Sixbox - simple 6m AM rig

It was way back in 2009 that I designed and built the Sixbox rig. Unlike the Fredbox for 2m, the Sixbox did not use a PCB. 

It is not suitable for DX, but could be useful for local natters.

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

Cambridge quiet - NOT amateur radio

Don't think this has been on before (as I post on 365project and FaceBook too), but make no apologies if it has. 

Cambridge is usually busy with overseas visitors, but these are absent this year. Hopefully they will be back in 2022. 

The compensation is we have all these sights to enjoy!

10m FT8 RX

As yesterday (ever hopeful!), I am on 10m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop on the windowsill. Yesterday I only copied 2 Gs on 10m. Maybe today will be better? 

On 10m, I get RF feedback on the indoor loop even when on QRP TX. I have tried ferrite beads, but without success, so RX only at the moment. This is with the FT817ND. It works fine on 20m, 17m and 15m TX.

UPDATE 1701z:  No spots. So far today quite dreadful on 10m FT8 RX here. 

UPDATE 1925z:  No Spots!! Even worse than yesterday.

Huge flint - NOT amateur radio

This huge piece of flint was seen on a walk recently. It was probably about 30cm long. 

Sunspots - Saturday April 10th 2021

Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 0.  A=3 and K=2. 

Counting birds - NOT amateur radio

Every month, my brother and his wife count birds on parts of the Kingsbridge Estuary in Devon. This is part of their "patch". 

Maltings/Oast House - NOT amateur radio

Originally, maltings were places where malt was made from barley and oast houses where hops were dried, both for beer making.

This one (oast house?) is at Dalham, near Newmarket. I do not know when it was last used. It is by the road and looks fascinating. I have no idea what it is used for now.

As you will see in the comment from Chris below there are  differences between maltings and oast houses. I have changed the text as a result of the feedback from Chris.

CDARC (Cambridge) Zoom talks

Every few weeks, the Cambridge club has Zoom talks. I think I have watched every one. This week the talk is about the remote station that the club has available of those with suitable licences. All talks have been excellent. 

One advantage of Zoom is both the speakers and viewers can be anywhere on the planet. A few weeks ago we had a talk from Canada.

Although clearly aimed at club members, I think others are able to watch. Who knows, you may want to join as a country member!

This week's talk is at 1900z and is by G4AWP. The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86735471090 .

Japan from Western Europe on 6m

As regular as clockwork, stations in western Europe make contact with Japan on 6m in June. I was reminded of this by mention of sprites in the USA on Southgate News. 

Personally I believe these Japanese openings are due to E layer ionisation as a result of noctilucent clouds.

Prince Philip dies - NOT amateur radio

Although I am not a great royalist, the death just announced today of the death of the queen's husband at 99 years of age is a sad day, especially for the queen. It is a pity he just missed his 100th birthday.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11437314 .

Oscar 100 activity

Every few weeks I take a peek at activity on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. My last look was the morning of Friday April 9th at 1048z. I check on the webSDR at Goonhilly. When I looked there were no stations at all active! I have never, ever seen it so quiet. 

There were a handful of stations on shortly after as the photo shows

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

1st swallow seen - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I saw my first swallow this year. My son saw one near here a week ago and they have been seen in Devon for a couple of weeks. Last year it was April 15th before I saw one. 

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/ .

10m FT8 RX

Today I decided to go on 10m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop antenna. No spots yet. 

UPDATE 1610z: No spots so far.

UPDATE 1830z: Just a single G spot all day.

UPDATE 2050z:  QRT.  Just 2 Gs spotted all day.

At the moment, 10m seems a bit too high for consistent DX certainly with my loop. It opens at times, but lower bands are better. 

Sunspots - Friday April 9th 2021

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=1.

QCX Mini

Also in Practical Wireless this month is an article about building the QCX mini 5W CW transceiver from Hans Summers G0UPL at QRP Labs. This is a tiny transceiver for HF with some very interesting features. It is very tiny.

See https://www.qrp-labs.com/qcxmini.html .

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

St Helena 2m beacon

In PW today (May 2021) is report on the new St Helena 2m beacon ZD7GWM/B being copied in South Africa and Namibia. This is a sea path over water that is mostly warm, so some tropo ducts can be expected at times. It will be interesting to see if this is copied in South America or the Carribean.

Grandson at Dalham - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of our grandsons at Dalham near Newmarket earlier today.  

This is a fine avenue of trees leading up to the church.

2m AM QRP

10 years ago I had a QSO with my Fredbox transceiver on 2m AM as the photo shows. 

I still have the Fredbox, but sadly there is little AM still on 2m. 

In its day, AM was an effective mode on 2m. These days there is far less chatting. Apart from organised nets on FM and contests there is, sadly, less activity. Many now prefer the "rubber stamp" exchanges with FT8.

Sunspots - Thursday April 8th 2021

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 0. A=17 and K=1.

Tree stump - NOT amateur radio

On our walk at Dalham near Newmarket a few days ago we saw this felled tree. 

I am not sure if it was diseased or was felled for safety reasons. 

