6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni (Thursday)

Apart from a very brief period on TX with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni (3 UK spots) I have been on 6m FT8 RX. Already spotted a station in the South of France even though it is only 0644z. Es?

UPDATE 0725z:  24 stations spotted.  

UPDATE 2021z: 175 stations spotted today.  TR3MON (4221km) looks like a pirate: according to his QRA locator he is in Gabon although he is apparently in Niger!  

UPDATE 2031z:  QRT.

Lunch - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I posted the homegrown runner beans I grew. We ate them for lunch and they were very good. 

Sunspots - Thursday August 5th 2021

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 14   A=4 and K=0. 

ID help please - NOT amateur radio

We saw this small beetle on our walk earlier. It was about 5mm long. 

It is probably very common, but I am no beetle expert! It stayed on my arm for a long time.

This was in East Anglia, not far from a small river.

6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna

Most of the morning I have been monitoring 6m FT8 RX apart from a very brief period on TX early on with 2.5W (5 G spots received). It is now 1112z and, so far today, 51 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1246z:  76 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 2041z: 124 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX with the furthermost VY2ZM (4447km) on Prince Edward Island, Canada. QRT now.

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

Most of the morning I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW. So far today my TX has been spotted by 6 unique stations, some many times.

UPDATE 1248z:  So far today, my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon has been spotted by 9 unique stations.

UPDATE 2023z: 10 stations have spotted me today.  All in Europe. QRT soon.

Runner beans - NOT amateur radio

For the first time, this year I have grown runner beans. 

To my surprise, they were very successful. The photo shows the first crop. Next year I shall grow more. 

Sunspots - Wednesday August 4th 2021

 Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 13.  A=10 and K=1. 

160m FT8 QRP

I am now on 160m FT8 RX after a few CQs with 2.5W. My "antenna" is the earth-electrode in the ground. Unsurprisingly, seeing it is still daylight, no spots on RX or TX. I shall leave it on RX until after dark to see what I spot.

UPDATE 1820z:  The first station in Europe has been spotted - DL8LAS (702km) near Kiel.

Stations spotted on 160m
FT8 this evening

UPDATE 2032z:  Plenty of EU stations being spotted now: 22 stations spotted so far this evening. See map.

2m activity contest this evening

All being well, I shall be on for about an hour at 1900z for the 2m activity contest  (UKAC) organised by the RSGB running 10W pep to the big-wheel omni antenna. ious

Normally, I can work out to about 200km.

UPDATE 2020z: I was puzzled why my Vd was low and also that the battery of the IC-705 was not charging. After I stopped, the reason why became very obvious. The wire from the PSU had been disconnected so I was using battery power at 5W all the time I was active! After I found the loose wire, the Vd was back to normal and the battery was on charge. Operating at 5W off the battery seemed to make little difference!

OFCOM August Communications Monthly

OFCOM has updated its "Communications Monthly" with the latest figures it has for August 2021. See the OFCOM website for details.

2m FT8 QRP

At about 1335z, I switched to 2m FT8 with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. After about 8 minutes, my QRP was spotted by 7 stations. On RX 2 stations spotted.

Stations spotting me
to 1412z today

UPDATE 1412z: Spotted by 10 stations with the furthermost EI2FG (565km). On RX, 7 stations spotted so far. Scatter?

English country garden - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the village of Dalham, near Newmarket, which is filled with "chocolate box" thatched cottages.  

We do a delightful walk here.

10m QRP WSPR TX (500mW)

Most of the morning I have been on 10m WSPR TX. So far, 4 unique stations have spotted me, all in Europe, I presume by Es.  

There seems to be far more 10m WSPR than I was expecting this season. I assumed WSPR would be very quiet, whereas on better days I am spotted by around 60 unique stations.

UPDATE 2030z:  8 unique stations have spotted me today. All were n Europe.

6m FT8 RX with the V2000 omni

33 stations spotted so far today. No great DX. Most look like Es.

UPDATE 1205z:  38 stations spotted.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 3rd 2021

Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 13.  A=17 and K=2.

Newmarket Flowers - NOT amateur radio

Newmarket is the world capital of horseracing. They also have some great flower displays. 

Those in the photo are near the Guineas shopping centre.  The hanging baskets are usually good too.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

Most of the morning, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW W5OLF TX WSPR beacon. So far, I have been spotted by 9 unique stations in Europe.

UPDATE 1415z: 17 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR so far today. See table.

UPDATE 1606z:  28 unique spots of me on 10m WSPR today.

6m FT8 RX

 Shortly, I intend to go on 6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna. On previous mornings, I have preceded with a few minutes on QRP TX (2.5W).

UPDATE 1102z:  My very brief TX period resulted in 5 spots. On RX, 141 stations spotted.

ICOM IC-9700 VHF/UHF transceiver

This is the "sister" of the IC-7300 with very similar ergonomics. It covers 2m, 70cm and 23cm. It is more expensive than the IC-7300.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/ic-9700 .

ICOM IC-7300

Over the last few years this SDR based transceiver from ICOM has led the field and become very popular. It is a 100W transceiver covering from 160m-4m (in Europe) with a built-in auto ATU.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/icom-ic-7300 .

Wicken windmill - NOT amateur radio

The nearby village of Wicken has 2 windmills although 1 is actually a windpump to pump water. The photo shows the one in the village. 

Sunspots - Monday August 2nd 2021

 Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Salcombe 116 years ago! - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows Salcombe where I was a child. It was taken 116 years ago. There were fewer trees and houses. 

This was way before even my dad was born! 

Where I was born - NOT amateur radio

When I was young we lived in a council house. After WW2 Flete House, a very grand place, was a nursing home. It stayed as a nursing home until about 1955 I think. 

