Elecraft K1 CW transceiver

Many years ago, I built this 4 band HF transceiver from a kit.

A few years ago it was sold.

In its day, it was very good. These days, many HF operators prefer FT8 to CW as FT8 works with even weaker signals but it does need a shack PC to run the free software. The beauty of CW is gear can be very simple! The K1 produced over 5W maximum.

As I recall, mine covered 40, 30, 20 and 15m CW. I am not sure if the K1 is still available new.

SETI - NOT amateur radio

As far as I know, the SETI program ( the search for extra-terrestrial intelligent life) has been going since the 1960s. To this date, I am not aware of any success. I suppose it is just possible that certain governments have kept results secret, but I think this is highly unlikely.

The widely quoted Drake equation predicted we would find many such civilisations "out there".  Oddly, not one has been found!  Something must be wrong with how we are searching. After all this time, surely we would have spotted some evidence?

The evidence for planets around distant stars is growing daily, yet still the hunt goes on. I wonder what the issue is?

As far as I know, we have still to get any evidence of life on other planets at all, whether intelligent or not!

I am not saying stop looking, but I am puzzled.

GQRP SPRAT

Many times before I have mentioned how good SPRAT magazine is.

This comes out every quarter and is now in full colour A5 format.  Most of the back issues are available on a DVD and it is worth joining just for these. If you enjoy simple projects you will find lots to inspire you!

It is only a few pounds to join GQRP and the DVD is heavily discounted for members. Most editions have something simple to make.

Many of the founder members are now SK, but these have been replaced by keen, younger folk.

See http://www.gqrp.com/sprat.htm

Sunspots - Tuesday April 7th 2020

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

East Cambridgeshire 2m FM net

Most Mondays on 144.575MHz FM we meet at 1900z. Since the Coronavirus pandemic, we seem to have more people. All in the area are welcome to join in.

Boris Johnson in intensive care - NOT amateur radio

The news tonight was that the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has gone into intensive care in hospital suffering with Coronavirus.

Whatever our political persuasion, we all wish him well and hope he gets better.

This is a worrying time for his family and all in the UK government. He was spearheading the UK's battle with Coronavirus. This is a most difficult job.

DX most wanted

As many know, I am not an active DX chaser. If I work any real DX it would be by chance! I see Southgate News has a piece on which DX entities are most wanted. Way back in the 1960s, I copied ZL9 on AM. I had no idea it was so rare!

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/april/dxcc-most-wanted.htm#.XosEjhnYq00

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Most can probably ignore this post. For those interested, read on.

In the last year, nothing has really changed regarding my stroke. In all ways, I think things are broadly as they were last April. My voice remains poor.  It's a darn shame, but life goes on and we have to make the best of things.

Amaryllis - NOT amateur radio

We thought the second bud on this was a dud. For several weeks it did nothing then this! Never give up!

10m FT8

Unfortunately, I have no stand-alone 10m FT8 beacon. Instead, I am on 10m FT8 using 2.5W from the FT817ND with the tiny indoor loop antenna. It is now 0811z and I have been on for about an hour. No spots given or received yet today.

UPDATE 1125z: No spots and no QSOs today on 10m FT8 so far.

UPDATE 1247z: Just a single spot of my 2.5W transmit from DJ3AK (693km) so far today.

UPDATE 1837z:  Now QRT. In the end just a single spot on TX and RX all day.

Cowslips - NOT amateur radio

On our walk yesterday we saw these cowslips. We saw very few people.

481THz speech communications

Long before my 2013 stroke, one of my favourite things was optical communications.

Although my keenest interest was weak signal "over the horizon" signals, so called non line of sight (NLOS), I had one QSO with speech over a path of about 11km with G4HJW using the kit shown in the photo. Sadly my stroke put an end to my optical experiments.

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

Sunspots - Monday April 6th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.

