Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

About 10 days ago, I bought an Asus C213NA Chromebook. It is NOT a Windows PC. Instead it uses Chrome OS.

It is blisteringly fast.  Every time I open the lid it is there in a blink. So far, it has been mainly used for web browsing, but I am not in the least disappointed. At the moment, it has far exceeded my expectations.

It runs Android apps (used) and Linux apps (not used) and the battery seems to last all day. The screen is bright and clear. The laptop has a touch screen and the whole thing can be used as a tablet if need be. It came with a 3 year on-site warranty. It is small and light. Perfect.

Oh, by the way, I am using it to write this.

Pleased? You bet!

ICOM IC-705

Although I have been keeping my "ear to the ground", I have not got any more information on this new radio due to be released in 2020.

As we know, this will be an SDR based 10W HF-70cm radio based heavily on the IC-7300 and IC-9700. Personally, I think they should include a wide range auto-ATU inside, especially as they are marketing this as a field radio. This seems a huge omission. If I was ICOM, I'd make it slightly bigger and, at the very least, offer this as an option. OK it will cost more, but many will be prepared to pay.

If you have heard any more, please share it here.

10m FT8

Yesterday was not a bad day with quite a few Europeans spotted. I have just gone on 10m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially, although I am currently RX only. No spots yet on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1625z:  Still no 10m FT8 spots today.  Another bad 10m day.  A recent 10m FT8 CQ (2.5W) was again spotted by no-one at all!

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

In the end 17 stations spotted my QRPP signal with nothing further from Norway. Quite a good night, although staying on overnight is questionable.

Stations spotting my QRPP 

472kHz WSPR overnight

Sunspots - Monday November 25th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=11 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR TX

At about 1800z, I returned to 472kHz WSPR with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. The first transmission was spotted by 4 stations including LA2XPA (1310km).

UPDATE 2025z: 10 spots of me so far on 472kHz WSPR this evening on 472kHz. LA2XPA has spotted me 5 times already this evening!

Sub-9kHz transatlantic DX

VO1NA has been successfully decoded on EbNaut in Europe.

See https://groups.io/g/rsgb-lf-group/topic/vlf_vo1na_8270_0075_hz/61873847?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,61873847

137kHz E-field probe

Several years ago I made this mag-mounted 137kHz e-field probe to see how far away I could detect my QRPP 137kHz beacon. At about 24km I just stopped!

Both the EFP and the 137kHz beacon clearly worked.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/137efp

Birthday - NOT amateur radio

Today is my wife's birthday. We met in 1968. The photo shows her opening her cards and receiving a phone call from one of her brothers.

10m FT8

After the total disaster yesterday, I am hoping for better luck on 10m FT8 today. At about 1050z I turned things on and called CQ briefly with 2.5W. Sadly no-one copied my CQ but already 4 Europeans have been spotted on RX with best DX  EA7KHU (1694km).

UPDATE 1400z: 11 stations in 7 European countries spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Sunday November 24th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=10 and K=3.

WRC-19 ends

WRC-19 has finally ended in Egypt with delegates going home.  Overall, the outcome for amateur radio was pretty good.

See https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/2019/11/22/wrc-19-day-20-and-finally/

Political dirty tricks (fake news) - NOT amateur radio

At the moment I have still to make my mind up when voting in the next UK general election on December 12th.

Recently, in my view, the Conservative party has scored a couple of "own goals" by changing the name of their Twitter account to Factchecker or similar. They also, allegedly, modified a video to show an opposition cabinet minister stumbling over an answer, when he actually clearly answered the question.

In my view these were examples of false news and shame on whoever allowed them to be released. These sort of dirty tricks put UK politics in a very poor light and have no place whatsoever. If I was ever to vote for the Conservatives this alone would prevent me. How could anyone support this sort of childish behaviour?

10m FT8

Since about 0945z, I have been on 10m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially. No spots yet (at 1025z).

UPDATE 1547z: Still no spots on 10m FT8 RX here. At the moment, today seems really dreadful on 10m FT8.  Not even any locals spotted!

UPDATE 2048z: About an hour ago I went QRT on what was my worst session on 10m FT8 this autumn.

Road not taken - NOT amateur radio

This is a famous poem by Robert Frost. Many times we reach forks in our road of life be it girlfriends, marriage, work, college or whatever. We take a certain path and not others. Looking back we wonder what would have happened if we had taken the other paths. Perhaps we can never know.

See https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken .

Broadcast listener resources

It is some years since I did some BC DXing. A useful list of BC related resources is at DXzone.

For a serious window on radio around the world these days an internet radio seems the answer: my XYL is listening to a classical ABC station in Perth, Australia. It is perfect copy.

See https://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Shortwave_Radio/BCL_Resources/

Brennan BB1 - NOT amateur radio

For my birthday and Christmas my wife bought me a Brennan BB1. This is also known as the "baby Brennan". To say I am impressed is an understatement. It plays ripped CDs, 40000 internet radio stations and plays YouTube videos on its TFT screen.

Also you can use your PC or phone as a remote control. Not only that, but it is tiny. It was meant to be put away until late December, but it is in full use every day. Oh, the sound quality is great.

Sunspots - Saturday November 23rd 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=0.

Wembley - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to a theatre in Wembley to see Warhorse on stage. Before the performance we ate lunch. This is a view towards Wembley stadium from outside the place where we ate.

