Just afterwards it rained! We just hit a gap when it was not dull and raining.
18 Feb 2021
More on the walk yesterday - NOT amateur radio
15m FT8 QRP (Thursday)
Most of the morning I've been on 15m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 2.5W. So far, 5 stations have spotted me and 110 stations spotted on RX.
17 Feb 2021
2m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
At 1900z I QSYed to 2m FT8 using the usual 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 5 stations have spotted me and I have spotted nobody.
UPDATE 1930z: 7 stations have spotted me so far and the furthermost is GI6ATZ (479km) again. I have spotted 2 stations.
UPDATE 2312z: QRT.
Winter walk - NOT amateur radio
The snowdrops are great as are the aconites. Very few daffodils out.
Pancakes - NOT amateur radio
They were delicious. The daffodils were past their best and were thrown out tonight.
Burwell church - NOT amateur radio
We have a fine old church in our village. It is currently closed. Parts of it are 1000 years old. From the top of the tower the view is amazing. Years ago, I went regularly. My wife still attends, but not every week.
The video was made many years ago.
Antenna ideas
For many with small gardens or difficult neighbours, antennas can be a problem. The biggest antenna I have ever used is a CB halfwave. I have never used an HF beam. Despite this, I have worked QRP DXCC with 10W SSB. Most times I have used just a low wire dipole.
One "antenna" I have found useful is the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. This has proved very effective on VLF, LF and MF. Only last evening I was copying Italy on it on 630m and the night before there were lots of stateside stations spotted on 160m FT8. An advantage is the XYL and neighbours do know even notice it is there at all!
Another possibility is to use the coax outer feeding maybe a VHF antenna via an ATU on the HF bands tuned against ground. Such antennas can be quite effective. OK against a beam on a tower this maybe an S-point or 2 down, but for the lack of neighbour hassle is a tall tower and big beam worth the fuss? This is a hobby after all. If you don't work DXCC entity 247 does it really matter? Get a life!!!
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas .
Winter MF plans
Well, that was a non-happening!
One of my plans for now was an E-field probe in a tree for 137kHz and 472kHz RX. We had the tree lopped, but the E-field probe is not up. I replaced my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, but my 472kHz transverter does not work, so I am restricted to 472kHz RX only.
Maybe next winter, I shall have more luck!
10m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
Since 0945z, I have been on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. No spots yet on RX or TX at 1047z.
UPDATE 1840z: No spots all day.
Trump friends - NOT amateur radio
Although ex-President Trump has gone from office, he still seems capable of turning on his (one time) friends. I am amazed that so many voted for him. To those of us outside the USA, he appears to hold grudges.
Transformation - NOT amateur radio
Sunspots - Wednesday February 17th 2021
Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=15 and K=2. This month, the sunspot count has been dreadful.
16 Feb 2021
472kHz (630m) WSPR RX
It is now 2030z. A few minutes ago I went on to 472kHz WSPR RX. So far G0MRF (139km) and DL1HWK (816km) copied.
UPDATE 2215z: 5 stations spotted this evening with the furthermost being IZ3QQG (1155km). Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
At 1845z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 using 2.5W (FT817ND) and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, just 1 spot of me by G4TRA (185km).
UPDATE 1858z: 2 stations spotted here on RX. 5 stations have spotted my 2.5W QRP with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km).
Old QTH
We now live next door to the windmill in probably the highest spot in the village.
SETI - NOT amateur radio
As far as I know, we have been searching the universe for almost 50 years via SETI (search for intelligent life) without success. Much of the decoding is done by volunteers using spare processing power on their PCs.
Based on the estimates of planets, I find this odd. As time goes by the means of looking have improved. By now, I would have expected to get some indications.
Maybe, we are looking in the wrong way? Maybe intelligent life self destructs? Maybe we really are alone? Maybe our whole understanding of the universe is wrong?
If ever we did find intelligent life elsewhere, it could have profound implications for humans.
The FETer transceiver
Thinking of ultra-simple rigs, perhaps consider my FETer. I was surprised how well this worked.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver
Pixies and Micro-80s
Examples are the Pixie and Micro-80 designs. Pixies can be bought as kits from China for a few pounds or euros. In the past, I have made versions for 80m and 40m, including homebrew and kits.
With these circuits, the main limitation is the RX. These are compromises using the PA device as the RX mixer. Often the sensitivity is a bit lacking and AM breakthrough can be a problem. The front end selectivity is barn-door and the audio filtering mainly one's ear! Nonetheless, many miles can be spanned. In terms of "bang per buck" they take some beating.
The challenge is to find the best overall circuit which has a decent TX and RX.
Old photo - NOT amateur radio
It was on a metal plate and is hand tinted. It probably dates from the 1800s and is possibly of my great great grandmother.
15m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
It is now 0835z. About 15 minutes ago I turned on my 15m FT8 QRP gear using 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. Already I have spotted 8 stations on RX and I have been spotted by 3 on TX.
UPDATE 1835z: Spotted by 11 stations on TX with the furthermost being EA8AXT (2996km). 265 stations have been spotted on RX with the furthermost YB2DX (12050km). I continue to be amazed just how well this loop does considering how small and thin the wire is!
Spring coming - NOT amateur radio
The daffodils in the photo are under a tree in our close. In a few days some will be in flower. Robins are on high branches singing out to mark their territories. The first daisy has been seen.
