Cambridge club Zoom talk

Since lockdown, the Cambridge club (CDARC) has been unable to meet. Instead they have had a series of talks online the latest of which is tonight. 

I have to say, they have all been excellent. So much so, that I rejoined CDARC as a country member. Zoom talks work well for me as I do not have to travel 26 miles at night in the dark. Details of tonight's talk are on the CDARC website.

2m activity contest

The results for the June 2m activity contest have just been published by the RSGB. 

This friendly contest is arranged on all VHF bands every month. I have a go in the 2m and 70cm contests with 10W and my 2m big-wheel omni antenna used on both bands.  Usually I stay on for less than an hour because of my poor voice. It is mostly SSB. 

My position in the low power section has gone up. If I stayed on longer, I could work far more stations. I do not take this, or any, contest seriously.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

Using my stand-alone 10m WSPR beacon, I am again on 10m WSPR TX. So far today just spots from local G4KPX (14km) and HB9TMC (905km).

6m FT8

Since earlier this morning, I have been on 6m FT8 with my 10W to the V2000 vertical. 37 spots so far, but no QSOs with far fewer stations on RX. All so far are EU. Most of the spots of me are Es from Europe.

Shack earlier

The photo shows my shack earlier. Currently I am on 6m FT8 and 10m WSPR TX.

Simple VFO

This tiny VFO from ZL2PD may be an answer when the price of crystals is so high. It has a display too.

See https://www.zl2pd.com/sugarcube_VFO.html

Virtual dinner - NOT amateur radio

Every month I used to go to a dinner in local pubs with old work colleagues. At the moment this is not possible so we have a virtual dinner instead via Zoom. It works well.

Yesterday on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna

Yesterday, I went on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Much to my surprise lots of QSOs were had and my 10W was widely spotted around Europe. I spotted lots of Europeans and North African stations.

Sunspots - Friday June 12th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 11.  A=4 and K=1.

10m FT8

For a change, since 1253z, I have been on 10m FT8 with 10W to the indoor loop. As yet, no spots on RX or TX.

UPDATE 2122z:  36 spots of me and lots of QSOs. Now QRT.

National Trust visit - NOT amateur radio

No café, so just a
hut selling snacks 

Our nearest National Trust place is Anglesey Abbey.  After months of being closed the gardens have been opened again as long as you pre-book.

It was surreal with so few people. It felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was good to be back.

Another cancelled rally

The East Suffolk Wireless Revival has been cancelled. The following may be hard to read on some screens, but this is as I get it.

Sunday 14 JUNE : CANCELLED
EAST SUFFOLK WIRELESS REVIVAL (Ipswich Radio Rally). 

Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW (just off the A14). Doors open at 9.30am and the entry fee for visitors is £2. The venue has free car parking. Trade tables are from £10. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, a Bring & Buy, special interest groups, GB4SWR HF station and an RSGB bookstall. Catering is available on site. Contact Kevin G8MXV, 07710 046 846. www.eswr.org.uk.

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

The next solar peak

Historically, it has been very difficult to forecast the size of the next solar peak. We are getting better. One paper compares the methods used. They forecast the next peak may be just a bit better than the last cycle.

See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41116-020-0022-z

10m WSPR

A few moments ago (it is now 0820z) I turned on my 500mW WSPR beacon to the indoor loop. So far just spots by G4KPX (14km).

UK post Covid-19 - NOT amateur radio

The whole world is having a great shock with this virus. In the 1600s maybe, but in the 21st century?

The expectation is that we will have the deepest recession, probably for a century. We will be in uncharted territory. With stimulus measures some countries may be able to claw back to near normality. Left to purely market forces, many will be very vulnerable.

I suspect long supply chains and "just in time" policies driven by ever lower prices will be ditched in the interests of supply security. Many retail businesses will close for ever and more of us will continue to shop online. I suspect flying will be rarer with higher prices and fewer leisure trips.