New chicks - NOT amateur radio

Apparently our son and grandson have now got 4 freshly hatched chicks. They emerged from their eggs in the last few days with the last one hatching just a few moments ago. Life goes on.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went for a walk on a very quiet country lane. Very few people were seen. The countryside is coming alive again after what has seemed a long winter.

10m WSPR TX

Again I am on 10m WSPR TX using 500mW to the tiny indoor loop antenna. Local G4KPX does not seem to be on. No spots of me yet today.

UPDATE 1310z : G4KPX is monitoring and has spotted me several times No DX spots of me though.

UPDATE 1336z: What is needed now is a stand alone 10m FT8 beacon instead of WSPR!

UPDATE 1910z:  QRT. No DX stations spotted me.

2m FT8 (10W)

As usual, I am on 2m FT8 using 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far today 29 stations have spotted me with the best DX being GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 1305z: 41 stations in 4 countries have spotted me in the last 24 hours on 2m FT8 using 10W.

UPDATE 1932z: Now QRT. In all, 46 stations in 5 countries spotted my 10W in the last 12 hours on 2m FT8 TX. It's hard to think that this is 2m with 10W and an omni antenna! These sort of distances seem to be possible at any time and in any conditions. Also polarisation seems to make little or no difference.

Home - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows our home and front garden a few days ago. The photo was taken on April 2nd.

Ornamental cherry - NOT amateur radio

In our back garden is an ornamental cherry tree. We had this trimmed last year.

At the moment the leaves and blossom are just appearing.

When out, it is a very attractive tree with red fruit, sadly inedible.

Heathkit HW8

Many years ago I owned an HW8 transceiver from Heathkit. This had a direct conversion receiver and a QRP HF CW transmitter. With simple wire dipoles it worked some remarkable DX.

I think it was sold back to its original owner when I bought an FT7 in 1979. In its day it was a fine rig.

Mine was totally unmodified, but there are plenty of "improvements" on the net. In my experience, this was a great transceiver as it is. I am not sure how easy they are to find nowadays.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8

Sunspots- Sunday April 5th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 11. A=5 and K=1.

At the moment we seem to have a few days with sunspots then several days without. At some point we will have sunspots on most days.

Zoom - NOT amateur radio

It was good to see all the grandchildren today thanks to Zoom. The photo is a screen shot during the video chat.

Cutting the lawns - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was sunny, we had lunch in the garden and I cut the lawns as the photo shows. This is the fourth time this year.

Apple iPad software change?

My wife has had an Apple iPad for some years, but just recently the battery life has suddenly got dramatically worse. It was always very good. Now it seems to flatten the battery far more quickly.  I am pretty sure this is not the cells. Also, she could always send photos from her gallery by Gmail. She has plenty of room in her account on Gmail.

It is almost as if the latest software has somehow been "doctored" so the battery runs down faster and some Gmail things don't work any longer, so you are tempted to buy a new one! I am not saying this is so, just that this is how it appears.

Any whistle blowers know the facts?

New life - NOT amateur radio

New life continues. This is a photo of a new born chick at my son's school. He looks after the chickens.

President Trump wisdom - NOT amateur radio

Why, oh why, did so many USA folk vote for him?

His medical advisors are suggesting the wearing of face masks and his wife is tweeting Americans urging them to do so, but wise President Trump is not following suit. Such leadership and such wisdom.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52161529

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Simply as I have my W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon and my tiny indoor loop, I am on 10m WSPR TX. This is on continuously, shifting the TX frequency every 2 minutes. A couple of spots already from G4KPX (14km) proving all is fine. Drift is going down.

2m FT8

As usual, I am on 2m FT8 with 10W to the big-wheel omni.

Although I sit on one frequency calling CQ  to see where my signal reaches, I have plenty of QSOs every day. If you call me, I shall do my best to work you.

At 0900z, my 10W has been spotted already by 10 stations in 2 countries with the best being a spot by GW6TEO (371km).

Already 1 QSO had after just a few minutes.

