10m WSPR TX using 500mW

Overnight I stayed on 10m WSPR TX. I was surprised by how many spots there were even in the middle of the night. Even using just the indoor loop some reports were incredibly strong.

UPDATE 1402z: No less than 63 unique stations have recently spotted my 10m WSPR.

Sunspots - Saturday May 30th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

Bury St Edmunds - NOT amateur radio

Bury St Edmunds is a lovely East Anglian place. Unlike many places, it's not "up itself". The main people you're likely to see are locals. It has fine Abbey Gardens and the remains of an abbey.

Covid-19 hope? - NOT amateur radio

Today is the first time I can remember when Covid-19 cases in this county have gone down not up. This may be a blip, but it is a hopeful sign.

10m WSPR TX

As yesterday, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW to the indoor loop. TX is 100%, but the frequency is randomised every 2 minutes. No spots yet.

UPDATE 2120z:  Amazing! 29 different stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today. And I thought 10m WSPR was passe!

6m today

Already (last 6 hours) 607 spots of my 6m FT8 10W to the vertical V2000 omni antenna. Most spots are for EU stations by Es. Over 300 stations spotted on RX.

Spots of my 10W FT8 6m today

UPDATE 2115z: 1251 stations have spotted me today so far. For the second evening in a row I was spotted in the Caribbean. Also spotted in Gabon and Kuwait.

6m transatlantic finally

Spots of my 10W FT8 6m yesterday

For the first time since 2007 my 6m signal has crossed the Atlantic. Last evening my 10W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni was spotted by FG5GH (6691km) in the Caribbean.

I am perfectly sure better equipped stations with more power and better antennas are capable of far more.

Sunspots - Friday May 29th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

TUI rubbish - NOT amateur radio

Yes, I know things are tough, but all we get are computer generated general answers saying how sorry they are.

We have now been awaiting our 70% refund for 12 weeks. To be honest, they have treated previously happy customers dreadfully. It is very unlikely I shall ever book with them ever again.

Wouldn't it be good to get an apology, not from a computer for regular customers? Our refund way before the lockdown was promised in under 5 days!! Basically my recent experience of TUI is inexcusably bad.

I also heard they had a bailout from the German government as well!

70cm activity contest

Regular blog readers will know that I have no real antennas for 70cm horizontal SSB, so I just use my 2m big-wheel that seems to match OK on that band. I have no idea what the polar plot looks like!

Usually (if I remember!) I go on for the monthly activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. Using 10W I am rarely on for an hour because of my poor voice and antenna. Although I copy far fewer stations than in the 2m activity contests, I do my best.

Despite everything, I am 53rd out of 142 stations in the AL (low power) section.

More cancelled rallies

The Durham District ARS Rally has been cancelled.

6m FT8

At about 1030z, I turned on my 10W 6m FT8 to the V2000 omni vertical antenna. At the moment (1036z) 16 G spots only with zero Es. Just one G spotted so far on 6m RX.

UPDATE 1100z: Es now evident with 37 spots of my 10W in 5 EU countries.

Part of BX6ABV logbook 

UPDATE 1322z:  About 5 hours ago I was supposedly spotted strongly by BX6ABV (9828km) in Taiwan.  Although he was spotted widely in the Far East, I am suspicious he could be a pirate. If genuine, this would be great for 6m. Parts of this station's logbook is attached.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

As it does not use the PC, I am again on 10m WSPR TX using

500mW to the indoor loop. Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised by the level of 10m WSPR activity.

UPDATE 1101z: No spots so far.

UPDATE 1922z: Time to go QRT. 5 stations spotted me today as the photo shows.

SpaceX launch postponed - NOT amateur radio

The SpaceX mission from Cape Canaveral to the International Space station, a commercial venture, had to be postponed due to bad weather. They are trying again on Saturday. This will be the first manned launch from the USA since 2011.

Japan on 6m?