These days it has been converted into retirement flats.

It is on a big country estate going down to the River Erme in S.Devon.

10m WSPR QRP (Sunday)

As usual, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my W5OLF WSPR beacon (500mW).  Already, after about 20 minutes, 4 Es spots! 

UPDATE 0832z:   Already 13 unique stations spotting me on 10m QRP WSPR!

UPDATE 0932z: 26 spots of me with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km).

Spots of me to 1113z

UPDATE 1443z: 55 unique spots of me today with the furthermost FY5KE (7110km) in South America, who has already spotted me 5 times today on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT soon. In all, 57 stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today with FY5KE (7110km) spotting me 38 times.

UPDATE 2107z:   QRT.

6m wide open

Since about 0805z, I have been on 6m FT8 RX after a few CQ calls with 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna (5 spots of my QRP). On RX so far, 24 stations spotted. I see some in southern Europe are working Japan on 6m FT8..

UPDATE 0935z:  145 stations spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX with the furthermost OD5ET (3463km).

UPDATE 1328z:  379 stations spotted today. Mainly Es spots in Europe and North Africa. See map.

UPDATE 1814z:  607 stations in 3 continents spotted on 6m FT8 RX today with the furthermost 9K2HN (4567km) in Kuwait. The most easterly was UN7LZ in Kazakhstan.

UPDATE 2055z:  619 stations were spotted. Nothing transatlantic. QRT shortly.

Roots - NOT amateur radio

It is a little odd (perhaps not) that we are drawn to the place where we lived as a child. I was brought up in the South Hams in Devon. Before 10 I lived in Salcombe and then Kingsbridge. Everywhere on the photo was "home". It still is! 

Yesterday

 Yesterday I was again on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m FT8 RX. On 10m WSPR TX I was yet again spotted in South America and yet again transatlantic signals were spotted on 6m FT8 RX. 

My feelings are that the Es season is drawing to a close, but, when good, Es on 6m can still be very good and 10m F2 will continue to get better as the months progress.

This autumn I expect the USA to be again romping in on 10m. I hope there is some AM just above 29MHz.

When the pandemic ends - NOT amateur radio

The world after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic may be very different. 

Many would like things to go back to as it was, but this is unlikely. 

People will be nervous of big crowds, but I suspect far greater structural changes will occur. Some things may only change slowly, but I suspect we will look back on these days as catalysts.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/non-amateur-radio/covid-19-aftermath .

Sunspots - Sunday August 1st 2021

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 0.  A=6 and K=2 . 

R(e)ally good news

Quite often I report that a rally has been cancelled or postponed, so it is good to report on rallies that are on for a change.

Yesterday I had an email suggesting the Kings Lynn Rally and Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale are taking place this Sunday August 1st.

I suggest you ensure this is correct before setting out.

50th wedding anniversary

A few days ago I showed us with our grandchildren. 

The photo shows us with our sons and their children in our back garden. The windmill is behind on the right.

FT7 HF transceiver

 I got mine second hand in 1979. It was a 10W SSB and CW rig covering all bands from 80-10m (no WARC bands then!), but with limited 10m coverage. With it, and wire dipoles, I worked DXCC QRP SSB on 10m. It ranks as one of the very best radios I have ever owned.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft7 .

6m FT8 RX

After a very brief period with 2.5W TX (3 G spots), I am again on 6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, nobody spotted on RX.

UPDATE 0901z:  3 RX spots so far with the furthermost DK8NE (702km).

UPDATE 1202z:  62 stations spotted so far, all in Europe and Africa, probably Es.

UPDATE 1412z:  74 stations spotted on RX today. As far as 6m is concerned, there is still Es about, but there seems to be less of it.

UPDATE 2107z:  124 stations spotted on 6m FT8 today with the furthermost KP4EIT (6834km) in Puerto Rico. I am convinced this is E layer, but not multi-hop Es. We have some other E layer propagation that we do not yet understand. Now QRT.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

Since about 0818z, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW W5OLF TX beacon. No spots of me yet today.

UPDATE 1155z:   4 unique stations have spotted me, with many multiple times.

UPDATE 1323z:  7 unique stations spotted. Yesterday, FY5KE (7110km) in South America spotted me an incredible 78 times! What I find amazing is just how strong signals can be. For example DL2JA (919km) was getting my 500mW at +2dB S/N. This suggests he could have copied my if I was running less than 1uW.

UPDATE 1801z: 12 unique stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1939z:  29 stations have spotted my 500mW with an incredible +15dB S/N from DK6UG.

UPDATE 2024z:  30 stations have spotted me with the furthermost FY5KE (7110km). QRT soon.

Pasties - NOT amateur radio

One of my memories was the taste of certain pasties in Plymouth. These were made by Ivor Dewdney. 

They do pasties by post - very tempting. However, this service is currently unavailable probably as a result of the pandemic.

Pasties were the food of miners in Cornwall. One half was savoury and the other half sweet. The format allowed miners to hold their whole meal in their hands.

Lovely!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/non-amateur-radio/pasties .

Concentration - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows one of our grandsons concentrating on something. 

I have no idea what it was. It looks like he was on granny's iPad. I think one of the reasons he likes coming here is so he gets fewer nags! 

"What happens at granny's house stays at granny's house".

Sunspots - Saturday July 31st 2021

 Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 0.  A=6 and K=1.

10m beacon list

These days, I prefer to look at FT8 and WSPR activity, but some still prefer to monitor beacons. 

This link was on John EI7GL's blog. It shows 10m beacons as well as other HF and MF beacons.

See http://dl8wx.de/BAKE_KW.HTM