New life - NOT amateur radio

Every year the daffodils in the churchyard look a picture giving us hope of spring and better weather. In these Covid-19 filled times it good to see nature getting on with life.

Sunspots - Sunday March 15th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0.  A=3 and K=1.

Solar flux

For the last few days we have seen solar flux numbers in the sixties. In February, unless I am mistaken, numbers were in the low 70s. Perhaps we have not quite reached the solar minimum yet? We may just be bumbling along the bottom.

More on loops

At our old house, I did some tests with a loop antenna using central heating pipe.

More recently I have been using a Wonder Wand loop that was a gift many years ago. As described yesterday, this loop uses a different way to match the loop and much thinner wire for the loop. Thicker wire results in better efficiency and sharper tuning. As I recall, my loop of some years ago was surprisingly effective.

For 10m FT8 the loop could be brought to resonance with a small length of coax. This needs to be carefully cut to tune to frequency, but once cut, it should not need further adjustment. A short length of coax acts as a capacitor and should be able to cope with the high voltages at the top of a resonant loop.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/magloop

Pre-theatre meal - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago we went to the theatre in Wembley. The photo shows me eating a pizza before the theatre.

Please watch this - NOT amateur radio

I was told of these videos from Dr John Campbell by Chris M0PZC. The "delay" phase is trying to reduce the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, so that health services are better able to cope. This is to help the community.

Children, in general, are not badly affected, but they can spread the disease. Older people with pre-existing health conditions can become seriously ill and die.

Your help is imperative. Do what you can to slow the spread of the virus. Thank you. Your actions could save lives!

With a vaccine readily available being some way off despite great effort, our best hope is some antiviral treatment that may improve outcomes. From what I have read, the best hope is remdesivir, although I am no expert.

20m FT8

In a short while, I shall go on 20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Results previously have exceeded expectations.

UPDATE 1118z: I have turned on the 20m FT8 (10W). Already 39 stations spotted, but no-one has spotted my yet. I maybe am (unknowingly) co-channel with a strong signal inaudible here. I checked the frequency before TXing.

UPDATE 1230z: Since moving about 200Hz HF I have been spotted by 18 stations! Best DX is a spot of my 10W by N4PSK (4374 miles). On 20m FT8 RX 145 stations have been spotted so far.

UPDATE 1920z:  Still being spotted! 111 spots of me today and 7 in the USA.

UPDATE 2129z: 121 spots of me today on 20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop and 10W as the map shows. Several 2-way QSOs too. Now QRT.

Meal out - NOT amateur radio

As our son was 44 earlier this week we took him out for a nice meal as he was here overnight.

Sunspots - Saturday March 14th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=0.

Amazon and amateur radio

Amazon is a bit like the UK yeast spread Marmite: you either love it or hate it!

My wife and I really try to support local, village businesses. As our son tells us, without our trade they will just go. The local butcher does amazing bacon and the local bakers great soft rolls and pasties.

I digress. What I was going to say was that Amazon does a great range of amateur radio products and books. With Amazon Prime you can order these for next day delivery.

Our shopping habits are changing and many choose to order from the armchair and get them delivered to the door the next day. OK, we cannot browse as we can in a real shop, but returns are easy and painless.

I was saddened by our local chemist: last year my wife just wanted some nail scissors. Nothing fancy, just simple nail scissors. She was told they had no stock and were not getting any! She went on Amazon, ordered them and they were delivered promptly, for less money! If local businesses are to survive they have to stock common items at sensible prices. Many people will pay a little more to shop locally.

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/

Indoor loop matching

Normally, loops are matched with a primary winding about 1/5th the size of the main loop. In my case the matching is done using a tapped toroid tuned circuit. This matches the loop on 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m and 6m.

The wire used in the loop is about 1mm diameter and the loop diameter about 45cm across. It just sits on my shack windowsill. It works far better than I ever expected.

As I mentioned before, if you cannot use an outside antenna and you enjoy modes that don't require lots of retuning, consider a loop!

2m FT8

A few moments ago I went on 2m FT8 again. As usual, I am using 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna. On 2m FT8 RX 2 stations in 2 countries spotted and on TX I have been spotted by 7 stations in 2 countries so far.

UPDATE 1028z: Now spotted by 11 stations in 4 countries with best DX a spot by EI3KD (583km) in or near Cork.  One QSO so far with M0NPT (125km). On 2m FT8 RX, 3 stations in 3 countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 1128z: Now 6 stations in 4 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today so far.

UPDATE 1242z: Now 15 stations in 6 countries spotting my 10W 2m FT8 TX today so far.

