Sunspots - Friday December 20th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0.  A=13 and K=1.  Still no sunspots. It still looks like we are at, or very close to, the absolute sunspot minimum. Today's date is December 20th 2019. I wonder what the sunspot number will be on December 20th 2020?

More on the IC-705

Southgate News relays some more on the ICOM IC-705 QRP transceiver. The price (in the UK) less VAT is about £1000 according to this news from ICOM. With VAT at the current rate this makes the price similar to the IC-7300. This sounds quite expensive to me. If it was sub £1000 I expect they would sell a lot. At this price I am less sure.

I still think they should include an auto-ATU, especially at this price.  I suspect they are trying to get early adopters to pay the full price. The IC-7300 is still a high price because people are prepared to pay the current price. If people were not prepared the price would fall, probably to less than £1000.

See also Todd's comment on the post yesterday.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/ic-705-qrp-sdr-transceiver-update.htm#.XfvoZeiTLnF

WSPRnet

This seems more reliable these days. Has something changed?

Whenever I go on WSPR on any band I look at WSPRnet to see who I am spotting and who is spotting me. The great advantage is this can be done on any PC (even in the lounge whilst watching TV) or even on a phone on a bus. When TXing, I can turn things off within seconds. WSPR is some 10dB better than FT8 with weak signals. With fleeting signals the 15 second overs with FT8 compared with the 2 minutes for WSPR can be an advantage though. With FT8 you can easily have 2-way QSOs, if basic.

See http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/spots

Hidden disabilities....yet again - NOT amateur radio

Sorry to go on and on about this.

All my waking time I feel giddy and exhausted and I've been this way for 6.5 years since my stroke in 2013. My voice is very bad and I often have to repeat myself as I find it hard to be understood. There must be millions of people who are walking around with disabilities that others cannot see.

What I am concerned about is judging people by what you think they are like. How people appear is often not a guide to how they really are. Yes, a few may be faking it, but the vast majority are genuine.

All I am urging, yet again, is do not judge people by what you see. If you are physically disabled and use a wheelchair it is pretty obvious, likewise if you are blind. If you are like me or have a mental illness it is often far from obvious to other people.

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

Ely - NOT amateur radio

Ely is a pleasant town (actually a city) surrounding its cathedral. We went there yesterday and explored some of its quiet back streets. The photo shows one of these with the cathedral's famous octagon in the background.

Average session on 472kHz WSPR TX

Last night there were no spots from Norway of my 10mW ERP 472kHz WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. This may have been conditions or nobody active who could detect my signal. At the moment, I am still on 472kHz WSPR TX, but may QSY to another band later.

Stations spotting my 10mW ERP
472kHz WSPR overnight

UPDATE 1304z:  There was another explanation: after 12 hours without 472kHz WSPR spots I noticed that Windose had closed the program, probably do an update. This really annoys me. Having re-opened the program, I am, again, getting 472kHz WSPR spots. Darn Windows!

UPDATE 1606z: I see my shack PC is telling me the PC needs to "restart after active hours". Does this mean it will turn off things overnight again? Maybe I should turn it off soon before the evening starts?

UPDATE 1736z: At about 1630z, I restarted the PC. It successfully installed and configured Windows updates, so hopefully it will run WSJT-X overnight without interruption. In the last hour 13 different stations spotted my 10mW ERP with best DX on 472kHz WSPR TX PA3FNY (330km).


UPDATE 2019z: So far today 16 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP with the  best DX being  DL/PA0EHG (493km).

ICOM IC-705

As many will know, this is the first transceiver for many years that I really like. The FT818 was a total disappointment and Yaesu seems to have given up on the QRP market. More and more they come over as "has beens" unable to "read the market".

On the other hand ICOM seem to be always one step ahead. If you were to ask me who will be around in 5 years' time my bets would be on ICOM, whereas I can see Yaesu and Kenwood dropping out of the market.

I suspect ICOM will design in Japan, but find a country with lower manufacturing costs to do the building, much as Apple does. Currently, this is China, but by 2024 it could be somewhere else altogether. Remember when "made in Japan" were the words on the streets? In the end Japan got too expensive.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/ic705

15m CW QRP

This was on before but it is worth repeating.

