6m FT8

Just before breakfast, my 6m FT8 kit was turned on. As usual, I am running 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

So far, just a G and GW copied on 6m FT8 RX and not a single spot on TX. I re-did a time re-sync just in case the internet had gone off and I had lost timing. It can happen. Very quiet so far today. Just now I restarted the PC too and did another time re-sync.

UPDATE 0920z:   Just UK spots today so far on 6m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1823z:  8 spots of me today. Some late evidence of Es in the last hour or so.

8m tests

John EI7GL has news on his blog of 8m tests using FT8 with stations in Europe.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2020/08/ft8-experiment-on-40-mhz-1st-to-15th.html

Where we used to live - NOT amateur radio

We moved to our present home seven years ago. Recently I came across this aerial photo which shows where our old house was built when it was still a field.

Behind us was Spring Close meadow which has the remains of a Roman villa as well as the remains of Burwell Castle from the time of King Stephen about 1000 years ago.

Sunspots - Monday August 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 22.  A=9 and K=4.

Windmills - NOT amateur radio

We live next door to the only remaining windmill in our village. At one time there were four.

More accurately, some of these were windpumps, not windmills, as they were used to pump water and not grind corn. The photo shows two of these that have now gone.

Sunspot minimum

My favourite site for solar data has changed the wording giving the months when sunspot minimum occurred.  Previously it was hedging bets using works like "probable". 2 dates are given as the date depends on how the averaging is done.

The climb begins....

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png for a graph showing how the transition to the start of the next cycle is expected pan out.

See also https://www.solen.info/solar/ for more general information.

Isleham walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning we did a nice walk around the village of Isleham. The photo shows a cut cornfield.

10m WSPR TX

About 10 minutes ago I turned on the little W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon which runs 500mW to the indoor loop. It is now 1100z. Just a single spot by local G4KPX (14km) so far.

UPDATE 1320z: 4 spots of me so far today.

UPDATE 2050z: In all, I was spotted by 18 stations. Now QRT.

6m FT8

At about 1045z, I turned on my usual 6m FT8 gear (10W and the V2000 vertical). It is now 1056z. So far, 4 stations have spotted me and 2 Hungarians spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1325z:  15 spots of my 6m FT8 today so far.

UPDATE 2100z:  In all, I was spotted by 30 stations today across Europe. Now QRT.

Facebook memory - PW

7 years ago there was a review of mine in Practical Wireless. It was quite a surprise to see my bald head and garden on the cover!  Since then PW has changed owners.

See https://www.warnersgroup.co.uk/hobbies-crafts/practical-wireless/

Wicken windmill

The photo shows the windmill in Wicken village. We went for a walk around the village recently.

Sunspots - Sunday August 2nd 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 22.  A=3 and K=1.

Busier Oscar 100

Just a few moments ago I took a peak at the narrowband section of Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. Last time I looked it was exceptionally quiet. Today, at a weekend, there were 7 QSOs going on which is typical of the last year.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Patio rose - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of the roses on our patio earlier. My wife took the shot.

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

The 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 0843z. So far, nobody has spotted me.

UPDATE 1149z: 4 stations have spotted me so far today as the table shows.

UPDATE 2007z:  5 stations spotted me today. Now QRT.

6m FT8 (10W and the V2000 vertical omni)

At about 0842z, I turned on the usual 6m FT8 gear. So far, at 0846z, just one G has spotted me.

UPDATE 0900z: Just 2 spots by Gs of me, with no signs yet of any Es. 1 G spotted on RX. No QSOs.

UPDATE 2007z :  QRT.

Short-term Aims? - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps this is a natural feature of old age? I seem to have aims that are more short-term these days. Perhaps I am more aware of the finality of life than I was and every day is a gift to be enjoyed. Life is never perfect or easy, but there is so much to be thankful for.

International Short Wave League (ISWL)

For two periods I was an ISWL member. When I first joined in the 1960s it was a thriving club. I rejoined many years later but then must have had far fewer members. These days it must be struggling unless it has had an influx of new members, that I doubt. In its day it served a real purpose.

Sunspots - Saturday August 1st 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 23.  A=4 and K=0. Past the minimum?

Thunderstorms?

It has been hot all day. According to the weather forecast we could have thunderstorms later. If so, everything will be disconnected in the shack.

UPDATE 1845z:  QRT on all bands as it looks stormy.

UPDATE 2025z: Just a very slight rain shower. I think the storms passed us by.

Lunch in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Today the temperature is 32 deg C right now. Lunchtime we ate in the garden. This is me tucking in to pasta. We came in later as it was too hot.

QSY to 2m FT8

Stations spotting my
10W FT8 on 2m today

At least for the moment, the 6m Es here seems to have stopped, so at 1358z I QSYed to 2m FT8.

So far, my 10W to the big wheel omni antenna has been spotted by 16 stations in 4 countries (it is now only 1406z) with best DX a spot by GI6ATZ (479km). Not bad in just 8 minutes with low power!