In the first few weeks of June the 6m path from western Europe to Japan opens up regularly. This is a very long way. I recall a few years ago copying several JAs on 6m JT65. Personally I think this is indeed E layer propagation but not Es. I think it has something to do with E layer ionisation due to noctilucent clouds which form about now. Signals are usually weak and there in the early morning. This is a regular thing.

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

Overnight on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni

As central Europeans were calling Caribbean stations, I turned off auto sequencing to see if I could get any transatlantic spots on 6m FT8. The last time I got "across the pond" on 6m was 2007 with 1W ERP of CW. I worked a K1 and have the QSL card to prove it. FT8 should be some dBs better than CW so with more power and FT8 I thought I had some chance last night.  Sadly no DX.

Sunspots - Thursday May 28th 2020

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

The future of amateur radio

Southgate News has a piece from the South African Radio League (SARL) saying that amateur radio is as relevant now as it was 95 years ago. I'd like to believe this, but I don't.

When I was young, radio and whole idea of talking across the planet was pure magic. One had to become a radio amateur to be able to do this.

These days we can video with anyone on Earth using the internet for free. Communicating around the world is no longer magic. As much as we dress this up, this is the reality.

If our hobby is to survive and grow we have to engage people with what is magic for them today. If we do not, I can see our hobby just disappearing within 20 years as many get old and die.

I can see fewer amateurs, a declining market, fewer and thinner mags and fewer manufacturers.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/amateur-radio-today-is-as-relevant-as-it-was-95-years-ago.htm#.Xs5S-yjYq00

6m FT8 again

A few moments ago, I turned on 6m FT8 again with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. Already spotted by 25 stations. On RX 20 stations spotted so far. One QSO so far.

These stations are a mix of Es and G stations.

UPDATE 1046z:   62 spots of me so far today. 2 Es QSOs so far.

UPDATE 1257z: 141 spots of my 10W so far today on 10m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 2050z: 436 spots of my 10W in the last day so far. I see that several stations in middle Europe are calling Caribbean stations on 6m FT8.  Nothing here yet. 

Dry - NOT amateur radio

This month looks like being the driest May on record. Already our lawns are turning brown and the footpaths are cracked.

24 hours on 6m FT8

In the last 24 hours my 10W 6m FT8 has been spotted by 552 stations. Most of them were Europeans by Es. Although l spotted a Brazilian, my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was not spotted across the Atlantic. Plenty of QSOs too.

10m WSPR surprise

This last few days on 10m WSPR TX have surprised me. I was spotted by 14 stations despite the fact that I was just using the indoor loop antenna and 500mW. I had assumed that most people had moved over to FT8.

Pink Roses - NOT amateur radio

The pink rose in the photo looked like it was "stuck": there were buds, but we feared these were not going to come out.

In the last few days the flowers have started to bloom thank goodness.

Once again our grass is turning brown.

Sunspots - Wednesday May 27th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN=0.  A=4 and K=1.

It still looks like we are running along the bottom of the solar cycle with little improvement yet.

Roses - NOT amateur radio

The roses in the photo were in our garden earlier. At the moment, they look a picture.

Most people with roses seem to have them in flower now.

6m FT8

Although there were no transatlantic stations spotted here overnight, I see the better stations were calling Caribbeans.  I am active again now with my own 10W to the V2000 vertical omni. This has been spotted by 52 stations already and I have only been on for a short while. It is now 0950z. 30 EUs spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1250z: Several QSOs (all EU) and spotted by 107 stations so far today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2115z: Up to now 542 spots of my 10W 6m FT8 signals. Although PV8DX (7830km) has been spotted on 6m FT8 RX, no transatlantic spots of my 10W.

10m WSPR TX

As for a few days ago, I am on 10m WSPR TX using the 500mW stand-alone beacon using the indoor loop antenna. This does not use the PC. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1249z: Several spots from Scandnavia.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 26th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

What is DX?

Just now, a relatively local M0NKR was calling CQ DX on 6m FT8. He was very strong here even though we are probably crossed polarised. I have no idea what power he runs or what antenna and tower he has. He must always spot and work far more than me! Good luck to him. I hope he works plenty of DX.