UPDATE 1540z: Now spotted by 22 stations in 6 countries on 2m FT8 TX (10W) as the map shows.

UPDATE 2323z: Now QRT. In all 36 stations in 7 countries spotted my 10W FT8 on 2m today.

OFCOM

OFCOM has details of the release of additional 5G spectrum on its website. See the OFCOM website for more details.

Chestnut tree - NOT amateur radio

A very long time ago a couple of horse chestnut trees were planted in our churchyard to celebrate the battle of Waterloo in 1815. The photo shows one of the pair with rooks busy nest building!

Sunspots - Friday March 13th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=3.

That crash - NOT amateur radio

Anyone looking at the stock markets, oil prices and currencies in the UK will realise this was a very bad day.

Clearly people are spooked by the Coronavirus and how it is being dealt with. A year from now we will, hopefully, look back at this time in amazement. I think the biggest thing is the uncertainty: nothing quite like this has ever happened in our lifetimes and we are all grappling with uncertainties. The virus seems more easy to catch than flu. At the moment we have no immunity.

With luck and good hygiene, these very bad times will pass and things will recover. In the meantime, batten down the hatches!

6m UKAC

Tonight is the March leg of the 6m activity contest starting at 2000z.

The only antenna for the band is my V2000 vertical omni. I'll try with 10W and see how it goes. Usually less than an hour on air is enough for my poor voice in the 2m UKAC.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2020&contest=6mukac

UPDATE 2114z: Never again!! With my vertical antenna it was very noisy and only 2 signals were heard and not one worked! With my 6m set-up, this is one contest I am happy to ignore.

Amateur radio and coronavirus cancellations

In the months ahead, we can expect more amateur events to be postponed or cancelled. At the moment (as far as I know) Dayton and Friedrichshafen are still on. If these were cancelled it would be a huge thing.

Rally cancelled

As the Coronavirus bites, I think we can expect more rallies to be cancelled in the weeks ahead.

Sunday 15 MARCH : CANCELLED  35th WYTHALL RADIO CLUB HAMFEST. 

Red-legged partridge - NOT amateur radio

These birds are becoming quite common. It is not unusual to see 2 or 3 in our garden. They were introduced (I think) in the 1800s and are now more common than the common partridge. They are handsome birds that can become very tame.

10m news

As many will already know, I am not a great fan of Tony's 10m Band Report on Southgate News.  To me, it would be more useful if it showed just DX worked from the UK or Western Europe. OK, it shows stations active, but can give the impression the band is busy. Yes, the propagation is there more often than we might think, but at this part of the solar cycle it can be much harder to find.

UPDATE 2136z: See my short article about 10m on p32 of the RSGB April RadCom.

Canute? - NOT amateur radio

The recent (partial) travel ban from Europe reminds me of King Canute who thought he could command the sea (if I recall my history correctly). Does President Trump not know that Coronavirus is already in the USA and spreading? The UK (excluded from the ban) has more cases than some countries he has banned!

20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop

If you have no access to outside antennas I can thoroughly recommend loops. As you know from earlier posts I like FT8 as frequency changes are very small, so once on frequency there is little need to retune. For their size, these work far better than expected.

I have not been on 20m FT8 very long, but my 10W has already been spotted in 2 countries and I have spotted 13 stations. One issue I find is a lack of reports if I am on the same frequency as a much stronger station. A small change of frequency (100-200Hz) normally solves the problem.

UPDATE 1020z:  Now 31 stations (all European) copied so far today on 20m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1147z:  Now 48 spots of my 10W 20m FT8 with the best being a spot by J69DS (6840km). On 20m FT8 RX now 119 spots including Japan, the Caribbean and the USA.

UPDATE 1352z:  Now 69 stations have spotted my tiny signal today on 20m FT8. On 20m FT8 RX 230 stations spotted so far today.

Stations spotting my 10W 20m FT8 TX today 

UPDATE 1620z: 108 spots of my 10W so far today on 20m FT8 TX with the tiny indoor loop. On RX 327 stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 1910z: 110 stations have spotted me today and 500 stations were spotted me today on 20m FT8.

UPDATE 2116z: QRT now after my best outing yet on 20m FT8 with the tiny loop. Quite remarkable!

Sunspots - Thursday March 12th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=2.

70cm FT8 contest this evening

A few moments ago I remembered that tonight is the March 70cm FT8 contest. USB 432.174MHz is where to look. As I have no 70cm horizontal antennas I am using my 2m big-wheel antenna.

