The BBC news is carrying photos of a backpacker beach party in Australia. People are understandably appalled by such stupid people flouting the rules. Many were from the UK.
Some may get deported. Quite right. So they should for such crass stupidity.
At the moment there have been new outbreaks in Sydney which the authorities are trying to contain.
After a really good day yesterday, I am again on 6m FT8 with 2.5W (FT817ND) and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. It is now 0940z and I have been on for about 3 minutes. Already spotted by G0PQO (50km), with just G0DYW (77km) spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1149z: 4 spots of my QRP TX in 2 countries and 17 spots in 4 countries on 6m FT8 RX today. Definitely winter Es about on 6m FT8.
UPDATE 1435z: 27 stations in 6 countries spotted so far on RX, and I have been spotted by 8 stations in 3 countries on 6m FT8 QRP TX.
Without mentioning any names (I am sure you can guess) there appears to be a really spoilt child throwing his toys out of the pram in the USA. Does this person not realise the harm to his future reputation? Please, stop being so childish!! Just grow up.
Jason M0NYW has sent me this video on how to make professional looking labels. Well worth looking at. Look at Jason's example, which looks good to me.
Some of the videos on my YouTube channel may be of interest, as are some of the pages on my main website. Many of these are quite old and probably are in need of an update!
See https://www.youtube.com/user/G3XBM
See also http://www.g3xbm.co.uk
At breakfast my wife and I were counting up how many walks we had been on this odd year. We keep a record each month. At one point she said a figure and I said she had miscalculated. Without a recording, we can never be sure who was wrong.
This makes me wonder what other memories may be wrong. Memory is an odd thing: as I said some weeks ago, we think we remember things in the past, but it is entirely possible time is a human construct and each day is new with memories we think we have. This is getting too heavy!
Some time ago, I was asked by email if the technique to make this into a full TX-RX transverter as used on 472kHz could be adapted on 136kHz. What happens sometimes with emails is that they get filed and forgotten about. I do not remember replying to this question. So, if I did not answer this please accept my sincere apologies. I just cannot remember.
Yes, the same techniques would work on 136kHz, suitably scaled. This could be a simple way to get on this band. I have to confess I have never been on 136kHz TX from this QTH!
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/137khz_tvrtr .
After breakfast I hope to go on 6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. This is now the winter Es season, so it is possible some European stations will be spotted. Yesterday was very promising on 10m.
UPDATE 0907z: Already spotted in Sweden by SM4CHK (1138km) on QRP FT8 TX and 16 stations spotted on RX from Scandinavia. This definitely looks like winter Es.
UPDATE 1100z: Already spotted by 6 stations on QRP 6m FT8 TX right across Europe! No QSOs. 27 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX again right across the continent with the furthermost being LB7FA (2008km).
UPDATE 1316z: I have been spotted by 10 stations across Europe with my 2.5W QRP 6m FT8 TX and I have spotted 45 stations on 6m FT8 RX.
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| Stations spotted to 1515z on 6m FT8 RX |
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| Stations spotting me today |
Although, at the moment, 10m is not a great DX band, this will soon change. Within a few years it will again be one of our greatest DX bands. Even with simple antennas and low power, worldwide DX should be possible. Being 1.7MHz wide there is space for all modes. Even a wire dipole is very small.
With my poor voice I find FT8 better than SSB or AM or FM. It will be interesting to see the impact of FT8, which is already very popular on many bands. I like it as most DX is concentrated in a few kHz and there are lots of people monitoring. It works with signals weaker than SSB or CW. Being a very narrow-band mode (each TX takes about 50Hz only) it seems better with man-made noise than wider band modes.
I suspect there may be less AM activity this cycle, which would be a pity: often operators use old "boat anchor" rigs with beautiful modulation. In the last (poor) sunspot cycle several USA AM stations were copied well in the car with just a super-regen RX and a base loaded whip.
In the past I have well exceeded DXCC with 10W SSB on 10m with low dipoles.
It is now 1013z. A short while ago I turned on my 10m FT8 gear using the FT817ND at the tiny indoor loop antenna. So far 24 stations spotted here on RX. Winter Es?
UPDATE 1623z: 79 Europeans spotted. Good.