For me with my 10W and V2000 omni antenna I can never hope to work the stations he does. At 1250z he was trying to work a ZF that I cannot even see!

DX is relative and hopefully we can all enjoy the hobby in the ways that give us fun.

UK controversy - NOT amateur radio

In my view the UK Prime Minister has shot himself in the foot.

Yesterday, I reported that his most senior advisor had been accused of breaching the spirit, if not the law, over UK lockdown. At every press conference the UK ministers have tried to defend this man. Most questions are about this issue. It is my view that this advisor will resign this week.

Boris Johnson has done much damage to his "stay at home" message. Even the paper that strongly supports him is asking what planet the PM and his advisor live on!

The cartoon came to me on WhatsApp.

No, in my personal view this is deeply damaging.

Wars by proxy - NOT amateur radio

The UK seems to sell arms to dubious regimes who then fight wars "by proxy". I guess the arms sales are deemed more important than the suffering. I am ashamed.

6m FT8

Overnight I did what I rarely do. I put my 6m FT8 gear on with auto sequencing off in the hope of being spotted transatlantic. You may recall that I use 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

Although PV8ABC (7832km) in northern Brazil was spotted on 6m FT8 RX, I was not spotted sadly. At 0520z I am QRT.

UPDATE 0755z:  6m FT8 was switched back on a few minutes ago.

UPDATE 1258z: 121 stations have spotted me so far.

UPDATE 2035z:  341 spots of my 10W so far today., Mostly EU Es.

Old photo - NOT amateur radio

This photo must be very old!! I still have hair and our 2 sons are still in their buggies.

At a guess I reckon this must be 41 years ago.

Sunspots - Monday May 25th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

4m

4m transverter 

One of the (many) things I promise to do is get active again on 4m. Now that there are many European countries on the band and it has become more popular with some commercial rigs covering the band this makes sense.

Some years ago I got active on the band with a home designed and made transverter, I had a few G contacts, but this was way out of the Es season and I just had a wire dipole. Power was just over 1W.

Years ago I recall working ZB2VHF with 4W of AM from university. I guess that was 1969.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

Moulton Church - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier, we went past Moulton church with its famous fish weathervane.  Like many churches in East Anglia, this dates back almost 1000 years.

See https://eachurches.blogspot.com/2015/11/moulton-st-peters.html

Moulton - NOT amateur radio

This morning we did a nice walk around the village of Moulton near Newmarket. It is one of our favourite villages. This collage shows some of the lovely cottages.  Sadly the pub where we normally eat is closed at the moment.

Dominic Cummings - NOT amateur radio

The facts in this case are hard to make out in this political storm. Basically the UK Prime Minister's special adviser is being accused of going against the spirit of the lockdown rules by driving 250 miles to ensure his 4 year old child could be cared for. This may be legally OK but seems stupid in the circumstances at that time.

Personally I think he should resign as he is doing the UK government little good by diverting attention from the core issue at the present time, which is controlling the Covid-19 virus. If you cannot trust people close to the heart of government who can you trust? It is imperative that people in whom we trust are following the spirit of the law. Many of us have not seen our grandchildren in the flesh for many months. If he had been ill, he of all people would have found people close by who could have cared for his 4 year old. It smacks of one rule for you, but not for those in power.

6m FT8

This morning I decided to go on 6m FT8 again with 10W and V2000 omni antenna. Although no QSOs, my signal has been widely spotted. On 6m FT8 RX best DX are a couple of stations in Kazakhstan with best being UN3GX (5535km) near the Chinese border.

UPDATE 1347z:  395 stations have, so far, spotted my 6m 10W FT8 TX and I have spotted 322 stations. At the moment this is shaping up to be the best Es day this season here on 6m.  Still hoping for some transatlantic spots, although nothing yet.

Stations spotting my
10W TX to 1927z today 

UPDATE 1928z:  461 stations have spotted me today but nothing from the Caribbean or Americas.

Sunspots - Sunday May 24th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A =4 and K=1.