Many years ago, I needed a simple QRP CW transceiver for 15m. The result was the Pipit, which was built (I think) in 1984. It put out 800mW, but worked plenty of DX with simple, low, wire dipoles.

At one time it was used with a 10/15m trap dipole loaned to me by G3TFX. The design of the Pipit appeared in GQRP SPRAT. A version based on more commonly available toroids would be a good idea. The rig worked really well and for a period was the only rig I used.

These days I suspect there is less CW.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/15m_pipit

Sunspots - Thursday December 19th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=13 and K=4.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

We live just a few miles from Ely Cathedral, also known as "the ship of the fens". It is very old indeed.

The original central tower collapsed centuries ago and it was replaced in medieval times by the octagon, which is the magnificent wooden structure that we see today (see photo).

Hamvention 2020

The 2020 Hamvention has a focus of "The Future of Amateur Radio" according  to Southgate News. The Hamvention is one of the really big events in the amateur radio calendar.   Hamvention 2020 takes place from May 15-17 in Xenia, Ohio, USA. I have never been and am unlikely ever to go. Often new products are first showcased there.  As the years go by, I think more minds will be turned to the future of our hobby.

Another good session on 472kHz WSPR TX

In all, my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was spotted by 23 stations including 2 in Norway last evening and overnight. There were fewer spots from Norway than the last time I was on the band. I still do not understand why I am getting so many more spots this season when nothing has changed.

Stations spotting me overnight on
472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP)

UPDATE 1508z: I decided to stick on 472kHz WSPR today.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 18th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0 still. A=2 and K=2.  In a word - crap.

Red-legged partridge - NOT amateur radio

These handsome birds were introduced into the UK from continental Europe. They can become quite tame. We see them in our garden quite often. Quite often a number are seen together. I think they are after an easy meal!

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/red-legged-partridge/

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

At about 1850z I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR TX. So far, a couple of G spots.

UPDATE 1917z:  Already I have received 9 unique spots with PA0EBC (433km) as best DX.

UPDATE 2130z: 15 stations so far spotted with best DX SWLJO43 (660km). The map shows the stations that have spotted me so far tonight (to 2140z).

UPDATE 2125z: 19 stations have spotted me this evening. For reasons I do not understand (unless it is simply conditions) I seem to be doing better this winter than last despite making absolutely no changes to my system! I am running the same transverter, the same ERP, the same earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. If anything, with root growth I would have expected worse results.

More Christmas cheer - NOT amateur radio

The crib was the central feature of the candlelit carol service at our local church on Sunday last.

I am not very religious these days, but there is something "outside time" about being in a church dating from Saxon times knowing that simple folk have done much the same of hundreds of years.

Christmas cheer - NOT amateur radio

Apart from Christmas, this can be a dark and gloomy time of year. In January we have the promise of lighter nights ahead, but as we head towards the shortest day things feel bleak. On the way back from the candlelit carol service on Sunday there was one house determined to cheer us up!

OFCOM strategic priorities

OFCOM has published its responses on strategic priorities. See the OFCOM website.

New forecast for solar cycle 25

A panel of NOAA and NASA experts has issued a new forecast for cycle 25.

See https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/solar-cycle-25-forecast-update

2m FT8

As usual during the day I am on 2m FT8.  Initially I called CQ (2.5W) and was spotted by 7 stations with best DX EI2FG (565km). On 2m FT8 RX just one G spotted so far. Using the big-wheel omni antenna still.

UPDATE 1049z:  Now 4 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX spotted DL6YBF (471km).

UPDATE 1343z:  Now 9 stations in 4 countries spotted this morning in 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1806z:  10 stations in 4 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today.

Deep solar minimum

According to Southgate News which carries a piece from Space Weather, this sunspot minimum is officially "deep" with very few spots this year. This minimum could go on until next April! At the moment experts think the next cycle could peak in 2025 with a similar peak to the last one - low, but still a peak.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/sunspots-break-a-space-age-record.htm#.XfiiKOiTLnE

Strictly Come Dancing - NOT amateur radio

This BBC TV show has become an institution on dark autumn and winter evenings. It has now ended.

