See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sand-martin/
6 Mar 2021
They are coming - NOT amateur radio
Flower pot antenna
Steve G1KQH recently sent me an email with some useful links on how to make 1/2 wave verticals. I am sharing it with you in case this gives you ideas.
"The latest G4NSJ video pointed me to investigate..Cheap to make for anything from 28MHz to UHF I guess.. Ideally a starting point is to make one for 2mGain 1dB over 1/4 WaveDetails here:You can even make it Dual band:There is even an online calculator:73's G1KQH"
17m FT8 QRP (Saturday)
At about 1130z, I went on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. It is now 1141z and 3 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost EA8WU (2985km) and nobody has spotted my QRP on TX.
UPDATE 1145z: So far, 4 stations spotted on 17m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1259z: 15 stations spotted so far on RX. Nobody has spotted me on TX.
UPDATE 1400z: 2 stations have spotted me on TX and 37 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1555z: 4 stations have spotted my QRP TX and 65 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost YB1AR (11781km).
UPDATE 1820z: 72 stations spotted today on 17m FT8 RX today. QRT soon.
630m WSPR TX 4 years ago
The table shows the stations spotting my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground in 2017. At the moment my transverter is faulty on TX, so I am restricted to RX.
The tiny indoor loop
The wire used for the loop is quite small and I might try much thicker wire. Tuning should be sharper, but efficiency should be higher. My concern is higher Q means higher voltage at the high impedance point.
5 Mar 2021
2m FT8 QRP (Friday)
About an hour ago I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. It is now 2022z and so far tonight 19 stations have spotted me and 1 QSO.
UPDATE 2145z: 2 QSOs and 25 spots of my QRP TX this evening in 4 countries with the furthermost EI2FG (565km). 36 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 2240z: 43 stations spotted on RX and 25 stations have spotted my QRP on TX. QRT soon.
Anglesey Abbey earlier - NOT amateur radio
Earth-mode VLF blog
As the page is very old, I cannot guarantee links work. The links on the left of that page are very old especially and should not be used as this was my old website that is not maintained.
Earth-mode is a form of VLF experimentation that does not need high power or big antennas. It is at the frontier and is open to all.
My understanding is no licences are needed for this form of communications based on conversations with OFCOM many years ago. This is not a legal statement, just my interpretation.
For radiated VLF communications I think those in the UK need an NoV, whereas in many countries below 8.3kHz is a free for all. As very special techniques are needed for amateur VLF radiated reception, I think the chances of being intercepted are very small.
17m FT8 QRP (Friday)
It is now 1012z. For about 40 minutes I have been on 17m FT8 with 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop. So far, 30 stations spotted on RX and nobody has spotted me on TX.
UPDATE 1042z: 56 stations spotted on RX including the first today from South America on 17m FT8.
UPDATE 1454z: 145 stations spotted here on RX and 3 stations have spotted me on QRP TX on 17m FT8.
UPDATE 1832z: 169 stations spotted on RX and 5 stations have spotted my QRP TX.
Brain fog - NOT amateur radio
In the last year we have heard a lot about "Long Covid" and brain fog.
I have a lot of sympathy for sufferers as I have had brain fog for 7.5 years following my stroke. Every day, along with the near constant tiredness and giddiness, I have brain fog.
It is like doing things in a near constant state of exhaustion and drunkenness. Things mental and physical that would have been easy years ago are now hard. Doing any amateur radio design and building is now incredibly taxing.
My best description is like being drunk all the time: it is hard to do even the simplest task. With willpower jobs gets done, eventually. As an example, I am trying to find an intermittent fault on my son's electric lawnmower. I have had this all winter, but have not felt the energy to undo the screws and take a look.
I have great sympathy for anyone with a hidden disability. Outwardly we look fine to the world whereas inwardly it is a totally different story: we do all in our power to seem fine, but we struggle.
We do not like to moan, but it is very hard when others think you are fine.
Cowfield NOT amateur radio
This meadow is owned by the village. Years ago there were cows in here that we heard every summer morning. This an ancient meadow with Roman remains (there was a Roman villa here) and the remains of a castle going back to King Stephen nearly 1000 years ago.
4 Mar 2021
2m FT8 QRP (Thursday)
At about 2030z I went on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. At 2037z I had been spotted by 9 stations already.
Elecraft K1
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/k1. As this page is very old, I cannot guarantee links work still.
Village walk - NOT amateur radio
The photo shows our churchyard coming to life with daffodils and birds busy. Spring has sprung.
Low cost crystals
Steve G1KQH recently pointed me to a supplier of crystals in the USA which should be suitable for my latest FT8 RX project.
I ordered some last night. At $1.50 each they are excellent value and they have already been dispatched. As international shipping costs were high I ordered 4 of them. It is not clear how these will come, but it gives me plenty of time for building if these come by sea.
