1708z: So far today on 2m FT8 RX 49 stations in 8 countries spotted. Best DX spotted on 2m FT8 today is DL3TW (655km).

472kHz WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP was spotted by more stations overnight than ever before. In all, my tiny signal was spotted by 20 receiving stations including Norway, weakly, just once. Quite decent results. The table shows the stations that spotted me in distance order.

On 472kHz WSPR RX, just 10 stations were spotted.

Sunspots - Sunday October 27th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0.  A=18 and K=3.

UK Election and BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

This could be a momentous week in UK politics. Firstly on Monday, only if passed with a two-thirds majority, we could have a General Election on December 12th. On October 31st we are meant to be leaving the EU.

Somehow, I suspect neither will happen.

630m WSPR after a break

As 2m FT8 is a waste of time overnight, I have decided to go on 472kHz (630m) WSPR  overnight tonight. My first 2 minute 10mW ERP transmission was spotted by 4 stations. So far, after about 30 minutes I have spotted 3 stations including 2 Germans.  Will I be spotted in Norway overnight? Sadly there are only two stations on 472kHz WSPR TX this evening. One is the huge signal of G3KEV and the other is mine!

World Cup Rugby - NOT amateur radio

I am not a great rugby fan, but to beat the NZ all-blacks is a big deal, that much I do know. In the end England won 19-7, which is quite a margin, so they now play in the final. At the end of the day it is just a game, but the English team must be very pleased. Wales play tomorrow. It would be good if they won too.

The Pixie and Micro-80 transceivers

Many years ago I wrote about these simple 80m CW transceivers. In recent years 40m versions have been available from China at very low prices. My website is very old now (at least 6 years old in the main).

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/pixie

Laser information

In the past, I only tried 481THz (red light) transmissions with LEDs, but Peter Thornton G6NGR kindly sent me a useful link. There is lots of other interesting stuff on that website too.

See http://maxmcarter.com/lasrstuf/concentrator2.html

Daytime 2m FT8

2m FT8 (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna) was turned on just before 0900z. A CQ call was spotted by 3 stations with the best being GI6ATZ (479km). On 2m FT8 RX nothing yet spotted.

UPDATE 1148z: On 2m FT8 RX 22 stations in 7 countries spotted so far today.

2m FT8 RX spots here to 1725z

UPDATE 1725z: On 2m FT8 RX 50 stations in 8 countries spotted today so far with best DX being DL3TX (655km).

Night off

Overnight all my radios were off. For several nights I have tried 2m FT8 but most activity starts at breakfast so being on overnight seems pointless. I may try 630m WSPR again tonight.

Sunspots - Saturday October 26th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=29 and K=3.

Very old - NOT amateur radio

Snailwell church is one of 2 in Cambridgeshire with round towers. This one was built in 1070 just 4 years after the Norman conquest so is almost 1000 years old.

Getting older - NOT amateur radio

Whilst clearing boxes in the loft we came upon this photo, which is about 35 years old. We have aged! This is my wife with her brothers.

Farm shop lunch - NOT amateur radio

As we have one of our grandsons with us at the moment we went out for lunch at our local farm shop. As might be expected, they had lots of Halloween stuff on sale. Here is our elder grandson with a toy spider on his arm.

Old magazines online

In an email received earlier today an old colleague reminded me of this amazing online resource. It contains pdf versions of many magazines and publications of interest to amateurs. I can highly recommend it. If you are looking for it, it is probably here. Despite its title there are magazines from across the world here.

See https://www.americanradiohistory.com/index.htm

2m FT8

Yet again, laziness meant I remained on 2m FT8 RX overnight. As before, most spots were after breakfast. At the moment (0852z) 13 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today so far.

UPDATE 1425z: Now 27 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today.

Stations spotted on 2m 

FT8 RX today to 2007z.

UPDATE 1756z:  Now 39 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today. An FT8 CQ (2.5W) earlier this afternoon was spotted by 6 stations in 4 countries with best DX spot being by GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 2007z: Now  46 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today.

Sunspots - Friday October 25th 2019

Solar flux is 65 and the SSN 0. A=18 and K=4.

Pumpkins - NOT amateur radio

It is Halloween season. As our elder grandson is with us before Halloween night we are celebrating it early. He still wants a party!

Poppy Day - NOT amateur radio

This morning on Breakfast Television was a piece on the making of poppy badges. These are sold about now to support the work of the British Legion. I came in late so missed most of the piece. At first I thought "how odd to be featuring poppies at this time of year". Then it dawned on me that this is the time of year when poppies are sold. Doh! Time certainly flies as in my mind it was still summer.

Active RX loop kit

Southgate News has a piece about a new active RX loop kit that retails in the UK for £44.66 inclusive of shipping.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/october/loop-antenna-amplifier-released.htm