According to the internet we are now at the point when evenings get no darker, although it gets darker in the mornings for a few more weeks yet.

It is funny how we just adapt. In the summer we have light evenings until at least 10pm. At the moment it is dark before 4pm! We really see the difference by the end of January. I like the seasons.

160m FT8 overnight

It is something when I can say, "only about 40 odd USA stations spotted on 160m FT8 overnight". Overnight just a couple of Caribbeans and nothing from continental Africa or South America spotted. In all, just 480 stations in 4 continents spotted overnight on 160m FT8 with the best DX being N6VR (8358km) in Arizona, USA. As usual, using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Stations spotted overnight on 160m FT8 RX
using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Electric and hybrid cars - NOT amateur radio

Quite a few of my friends have electric or hybrid cars. At the moment these seem too expensive for me and the range is still sub-optimal. Common electrics cars are the Nissan Leaf. On a typical trip I usually see a couple nowadays. In 10 years' time I expect the majority of cars will be electric. Honda is launching an electric car in early 2020.

See www.honda.co.uk/‎  

Sunspots - Tuesday December 17th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=1 and K=0.

160m FT8

A brief 160m FT8 CQ (2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) was spotted by 4 stations in 4 countries with the best DX spot being by DK7LO (650km). On 160m FT8 RX 52 stations so far spotted with best DX UA9MA (4598km) in Omsk. This is within 20 minutes of going on 160m!

UPDATE 2024z: A recent 160m FT8 CQ (2.5W) was widely spotted in Western Europe.  On 160m FT8 RX 111 spots so far. 20 stations within 2kHz!!

UPDATE 2104z:  WU1ITU (4831km) was spotted at 2027z!

UPDATE 2138z:  Now 217 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with best DX UA0ZC (8130km). Something tells me this might be a pirate - not sure why.

2m FT8

2m FT8 is where I tend to be during the day. On 2.5W TX to the big-wheel omni antenna 4 stations in 3 countries with best DX being EI2FG (565km).  On 2m FT8 RX 6 stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 1245z:  Now 10 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1801z:  Now 31 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last day.

472kHz TX QRPP success

Last night my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground reached Norway 39 times on 472kHz WSPR.  This is my best session this season. The table shows the spots last night and overnight.

Sub 9kHz amateur radio

These days a dedicated bunch of amateurs continue to "push the envelope" by experimenting below 9kHz. At one time though getting outside the garden would be seen as amazing with the small antennas and low powers possible by amateurs. In actual fact amateurs have crossed the Atlantic! Although I don't claim to be always up to date, I try to be on my sub-9kHz website. If you are interested, take a look.

One myth is you need big antennas. On TX this helps with radiated signals, but on VLF RX they can be very small. An E-field probe just a few centimetres long can be very effective.

XBS Telecom

Every month I get an email from this EU company.  Prices include VAT and warranty and are always lower than the prices from UK dealers. Although I have never bought from them, they look good value.

See https://www.xbstelecom.eu/shop/en/12-ham-radio

Climate change - NOT amateur radio

There is little argument that our climate is changing, although people still argue about whether this a natural cycle or worsened by the actions of man. Personally, I am more than convinced that what we do has a lot to do with rising temperatures and rising sea levels.

Although recyclable sources of energy are now far less expensive, most of us still drive around in cars powered by fossil fuels. At some point when electric cars have better ranges and are less expensive we will all change and drive these; much like flat screen TVs and digital photography, we will change and quite quickly. Cathode ray tubes and photographic film seem so outdated now.

Likewise, we will eat less meat and think nothing of it. Speaking as someone who eats and enjoys bacon, sausages and beef it would not really bother me if I had to eat less, or no, meat. By the subtle power of advertising we will all think eating healthy food will be wonderful.

At some point we will change our habits. Only a few years ago, nothing was recycled. Now we all do it. We have lots of plastic packaging - this will change.