70cm FT8 RX

UPDATE 1926z:  My signal has been spotted by G4WSZ (12km) and G3YDY (64km). On RX the best DX spotted is PA3BGQ (272km). G3YDY worked.

70cm FT8 TX

UPDATE 1930z: ON4QJ (347km) now spotted. This is the most 70cm FT8 activity I have ever seen. Again, it shows how effective FT8 can be.

Electric bus - NOT amateur radio

Good to see the Cambridge bus company is moving to electric.

Hilary Mantel - NOT amateur radio

The concluding part to this trilogy of historical novels was on sale at Heffers in Cambridge yesterday.

20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop

Just before breakfast I decided to go on 20m FT8. Lots of RX spots and 1 spot on TX (10W) by YO9BXE (2005km). As I noticed I was co-channel with a station who probably did not know I was there, I have QSYed about 200Hz LF.

UPDATE 1012z : 11 spots on TX so far today.

UPDATE 1212z: Now 36 spots received of my 10W with 5 in the USA. On 20m FT8 RX 106 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1650z:  50 stations, including 9 in the USA, have spotted my 10W to the tiny indoor loop today on 20m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1710z: The map shows the stations spotting my 10W 20m FT8 to 1710z today. I am still totally amazed how well this tiny loop works! On 20m FT8 RX 265 stations spotted so far.

Corona virus, what next? - NOT amateur radio

Here in the UK, we are waiting.

Most of us expect some sort of lock down, but we are not sure what and when. The economic impact of all this is sure to be severe, even if things return to normal within a few months.

Travel firms and the hospitality industry will be most badly impacted. Would you want to be on a cruise now?

The UK budget is later today and the Bank of England has already slashed inter rates.

Sunspots - Wednesday March 11th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1.

2m FT8

After giving up on the 70cm UKAC contest, I QSYed to 2m FT8.

So far this evening 14 stations in 4 countries have spotted my 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna on 2m FT8.

On 2m FT8 RX nothing yet spotted this evening. I am definitely getting the impression FT8 is less popular than it was. What I think is happening is stations have receivers monitoring 2m FT8, but fewer people are transmitting now.

UPDATE 2130z: Still absolutely nothing spotted on 2m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2304z: For the first time I can ever remember I spotted not a single station on 2m FT8 RX. There was a kind of pulse noise and I am wondering if this was partly to blame? Now QRT.

70cm activity contest

At 2000z for up to 2.5 hours is the 70cm UKAC activity contest. I usually stop on for 30-60 mins using my 2m big-wheel omni antenna and 5-10W SSB. Sadly my voice cannot take more than an hour these days. Unlike many contests, this is a very friendly affair. People are patient and kind.

UPDATE 2042z: After about 30 minutes I gave up. 2 fairly local stations worked and a couple of PA0 stations spotted.

20m FT8

At the moment I am on 20m FT8 using the tiny indoor loop on the windowsill indoors. So far, 3 TX spots (10W) and 4 RX spots. Later, when out, I may go RX only until I get back in.

UPDATE 1630z: After returning home at 1550z I went on 20m FT8 TX again (10W). So far today, 22 spots of me with the best DX report being by WW1WW (3255 miles). On 20m FT8 RX 287 stations spotted so far with best spotted being JF8QNF (8819km).

UPDATE 1903z: Still being spotted in the USA on 20m FT8 TX (10W).

High sensitivity crystal set

The ARRL website still has a public link to an old QST article on using a MOSFET as a high sensitivity crystal set. I have not duplicated this design, but should try it on HF. There is lots about crystal sets on my website.

See http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/culter.pdf
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/crystalset

Black humour? - NOT amateur radio

This was posted on Facebook earlier. It made me smile although for those stuck on cruise ships it is anything but funny: it must be a nightmare.

We all hope that this virus will run its course, burn out and that a vaccine is made available as soon as possible.

South Orkney DXpedition

Southgate News reports that the DXpedition VP8PJ to Signy Island has set off.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/march/south-orkney-dxpedition.htm#.XmdY4Y6TK00

Returning sunspots

Over the last few days we have seen some new sunspots. These may indicate cycle 25 gathering momentum. We are seeing the more active regions swinging into view, but let us all hope we see more over the months to come. When the far side swings into view, it will be interesting to see if we get new sunspots.

More signs of spring - NOT amateur radio

Gradually the soil is warming and there are signs of new life.

Spring springing - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the spring flowers at the weekend at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

In April the fields will be yellow with rape seed oil. Some hate this, but I actually like it. Until recent years it was far less common in the UK.

Sunspots - Tuesday March 10th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 12. A=5 and K=1.