There is a long avenue of trees from the village to the church - a long walk uphill for the villagers, whereas right next door for the lord of the manor!

Blog changes

On the side you will see a couple of changes. 

Firstly I have removed a link to a blog that no longer works and added a link to the excellent blog at EI7GL.

Secondly, I have given you the chance to buy me a virtual cup of coffee. This takes you to a page where you can donate a small amount to offset some of my project costs. 

This is entirely voluntary. There is absolutely no compulsion to give anything. The fact that you enjoy the blog is great.

2m UKAC last evening

Last evening I went on the 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB. I used the IC-705 for the first time with the big wheel omni antenna. 7 QSOs were made in an hour with 10W then I stopped. Furthermost was G4CLA (105km).

Quite a different technique being able to see the whole SSB band slot at one time.

Our windmill - NOT amateur radio

 This is a photo of our windmill next door.

Kingfisher - NOT amateur radio

It's some time since I last saw a kingfisher. My son saw one a few weeks ago. 

The photo shows the one seen by an ex work colleague (Richard) early this morning whilst walking his dog. 

Cottages - NOT amateur radio

 

The collage shows some of the lovely cottages not far from where we live. 

There are some very pretty villages in this part of England.

15m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

At 0850z I turned on my 2.5W FT8 station using the tiny indoor loop antenna. All quiet so far.

UPDATE 1514z:  7 stations have spotted my QRP TX so far today.  Plenty of stations spotted on RX.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 7th 2021

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 11. A=3 and K=2.

Dalham walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning was bright with a cold northerly wind. We went for one of our favourite walks around the village of Dalham near Newmarket.  This has some hills (unusual here in this part of the UK!) and some lovely thatched cottages. Dalham is on the chalk hills whereas much of Cambridgeshire is in the Fens and hence with peat soil.

Most of the mud has dried now. There were some great daffodils out.

OFCOM updates

Every month OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" with the latest statistics it holds. See the OFCOM website for details. The latest is March.

2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

At the moment I am on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, I have been copied by 6 stations on TX with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km). On RX 9 stations spotted with the furthermost 2E0ERL (192km). I called him, but my 2.5W was not enough!  It is now 1555z.

UPDATE 1719z:  1 QSO so far. 15 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost DG1KKD (472km). 8 stations spotted my QRP on TX.

Tending the bees - NOT amateur radio

 

My brother's grandson tending bees this morning.  He has got all the right kit!

2m activity contest this evening (UKAC)

A reminder that the first Tuesday of each month is the 2m activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. This starts at 1900z. The purpose is to drum up activity. In my opinion, activity levels on SSB are always high.

This is a chance to work a few new squares even if you do not submit an entry. I have always found this very friendly.

UPDATE 2035z: Used the IC-705 for the first time on SSB. Same number of QSOs but quite a different technique when you can see the whole SSB band in one go. Just look for the signals and QSY there. 

Sunspots - Tuesday April 6th 2021

 Solar flux is 72 and the SSN (sunspot number) 11. A=5 and K=0.

2m FT8 QRP (Monday)

At the moment I am on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 6 stations have spotted me with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km).

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

Believe it or not, these are tulips seen outside a Cambridge college a few days ago. They are fully open and look more like primroses. 

17m FT8 QRP (Monday)

At the moment I am on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. At 1222z, 21 stations spotted on RX and 1 station in the Azores has spotted my QRP on TX.

UPDATE 1416z:  Still just the 1 spot on QRP TX.  76 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost YB2HND (11985km) in Java.

UPDATE 1840z :  213 stations spotted on RX as the map shows. 

Coin collecting - NOT amateur radio

Since a child, my wife has collected old coins. I can understand the fascination, wondering whose hands have touched these coins before and for what purpose. Some of these are very old indeed and could tell some stories.

Transatlantic 2m tropo in the North Atlantic?

According to tropo forecasts, there is remote chance of transatlatic tropo on 2m early this week between Canada and western Europe. There are people trying on FT8. As far as I am aware we have never had a transatlantic QSO on 2m in the North. People have spanned from Cape Verde to the Carribean. FT8 is a good mode to try as it works with very weak signals. Crossing the North Atlantic with 2m tropo is a very long way!

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/04/vo1fn-144-mhz-trans-atlantic-sdr.html .

10FT8R (continued)

Later today, all being well, I hope to do some more building of my 10m FT8 RX. The Es season really gets going in May, so I have to have it working by then.  Another job is erecting my 10m wire dipole by then. As ladder work is needed, I shall need the help of my son.

UPDATE 1345z : All the "MeSquares" are down and I have made a small start on component placement. Small steps!  Funny how hard this is nowadays. Although harder, I think soldering is still possible, just.

Crazy weather - NOT amateur radio

 April weather can be very odd. Last week we had temperatures approaching 25 degrees C. Today we have snow flurries!

When I first came to Cambridge in the early 1970s we did a 4m contest from the back of someone's Landrover.  It was bitterly cold. I think it was April 3rd. Sometimes days can be very cold and other days very hot. In the UK in April, anything can be expected.