UPDATE  0930z: Already spotted by 19 stations in 3 countries with the best DX spot being by DF6MU (475km). On 2m FT8 RX 10 stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 0946z: Already 2 QSOs had and spotted by 21 stations.

UPDATE 1740z: 40 stations in 5 countries have spotted me today on 2m FT8 using 10W.

UPDATE 2040z: QRT. Plenty of QSOs today.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we did a nice walk around the village. The photo shows some of the things we saw.

Sunspots - Saturday April 4th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 13 . A=8 and and K=2.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Simply as the tiny indoor loop and 10m WSPR beacon are available, I am TXing on 10m WSPR since 0742z. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 0806z: It seems G4KPX (14km) has just turned on and is spotting me. At the moment  drift is quite high, probably as both my TX and his RX are still settling. Similar strength to yesterday, so all working. It would be good to see a few more locals spotting me in the absence of any DX.

UPDATE 0810z: Drift now 0Hz.

2m FT8 - too easy?

Although I have only been on 2m FT8 for a while (started at 0742z with 10W to the big-wheel omni), I have already been spotted 8 stations in about 10 minutes with the best DX a spot by G0RQL (353km) in north Devon.

UPDATE 0822z: Now spotted by 11 stations in 2 countries so far on 2m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1825z: Now spotted by 44 stations in 7 countries in the last day on 2m FT8.

Thanks - NOT amateur radio

Like many in Europe, many people on our road came out at 8pm last night for the key workers trying to save us in the Corona virus pandemic. We clapped.

Friedrichshafen - still on (for now)

At the moment, organisers are still working and planning on the assumption that this big event is still taking place in June. They hope to re-assess things in a few weeks' time. If I was a betting man (I am not) I should assume this will be either cancelled or postponed.

See https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/

Sunspots - Friday April 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 12. A=7 and K=3.

Rallies postponed or cancelled

The best advice seems to be assume all rallies are postponed or cancelled at the moment. I have just received this.

Again apologies if the white background renders this hard to read, but this is how I got this news.


Saturday 4 APRIL : POSTPONED

23RD ANNUAL GMDX CONVENTION. King Robert Hotel, Whins of Milton, Stirling FK7 0LJ GMDX AGM, lectures and card checking. See www.gmdx.org.uk.


Sunday 5 APRIL : CANCELLED

YEOVIL ARC QRP CONVENTION. Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open 9.30am to 2pm, admission is £3 (regrettably no dogs except guide dogs). The event is supported by the RSGB, RAFARS and BYLARA. There will be club stands as well as new and 2nd hand stalls. Two talks are scheduled during the day; Getting aerials to radiate well by Rob, G3MYM and The Hentenna by Dave, G3ZXX. Refreshments will be available on site. Bob Harris, G8UED wjh069@gmail.com or secretary@yeovil-arc.com [http:// Yeovil-arc.com].

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

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

Today we did a walk around the village. We went to the far end of the village and probably covered about 3.5 miles.

Winter colour

Every winter we plant winter flowering pansies and primroses to give a bit of colour. Now are into the spring we shall have to think about plants for the spring and summer. Not sure how we will manage this year.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

For a little while, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with the tiny indoor loop antenna. At the moment just G4KPX (14km) spotting me (4 spots so far at 0919z). Drift is quite high, but getting better,  probably as both my beacon and his RX are settling.

UPDATE 1235z: So far today just spots by G4KPX (14km).

UPDATE 2110z: Now QRT.

2m FT8

Once again, I am on 2m FT8 using 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna. So far (to 0912z) 5 stations have spotted me with the best DX being 2 stations in north Devon.

UPDATE 1230z: So far 21 stations in 5 countries have spotted me today.

UPDATE 1430z:  Now 30 stations in 6 countries have spotted my 10W FT8 to the big-wheel omni today.

UPDATE 2120z: Now QRT.  In all, 52 stations spotted my 10W in the last day on 2m FT8 TX with with the most distant being SM0MDG (1364km) in Sweden.