We are in for a difficult few years. I hope most governments can stimulate their economies to ease the pain.

6m FT8

At 0810z my 10W to the vertical V2000 omni was turned on. 6 stations, including 2 Scandinavians have spotted me so far. It is now 0815z.

Rainy day - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows an umbrella in a shop window seen recently. Ideal for the UK weather at present - rainy and changeable.

Sunspots - Thursday June 11th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 11. A=7 and K=1.

2m FT8

Stations spotting my 
10W 2m FT8 to 1840z

A few moments ago I went QRT on 6m FT8 and have QSYed to 2m FT8. This was at 1800z. 16 spots in 5 countries so far. Best DX spot is by GI6ATZ (479km) in Northern Ireland.

UPDATE 1945z:  One 2m FT8 QSO so far - G0BNR (37km).

UPDATE 2035z:  22 spots of my 2m FT8 10W this evening.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT.

VHF/UHF super-DX

Every year about now, 6m opens from Japan to western Europe. For a long time I have been of the view that this is E layer propagation, but not sporadic-E (Es). This is a very long way and it seems to be linked with noctilucent cloud formation. Southgate News reports on a Space weather piece about extremely cold temperatures in the mesosphere. Noctilucent clouds are forming at lower latitudes.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/record-cold-in-the-mesosphere.htm#.XuD6RIjYrrcot

I have also got views on some of the other long paths worked on 6m such as the UK to the USA and the UK to South America. I am again convinced this is some sort of E layer propagation, but think it is very unlikely to be Es. OK, some openings could be Es, but the chance of this being multiple hop Es seems very unlikely. Maybe in 20 years' time we will know. In the meantime we have fun!

I also wonder if the Japanese path would also work on microwaves. Maybe one year some suitably equipped 23cm or even 3cm stations could have a try. Quite some firsts! Imagine if some EME equipped stations had a go.

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

Springtime - NOT amateur radio

Spring is a lovely time of year with fresh green leaves, spring flowers, young birds and new life. It is ephemeral and soon goes.

Our local churchyard is at its best. A little while ago the daffodils were out. Now the horse chestnut trees are looking splendid (see photo). These were planted in memory of the battle of Trafalgar many years ago.

Oscar 100 - is there a problem?

Activity at 1100z on Oscar 100

Usually, I check narrowband activity on the geosynchronous satellite by looking at the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall, UK. The last time I checked (0935z) there was no activity at all!! Since then just one station has appeared. At the moment, there are a few more, but not many.

So, activity seems very low. With lockdowns, I was expecting more activity. It looks like the novelty has worn off. Once the gear is in place, many users are saying, "fine, done that" and going QRT.  Like Echolink and repeaters, what is the challenge? After all, it is really just another repeater, if a lot simpler and smaller than a big beam, kWs and a big tower. Once you have worked one station the rest are "same as".

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

6m FT8

My 6m FT8 gear is on again. 14 stations have spotted my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni, but I have only spotted 2 stations so far. No QSOs yet.

UPDATE 1000z: 17 spots of me so far, but no QSOs. My usual technique is to call CQ and reply to the first station calling me. I rarely call others calling CQ. I know this gives me fewer contacts, but I like to see where I am getting.

UPDATE 1254z:  37 stations, all EU, have spotted me so far on 6m FT8 TX. On RX just 8 stations spotted so far. I am sure that better equipped stations will be able to do much better, but I am happy to see results with my little station (FT991A at 10W, V2000 vertical omni, cheap CB coax).

UPDATE 1520z: 72 stations spotted today here, so far, on 6m FT8 RX. On TX 59 stations have spotted me and I have had 1 QSO with an EA4.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

A few minutes ago (it is now 0916z) I turned on my 10m WSPR beacon. So far just G4KPX (14km) spotting me.

UPDATE 1250z:  Still just G4KPX spotting me.