If we do nothing the Earth may be in grave danger, although I think we will change, even in those nations that do our polluting for us like China, India and the USA. Let us all hope we change sooner rather than later. I am as guilty as anyone.

2m SSB

These days 2m SSB is nothing new, but back in the 1970s there was no VHF SSB commercial gear until the Liner-2. After the Liner-2 came the IC202 followed by the IC202S. These were military styled handhelds. The FT290 came later followed by the FT817.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/ic202

Sunspots - Monday December 16th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN still 0. A=5 and K=0.

472kHz (630m) WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

For a change I am on 472kHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Already 9 unique reports with best DX being a spot by PA3FNY (330km). It seems only a few moments since I connected up things! I hope there are some stations in Norway active on RX tonight.

FT817, FT817ND and FT818

When the FT818 appeared I was disappointed. The FT817 has been popular for many years and the FT817ND and FT818 seem to have built on that reputation.

In truth the FT818 just got rid of difficult to source parts and offered customers little new. Had they added a few extras they would have sold thousands. It would appear ICOM's IC-705 will do this instead. In my view, Yaesu has lost its focus and could leave the amateur market. ICOM seems more likely to survive.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ft817

Pathfinders - NOT amateur radio

During WW2 my dad was an RAF Pathfinder. Like many, he rarely talked about those dark days: I suspect they made a deep impact on him and those around him. My great regret was not finding out more from him about what it was really like. It must have been so frightening.  He died in 1987.

At heart, he was a simple man, who hated hurting anyone. I suspect he had deep sadness that innocent men, women and children were killed as a result of his actions. On one occasion he crash-landed in Kent on the way back from a night raid over Germany. In his heart he did not want to hurt a fly. This was wartime and things were so very different.

It is perhaps not surprising that so many who lived through WW2 never wanted to share these dark days. I guess it must have been strange to know that every flight had the very real danger of death, burning or capture. Looking back, I don't know how they did it again and again.

These days we are friends with people in Germany and WW2 seems a long time in the past. May peace continue. There is no place for hate in our world.

Chrome OS - NOT amateur radio

As it is a few weeks since I bought a Chromebook, an update is in order. I am very pleased with it. What I can't get over is how it immediately comes on: no waiting - it is just there. I am using it now. For all I want to do in the lounge it is perfect. The battery lasts me all day on a charge. At the moment I have absolutely no regrets at all.

Windows? Who needs it?

Reflections - NOT amateur radio

Most months we go for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. We were expecting to see the first daffodils out, but these were still a few weeks off. It was a cold, but bright, day.

We have had some very wet days. It has been very wet over here in East Anglia, which is normally the driest part of the UK. This photo shows the mill leat.

The collage was created by my wife. It show various things at Anglesey Abbey. We are lucky having this so near.

More on 2m FT8

This mode continues to "blow me away". On 2m FT8 if I call CQ with 2.5W to the big-wheel I frequently (probably every time they are on) get copied at great range, irrespective of conditions. Some DX is copied every day as a result of aircraft reflections, but most DX is there all the time, so is what I call "flat band tropo". As a example (at 0952z) 22 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX including Eire, Germany and Scotland.

UPDATE 1121:  Now 41 stations in 7 countries spotted this morning on 2m FT8 RX. 2m!

UPDATE 1206z: The map shows the stations spotted here on 2m FT8 RX this morning.

UPDATE 1328z:  Now 55 stations in 8 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1457z:  In the last day, 93 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX being DF7IW (612km).

UPDATE 1632z: A recent 2.5W CQ with the big-wheel omni antenna was spotted by 5 stations in 3 countries (no QSOs) with the best DX being GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 2100z: In the last 12 hours 75 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. A recent 2.5W CQ was spotted just by a couple of Gs.  Soon be time to go QRT on 2m FT8.

New uBITX

Steve G1KQH reports on his blog about the new version of the Indian uBITX HF transceiver.

See https://g1kqh.blogspot.com/2019/12/ubitx-v6-turns-up-heat.html?spref=fb&m=1