Even with shipping they are good value. I hope I don't get stung for duty and VAT.
17m FT8 QRP (Thursday)
This morning I am on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna.
8 stations spotted so far on RX, but nobody has yet spotted my QRP TX. It is now 1005z and I have been active for about 15 minutes.
UPDATE 1244z: 38 stations spotted on RX and 1 spot of my QRP TX - SV3AQT (2284km).
UPDATE 2026z: 92 stations spotted on RX. 5 stations have spotted my QRP today on TX.
Look what I found! - 136kHz beacon
I thought it was in the loft. This was a chance find and it has never been used at this QTH.
At some point I must try it with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
This afternoon I connected it to my earth-electrode antenna and listened on the FT817ND. It still works!
Local walk - NOT amateur radio
Amateur VLF
3 Mar 2021
2m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
I think there is a contest as the FT8 chunk is very busy. On RX, 40 stations already spotted and my very brief TX session was spotted by 4 stations.
The photo shows the activity on G0LRD's grabber a little while ago - busy!!
See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/ .
UPDATE 2225z: 118 stations in 9 countries spotted on RX.
A mug .....me? - NOT amateur radio
You will be pleased to hear that I will get over $360k in my account if I just tell them my bank details.
Oh yes!! ...I am in such a rush to tell them.
17m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
Since just after 1200z, I have been on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far, 9 stations have been spotted on RX and 2 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being CU2GI (2575km)
UPDATE 1710z: 17 spots on RX and 4 stations have spotted me on TX.
Original Fredbox 2m transceiver photos
Whilst clearing the loft, my XYL came across the original photos of the original 2m AM Fredbox made back in the mid 1970s. It was rebuilt some years ago. The original photos are attached here.
10FT8R - 10m receiver for FT8
As my fine motor skills are not as good as they were, I have decided to start with a receiver based on WISPY for 10m FT8 using 14.040MHz crystals pulled very slightly to 14.037MHz and a Polyakov mixer. Polyakov mixers need oscillators running at half the received frequency. This also means the radiated signal from the oscillator is very low.
At some point later, I will extend this to a full FT8 transceiver. The receiver will work with free WSJT-X software running on the PC.
As 10m gets better, the whole world should be spotted on a receiver that is unbelievably simple costing the same as a few drinks out. Of course during the Es season 10m is good out to about 1500km at any point in the sunspot cycle, so this RX may be used at other times too without tying up the "big rig".
53 years ago - NOT amateur radio
We have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
160m FT8 RX overnight
Quantum Entanglement - NOT amateur radio
One of the aspects of quantum mechanics that fascinates me is quantum entanglement. According to quantum theory, quantum entanglement suggests that particles completely separated (even at the other ends of the universe) can share something in common. One day, this may be a clue to teleportation. There are aspects of this which are totally weird.
In my view, we still have a lot to learn about physics. Quantum mechanics and relativity seem to be imperfect descriptions and I can imagine in the next 100 years we will find other more integrated, theories that better describe things.
In 100 years you can imagine our descendants looking back at our theories in amazement.
2 Mar 2021
Quiet corner - NOT amateur radio
Despite this, it still feels like a village. It has some lovely quiet corners as the photo shows. Here, they have really blended new houses with the old.
IC202 2m SSB/CW
Nostalgia time again....
Later, it was replaced by the IC202S. Many still use these today to drive microwave transverters. I used mine on 10m with a homebrewed transverter. It worked some impressive DX with 1W pep on 10m SSB with just a low wire dipole antenna.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/ic202 .
As this is my old website and not maintained, do not follow the links on the left as these are not maintained.
Blossom - NOT amateur radio
It is now coming out at last, a sure sign of spring and better days ahead.
It normally lasts for a few weeks, then is gone. At the moment, it is glorious.
OFCOM Communications Monthly
Every month OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" with the latest statistics it holds. See the OFCOM website for more details.
New 2m webpage
Although I am as guilty as others for not using the band as often as I once did, I have created a webpage about 2m operation on my main G3XBM website. 2m is a good, but much under-used, band.
472kHz (630m) WSPR RX overnight
Yesterday evening and overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 9 stations were spotted with the furthermost being EA4GHB (1300km).
2m activity contest this evening
At 2000z this evening is the March leg of the 2m UKAC activity contest run by the RSGB. Although the contest runs for 2.5 hours I usually stop on for less than an hour with my 10W, poor voice and omni antenna.
It is not like most contests - it is fun and activity is usually very high on SSB. With conditions likely to be good tonight, you may want to give it a go.
Although I usually submit a score, you do not have to. Exchange is just report, serial number and QTH locator e.g. 59012, IO91FB.
In the end 11 QSOs made before I had to go QRT.
Dalham near Newmarket - NOT amateur radio
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