Spring is coming! With it, new hope and new life. In a few weeks winter will be gone.
15 Feb 2021
8m beacon
At some point we will be allocated some frequencies at 40MHz. In the coming Es seasons I can see many more applying for limited access to the band. These may be spot frequencies with limited power. Small first steps.
There is a beacon which may be worth checking in the Es season S50ZMS. This is ideally placed for Es to EI and the UK.
472kHz tonight
Hopefully, my transverter works. I shall try later.
Whatever happens, I intend to be on 472kHz (630m) this evening. If the transverter works I shall go on TX. Otherwise RX only.
In both cases, I shall be using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, that gave good results on 160m FT8.
UPDATE 2044z: I tried my transverter again and still no sign of any 472kHz output, so I decided to go on 472kHz WSPR RX only. Just LA8AV (1012km) spotted so far. If I was fitter I might be able to fault find. With my health as it is, I think this is beyond me sadly.
Oil prices up - NOT amateur radio
Before too long we will all be driving cars that are powered by non-polluting energy. We must also ensure that these energy types are also not produced from polluting sources and are sustainable.
In the end there needs to be a breakthrough in battery technology and energy storage so that fuels like electricity produced by solar and wind can be stored.
For now, oil prices are a bellweather of the economy. Oil prices have doubled in the last few months and fuel at the pumps has gone up in price. I guess this suggests more optimism for the year ahead.
Covid-19 vaccines - NOT amateur radio
At the moment, the UK is doing quite well on the vaccination of vulnerable people. I think we are 3rd in the world. Much of what we have done in the last year was poor and this is one area where we have done well.
As long as the rates of virus circulating in the world are high, there is a chance of importing a variant that spreads easily, is more deadly and evades vaccines. There is an adage "until the world is vaccinated we are all at risk".
I hope all the world is vaccinated soon.
15m FT8 QRP (Monday)
In a few moments I shall be turning on my 15m FT8 QRP using 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna.
UPDATE 1112z: 15m FT8 gear now on. 13 stations already spotted on 15m FT8 RX and spotted by SV2BRA (2154km) on QRP 15m FT8 TX.
UPDATE 1152z: 30 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX and 2 spots of my 2.5W to the indoor loop on TX with the furthermost RZ4HO (3291km).
UPDATE 1449z: 73 stations spotted so far today on 15m FT8. |
| Stations spotted on 15m FT8 today |
Remarkable - the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8 RX
As reported last evening, 31 stations across Europe spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on TX.
Overnight I left it connected on 160m FT8 RX. In all, 328 stations were spotted including very many in N. America as shown on the map.
UPDATE 1024z: Apart from VE3PJ (5492km) at breakfast time (0722z), all spots now are UK on 160m FT8 RX.
1908 harsh winter - NOT amateur radio
In 1961, my wife's grandmother wrote a letter to the Sheffield Star newspaper about the harsh winter of 1908 in the UK. We don't know how lucky we are and how hard life was.
14 Feb 2021
160m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
As an experiment, I am trying my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8 using 2.5W. Immediately, stations across Europe were copied on RX. Already spotted strongly in Oxford on 160m FT8 QRP TX. Furthermost on RX is R9GM (3499km) in Perm.
 |
| Stations spotted on 160m FT8 so far with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground by 1830z |
UPDATE 2225z: So far, 263 stations spotted on RX and 31 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being OE9GHV (869km). Not bad with antenna you cannot even see with just 2.5W from the FT817ND!
 |
| The 31 stations spotting my 2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" on TX on 160m FT8 this evening |
UAE Mars orbiter - NOT amateur radio
Mars will one day be explored by humans. For now, we have oribiting satellites and robots on the surface. The recent UAE satellite has been put in an orbit around the red planet.
2m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
Once again I am on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, spotted on TX by 8 stations with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km) and one station spotted so far on RX. It is now 1052z.
If I come on randomly, the chances are high that I will be spotted in EI or GI. This is definitely some sort of scatter, although the randomness makes me think aircraft scatter is unlikely.
UPDATE 1306z: Several QSOs already on 2m FT8.
The USA - NOT amateur radio
Ex-president Trump has been cleared of impeachment. This is not too surprising as the senate would have needed a 2/3rds majority.
What I sincerely hope is that the USA can move on peacefully. Judging by the votes, he clearly has a large following in the USA, although I very much doubt most of those would have wanted the violence that erupted.
As a beacon of democracy, the violence that erupted some weeks ago was ugly and self-destructive. Now is a time to heal.
Earth-electrode "antenna" replaced
Yesterday, I replaced the wire that I used successfully on 472kHz WSPR TX with a very low ERP.
It was also used successfully on 160m and 80m.
As yet, it has still to be tested.
UPDATE 0940z: Tested on 160m and 80m. Still high VSWR. Totally puzzled.
UPDATE 1538z: I cleaned the contacts at the far end and the VSWR remained high on 80m. With the auto ATU it matches on 160m. I have not tried 630m, which needs the transverter. My conclusion is that over the years tree roots have grown and effectively shorted out across the "loop" in the ground rendering this "antenna" no longer useful. I may try 160m WSPR or FT8 tonight, but may remove it tomorrow.
Me 1968 - NOT amateur radio
These days I am bald and quite a bit heavier!
13 Feb 2021
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