UPDATE 1505z: Also being spotted by several stations today by Es.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 10th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 14.  A=5 and K=1.

70cm UKAC

This evening I spent 40 minutes in the 70cm activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB with 10W using the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. In all 4 QSOs with the best being a contact with G4CLA (105km).

Ripening - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the ripening corn seen on our walk earlier. In a few weeks it will be golden.

SPAM comments - NOT amateur radio

Just a few minutes ago, I permanently deleted a comment on one of my blog entries posted today. This had absolutely no relevance.  As soon as such posts are seen they get deleted. SPAM posts have no place here. If any get through, please let me know so I can deal with them.  Most times they are deleted very fast, but some may creep through.

Moon journey - NOT amateur radio

There is a video about the Chinese satellite orbiting the moon. Some people dislike the Chinese, but they will be even more of a super-power this century.

6m FT8

So far today, no QSOs yet (0845z) on 6m FT8. So far 44 spots of my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni mostly EU stations via Es.

UPDATE 1127z:  A couple of 6m FT8 QSOs with EU stations and I have been spotted by 82 stations so far today on 6m. Most are EU with a couple in North Africa.

UPDATE 1312z:  VE3DS (5714km) spotted on 6m FT8. Sadly, no transatlantic 6m FT8 QSOs, just European QSOs so far today.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

For the last few hours I have been on 10m WSPR TX with the WSPR beacon. So far, 5 unique stations have spotted me, some by Es.

The general level of 10m WSPR activity was a pleasant surprise.

UPDATE 1209z: So far today, spotted by 7 stations with best DX spot being by SM6WZI (1007km).

Stations spotting me to
 1347z on 10m WSPR

UPDATE 1350z:  No further stations spotting me today.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we went for a walk around Ely. The cathedral (see photo) was still locked. It is a very fine building.

Sunspots - Tuesday June 9th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 17.  A=4 and K=1.

IC-705 unboxing

As my Japanese is non-existent, I just had to watch the pictures, but it looks like the IC-705 is now on sale in Japan. According to ICOM Japan the IC-705 will be on sale in Japan from mid-June, with international markets following type approvals.

See https://www.icomjapan.com/news/2707/

Poppies - NOT amateur radio

One of the joys of our "lockdown" walks is just seeing the beauty all around us. It is surprising just what you see with your eyes open.

Incidentally, we had a real surprise about an hour ago when a Muntjac deer bounded across the road into a neighbour's garden, but I digress.

The poppies in the photo were on the lane side on our walk yesterday. In June, they are probably at their best.

Promoting amateur radio

From time to time we get a chance to promote our amateur radio hobby at other events. The RSGB has published some notes to help us do the right thing.

See https://rsgb.org/main/clubs/media-guide-for-affiliated-societies/

6m FT8

As usual I am on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni.

My own signal is being spotted across Europe with the best DX spot being by OD5ET (3463km). Quite a bit of 6m Es. Best DX here on 6m FT8 RX is 4X4DK (3580km).

No-one has called me yet and no QSOs yet. I guess people are working stronger stations!

UPDATE 1425z:  Several QSOs had now on 6m FT8. Best DX spotted on 6m FT8 RX here is A92HK (5064km) in Bahrain. Many of the bigger stations (with far better antennas than I have!) are calling or working the USA.

UPDATE 2045z:   QRT.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

At about 0930z I turned on my 10m WSPR TX beacon. So far, just spots by G4KPX (14km) with no Es spots yet.

UPDATE 1422z:  Now spotted by 3 different stations with 2 being by Es.

UPDATE 1904z: Now spotted by 3 stations so far today. Earlier I thought it was 5 stations, but some of these were last evening!

UPDATE 2048z:  QRT.

Vancouver BC - NOT amateur radio

Vancouver BC

Many years ago we were in Vancouver in western Canada (see photo). It is a grand city.

Sunspots - Monday June 8th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 16.  A=9 and K=2.