GQRP Club

For more years than I care to remember (!) I have been a member of the GQRP Club. Every quarter they produce an excellent magazine called SPRAT. Many times before I have said that if all other magazines had to go, SPRAT would be the last. It is brilliant with lots of ideas each quarter.

QRP has been a passion of mine ever since I started: QRP DXCC was achieved years ago, I think entirely on 10m. These days I use QRP mainly out of laziness and just enjoy it. If I fail to get a QSO, there is always another day. If I work DX great, but I rarely seek it.

As a member you can buy the entire collection of SPRATs on DVD. This alone is worth joining for.

See http://www.gqrp.com/ .

10m FT8

Today I went on 10m FT8 again.

An early (2.5W) 10m FT8 CQ was spotted by 6 stations with a QSO with OE9TZV (891km). My best DX was a spot of me by 9A7JCY (1424km).

On 10m FT8 RX 5 stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 1114z: So far this morning 12 stations in 9 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2005z: I have just gone QRT. In all 19 stations spotted across Europe today on 10m FT8 RX.

6m Region 1 allocation

Good news! 6m has been agreed as an official amateur allocation in Region 1 following an agreement at WRC-19 in Egypt.

See https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/174-news/latest-news/1917-wrc-19-approves-region-1-50-mhz-amateur-allocation

Sunspots - Friday November 22nd 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number still 0. A=4 and K=0.

Day off

As we were out most of the day, I have been off the air all of the day. There was a slight thunder risk, so everything was disconnected.

"Warhorse" - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we went, with the village theatre group, to see "Warhorse" at the theatre in Wembley.

Some years ago I saw this at the cinema.  All the time at the film I was moaning about the appalling Devon accents and the appalling Devon village. This time I just pretended the village was in Wiltshire.

The stage production was nothing short of spectacular. I enjoyed the stage play far more than the film.

UK rallies this weekend

Sunday 24 NOVEMBER : BISHOP AUCKLAND RADIO AMATEURS CLUB 2019 RALLY

Oasis Academy Coulsdon, Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES. Doors open from 10am until 2pm. £1.50 entry that includes a free tea/coffee. There will be second hand equipment, flea market tables, traders and an RSGB bookstall. The CATS Bring & Buy will operate on 10% commission. Refreshments are available on site. Contact Andy G0KZT on 07729 866 600 or www.catsradio.org.

Sunday 24 NOVEMBER : CATS 42nd RADIO & ELECTRONICS BAZAAR

Oasis Academy Coulsdon, Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES. Doors open from 10am until 2pm. £1.50 entry that includes a free tea/coffee. There will be second hand equipment, flea market tables, traders and an RSGB bookstall. The CATS Bring & Buy will operate on 10% commission. Refreshments are available on site. Contact Andy G0KZT on 07729 866 600 or bazaar@catsradio.org" or www.catsradio.org

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

OFCOM update

OFCOM has announced a change of Chief Technology Officer. See their website.

Groups.io

As Yahoo is effectively closing its groups, like many I have migrated all of my groups to Groups.io. At present I host groups on VHF AM, sub9kHz and miracle antennas.

Sunspots - Thursday November 21st 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=2.

481THz RX

Whilst looking through some old Google photos, I came across this one of my 481THz (optical) receiver. It was used in my "over the horizon" tests. It was also used in a line-of sight optical speech QSO over 11km with G4HJW.

I still have it and should try using it again.

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 since before breakfast calling CQ initially (2.5W), no spots given or received so far.

UPDATE 1033z: Still no spots.

UPDATE 1447z: Just 2 stations spotted all day so far on 10m FT8 RX with best DX spotted being RA2FL (1343km).

UPDATE 1846z:   Now 8 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Best DX is  LZ1VDR (2015km).

UPDATE 1850z:  Now QRT.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

All our trees are now losing their leaves as they do each autumn. We'll blink and it will be spring again with new buds.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 20th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=1.

Oscar 100 update

As regular blog readers know, I periodically check activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. At the weekend it seemed a little busier with more than 10 QSOs going on with SSB. Overall, activity still seems lower than I was expecting.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

10m FT8

Since about 1015z, I have been on 10m FT8. Initially I called CQ (2.5W) and since then I have been RX only. No-one spotted my CQ and just 1 station DJ5JD (489km) spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1532z: With only 2 stations spotted so far this really is the pits of a day. Roll on better 10m conditions!

Sunspots - Tuesday November 19th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=0.

Although there are few sunspots, the solar flux seems to be consistently in the low 70s. Have we passed the solar minimum?

Amateur DX soundbites

Some days ago I put link to broadcast interval signals. Here is a page with links to amateur DX sound bites.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/soundbites13

More on WRC-19

Southgate News has a further piece relaying the RSGB's blog about WRC-19 meeting on spectrum issues. This meeting is in Egypt.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/november/wrc-19-day-15--a-long-weekend.htm#.XdJjFu2TLnE

Still on 10m FT8

As you may know, I have been on 10m FT8 RX overnight. Not unexpectedly, no overnight spots.

UPDATE 0930z:  Just 2 spots so far of MM3NRX (516km) and a G.

UPDATE 1402z:  6 stations in 4 countries spotted this morning.

UPDATE 1840z:  No further spots today. In the end today was disappointing. Soon be time to go QRT.

UPDATE 1850z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Monday November 18th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.