MLS IC-705 unboxing video

MLS has got hold of an IC-705 ICOM transceiver. On the "something for the weekend" video they do an unboxing. See the MLS website.

Distant Kings - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier this morning we could see Kings College in the far distance.  The university library is also visible. Sorry the photo is so poor!

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

At 0833z, the W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. Already spotted by a Swiss station by Es.

UPDATE  1409z: Spotted by 3 unique stations so far.

6m FT8

At 0833z, my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on. So far, I have been spotted by 8 stations already, many by Es.

Early walk - NOT amateur radio

As today is supposed to get very hot, we did a very early morning walk. We set off at 0545z! The photo shows me on the walk around the nearby village of Reach. This is a delightful walk with a mix of views. At one point we could just make out the roof of Kings College Chapel, about 10 miles way in Cambridge.

Gone? - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was hot in the east of the UK yesterday, we spent some time in the garden in the late afternoon. What was different?

In May, June and July the screaming sound of swifts feeding on the wing was very common. Yesterday was different. In nearly an hour I saw just 1 swift.

The impression is that younger swifts hav seen overheade already started their migration back to central Africa. Normally most adult birds leave by mid-August spending just a few months here to return next April/May.

They are ephemeral birds: when they are with us they are very common - usually the screaming is heard first - then they are gone again and the skies are quiet. On better evenings 20 plus birds can be seen overhead.

To me, they are symbols of a UK summer and I miss them when they go and eagerly look forward to their return next spring.

UPDATE 0840z:  6 swifts seen overhead this morning.

Sunspots - Friday July 31st 2020

Hopeful signs. Solar flux is 73 and the SSN still 11.  A=4 and K=1.

2m FT8

Just after 1900z, I QSYed fron 6m FT8 to 2m FT8. I am using 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna. So far (it is now 1908z) My signal has been copied by 19 stations in 3 countries. Best DX spot of me was by GD3YEO (384km).

G4CLA (106km) is getting me at an incredible +14dB S/N.  I suspect he must have a very big antenna and a superb take-off. In most 2m and 70cm activity contests he works me even though I only run 10W and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 2052z: QRT.

Wineberries - NOT amateur radio

On our visit to nearby Anglesey Abbey we noticed these berries. They looked like raspberries (perhaps a bit smaller) but were in clusters. Investigations suggest these are wineberries which came from Japan. I am told they are edible (but do check as I am no expert!). I had not seen them before.

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

At about 0845z I turned on my little W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon. Yesterday was amazing. Nothing yet so far today.

UPDATE 1145z:  11 unique stations have spotted me so far this morning. Not bad.

6m FT8

At about 0845z, the 6m FT8 gear was turned on (10W to the V2000 vertical omni). Already there is lots of Es around. Already spotted by 6 stations in southern Europe.

UPDATE 1145z:   So far this morning I have been spotted by 15 stations and I have spotted 30 stations. Just 1 QSO so far.

UPDATE 1417z:  The Es seems to have stopped for now. 16 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 and I have spotted 36 stations.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

This photo (shown before) shows where I come from in South Devon. We owned some land here in the 1400s.

Oscar 100 - SO quiet!

Yesterday lunchtime I took a listen on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite. When I listened to the narrowband transponder on the web SDR at Goonhilly I was amazed how quiet it was. The only QSO was one between a G and an F.

Especially with so many at home, I was expecting it to be quite busy by now. I think people lose interest after they make their first QSOs.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

Sugar beet (I think) 

Most days since Covid-19 forced us to stay at home, we have tried to do a walk.

Yesterday was no exception so we walked up to the Devil's Dyke, an ancient man made structure in Cambridgeshire built about 1400 years ago. It is about 7 miles long and is a defensive earthwork. How did they get the manpower?

There is another earthwork with the same name near the south coast of the UK.

On our way we saw fields of sugar beet (I think) and sweetcorn. Years ago you would not have seen sweetcorn. Nowadays you see fields of sunflowers and sweetcorn. These are crops that grow well here due to the climate warming.

Because of my giddiness, each walk seems a lot longer. All the time I feel as if I am about to fall so I have to watch each step. This is particularly hard on pavements (sidewalks) as it seems as if I am about to fall into the path of cars. When cars are coming up from behind it is particularly unnerving.

70cm activity contest results

The results of the RSGB organised activity contest have published.

It shows my position in the low power section has improved.

I am only using 10W and my 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Because of my voice I stay on for less than an hour.

Sunspots - Thursday July 30th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 22. A=5 and K=1.

Zoom meetings - NOT amateur radio

Since the lockdown many of us have had to rely on Zoom to see friends and family.  I have been impressed. The photo shows a Zoom meeting earlier.

What a difference a day makes!

As yesterday, my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Yesterday no spots all day yet already several from Norway even though it is only 0742z.

UPDATE 1110z:  10 unique stations have spotted me so far.

UPDATE 1857z: Today is the best day this season on 10m WSPR TX with 34 unique stations spotting me so far. Nothing yesterday at all, then today!!

UPDATE 2140z:  QRT.