UPDATE 1724z: 88 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Unless there are surprises I expect this is it for the day. Still, this is good for 10m in winter at this part of the solar cycle.
UPDATE 2047z: QRT. 95 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.
This morning, I am on 20m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the indoor loop. The gear was turned on at about 0815z. It is now 0926z. So far today, 257 stations have been spotted already.
UPDATE 1046z: 432 stations spotted so far.
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| Stations spotted today at 1749z |
At the moment I have not tried 472kHz (630m) WSPR TX for a while as I need to replace the wire in my earth-electrode "antenna". In past winters I have had lots of fun overnight with low ERP WSPR. I really should try again during January, February and March.
I still have a quiet noise floor on 472kHz WSPR RX. With AM on 160m, 80, and 40m, the noise floor is S8. WSPR being a narrow-band mode seems to do much better.
Whilst Christmas is going on I am on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far today I have been spotted by 9 stations with the furthermost being G7RAU (461km) on 2m FT8 TX. On 2m FT8 RX just a couple of Gs spotted. It is now 1045z.
UPDATE 1853z: 15 stations have spotted my QRP on TX and I have spotted 12 stations on RX with the furthermost DL6YBF (471km). As most spots of me are G and near France, these could be flat band tropo.
UPDATE 2220z: QRT.
Christmas can be a magical time for children.
As an old man, I find Christmas hard. It is a time when we are expected to be happy, whereas I find everything amplified and pain harder to take. To me, I am glad when it is all over.
This year is particularly hard with Covid-19 and many unable to meet loved ones and give them a hug. Next year things should be more normal. I hope so. In the next few months we have some hard times ahead. Then we should start to see the light.
Whatever your situation I wish you a happy Christmas.
Both the 2m and 70cm activity contest results, run every month on Tuesday evenings and organised by the RSGB, have been published.
These show very credible scores in the low power (AL) sections, considering I usually stay on for under an hour and just use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. No beams or rotators here!
See the RSGB contest website for details.
Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 25. A=8 and K=0. These figures were correct at 2245z Christmas Day.
So, a deal has (eventually) been done between the EU and the UK. No doubt in the days ahead we will hear the details. I expect, and hope, that both sides compromised and came away feeling the deal was good for all.
In the 2016 referendum I voted "remain", although I do appreciate that the EU can be protectionist and slow. Whilst we in the UK have vaccinated 500,000 people against Covid-19 the EU has not even started! I can understand the UK does not want to be burdened. On the other hand, the EU has been a power for good.
In my heart I expected a last minute deal: a deal is in the interests of all and there was a degree of brinkmanship to see who would blink first.
We did a walk around the village. The boat in the photo was seen at one point. You can just see the 2 ducks.
Often on this walk we see Muntjac deer, but none today.
This may be worth listening for. 9A5ADI/B is a beacon on 5288.8MHz sending 100mW CW from Croatia (JN95).
By accident, I left my 2m FT8 QRP station running overnight. I meant to turn it off. No more spots since last night of my QRP signal. Staying on overnight is not worth it. When we go for a walk shortly, I shall be RX only on 2m FT8. As usual, still using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 1520z: Since before lunch I have been on TX as well as RX. So far today I have been spotted by 14 stations with the furthermost being a spot by DF0MU (475km). If you want DX at any time, try 2m FT8. Interestingly, 13 stations in just 2 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. I get the impression more people are monitoring and not transmitting.
Southgate News reports that Austrian amateurs will have access to these bands.
As 15m has been quiet for a while I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP at 1800z using the usual 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. At the moment (1805z) 4 stations have spotted me on TX and I have spotted nobody yet on RX.
UPDATE 1945z: 7 stations in 2 countries have spotted my QRP on TX and I have spotted 3 stations in 2 countries on RX.
It is now 1005z and I have just turned on 15m FT8 RX. So far, 5 stations spotted on RX with the indoor loop and FT817ND.
UPDATE 1207z: 37 stations spotted so far with the furthermost 9K2OW (4639km) in Kuwait.
UPDATE 1352z: 76 stations in 5 continents spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX today. Furthermost is HC1DAZ (9256km) in South America.
UPDATE 1651z: Now 136 stations spotted.
Most days I watch Times Radio on YouTube about Ukraine It is usually informative.
