Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 95. A=27 and K=3.
6 Mar 2022
5 Mar 2022
2m FT8
After a brief period on TX with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna (2 spots of me, but no QSOs), I am RX only. No spots yet on RX. This isn't too surprising with a contest on SSB/CW.
FT8 is far more productive than calling the SSB contest stations who are probably running much higher power than me. With my poor voice I find calling other stations quite a struggle these days. I enjoy VHF contests, but they are hard work for me.
UPDATE 2137z: 2 stations spotted on RX: G4NVB (96km) and ON4JES (228km).
2m/70cm contest this weekend
If you want to work a few more squares, this weekend is a good time. The RSGB 2m/70cm contest runs from 1400z Saturday to 1400z Sunday.
See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bi
Learning CW
Some enjoy CW. Jason M0NYW has been learning it recently and has used some of the 10m CW beacons to improve his skills. CW can work with marginal signals far weaker than SSB ones. You might like to try too. As these beacons repeat, they can be good for practice. No PCs needed! Just ears!
These are the stations Jason spotted:
28201.5 SV2HNE/B KN10LL 5W ANT GP 73
28243 F5ZWE "just repeats callsign"
28244.6 SV2FQNB KN10FC 5W ANT GP
28265.3 SV2RSS KN10LO GP/3W 73
28268 VK8VF "repeats callsign and something else but hard to copy due QSB"
28269 SV6DBG "V V V DE SV6DBG BEACON KN09KQ"
28271.6 SV2HQD/B
Often CW rigs are far simpler to make than SSB ones.
Birthday boy - NOT amateur radio
Here he is with his children at our house earlier today.
Old G3XBM logbooks
Some may be interested to see if they appeared in some of my early logbooks. I notice these are in my Google Drive, which you may not be able to see. I shall try and share them, but if you have problems, please email me.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/g3xbm-logbooks
10m FT8
It is now 1002z. I turned the 10m FT8 gear on at 0930z. So far, 92 stations have been spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost VK6APK (14532km).
UPDATE 1045z: 182 stations spotted with several in Western Australia.
UPDATE 1142z: South Americans now coming through. 282 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1522z: 480 stations spotted on RX. |
| 10m FT8 RX today |
UPDATE 1921z: 753 stations spotted. QRT soon probably.
4 Mar 2022
2m FT8 QRP (Friday)
At the moment I am on 2m FT8. After a brief TX period (2.5W and the big-wheel) with 1 120km QSO, I am now RX only. On RX 8 stations have been spotted and 6 stations spotted me on QRP TX.
UPDATE 2040z: 16 stations in 6 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 2315z: Now QRT. 24 stations spotted this evening.
VHF Contest this weekend
This weekend is the RSGB's 2m/70cm contest. If I remember, I intend to pop on occasionally with my 10W and omni, but I doubt I shall put an entry in. It runs for up to 24 hours from 1400z Saturday, although there is a 6 hour section in which you choose which 6 hours you want. The 6 hours can be split up.
See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2022&contest=mar144432 .
A popular 2m70cm/23cm transceiver is the ICOM IC-9700.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/ic-9700 .
10m FT8 RX
At about 0920z, I turned on my 10m FT8 system. 12 spots so far with the furthermost VK6OZ (14461km).
UPDATE 1000z: 66 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost VK2AAH (16916km).
UPDATE 1920z: QRT. There were still South Americans coming through.
3 Mar 2022
10m FT8 RX
Since getting back from a walk around the city of Ely, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far today 109 stations have been spotted.
UPDATE 1700z: 329 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1950z: 445 stations spotted. QRT soon.
Ely - NOT amateur radio
Ely is about 20 minutes from home by car. It has a wonderful cathedral, some very old buildings and a great waterfront. This photo was taken from the waterfront.
Rallies
As far as I know, the following rallies are on, but always check with organisers first.
Sat March 5th - Lagen Valley ARS Rally. See www.lvars.uk .
Sun March 6th (or is it Sat 5th?) - Exeter Radio and Electronics Rally. Contact Peter g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk .
Sun March 6th - Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar SaleSecret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich www.hackgreen.co.uk .
ZS6WAB 8m beacon copied in Europe and QSL received
The South African 8m beacon has been widely copied across Europe and Borat in Central Europe has a QSL card as shown.
G3XIZ sub 10kHz
This photo was taken some years ago and shows the signal from G3XIZ on VLF at 45km. Notice the timescales - hours!!
Australian beach? - NOT amateur radio
This photo was on 365project recently. I think it is Australia.
Hot Iron archive
Some may like the archive of W4NPN to "Hot Iron", which many builders will find very useful. Hot Iron is an online magazine for constructors.
Online calculators
Every now and again, you need to work out something "radio" and a calculator can come in very handy. This site has some very useful calculators.
2 Mar 2022
2m FT8 activity contest
Starting at 1900z is the RSGB organised 2m FT8 activity contest. At the moment I am RX only, although I might try TX with 2.5W FT8 with the big-wheel omni later. So far, 35 stations in 6 countries spotted after 7 minutes!
UPDATE 2110z: 96 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX this evening and 3 QSOs. My signal was spotted by F1FPL (345km). Now QRT. Quite pleased with just 2.5W and the omni antenna.
Summer Saturday - NOT amateur radio
This was Salcombe, where I come from in South Devon, on a summer day many years ago.
10m FT8 RX
A few moments ago (0955z), I turned on my 10m FT8 RX. As I had just turned the electricity off whilst I changed a bulb in the bathroom, there was no internet, so no spots were appearing on PSKreporter. Locally, I was spotting several stations.
UPDATE 1024z: 37 stations spotted and on PSKreporter. Most are single hop F2.
UPDATE 1411z: 172 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1744z: 476 stations spotted. QRT soon.Stations spotted today
E-Field probe RX antenna
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/e-field-probe-efp .
See also https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/137khz-efp-rx-antenna .
160m FT8 RX overnight
Overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX. In all, 303 stations were spotted as the map shows. This was with the untuned 10m antenna.
Dalham near Newmarket - NOT amateur radio
This is a village not far from us. As you can see, there are lots of thatched cottages. It is very beautiful.
1 Mar 2022
160m FT8 RX
At about 2000z, I started on 160m FT8 RX using the untuned 10m antenna. At 2050z, 54 stations spotted. All were European
2m RSGB activity contest (UKAC)
This contest was on this evening. Usually I work about 8-10 stations, but tonight I worked just one before giving up.
Some good distances were spotted, but there seemed fewer people on. Whatever I tried, I seemed unable to break through with my poor voice. I only tried for about 30 minutes with the big-wheel omni and 10W.
8m permit
I gather this is "in a queue" as the person is very busy.
In the meantime, I shall get my dedicated 40MHz antenna up and check things. Until I get the permit in my hands, I have no intention of finalising frequencies or making any announcements/skeds. My hope is to send FT8 on a frequency coordinated with others in the UK and Europe to make monitoring easier.
Certainly, up to now, the man I have dealt with at OFCOM has been fast and helpful.
2m AM, FM and SSB
These days there are few stations on 2m AM. Compared with a few years ago the general level of activity (FM and SSB) is lower with fewer people coming on just for a chat. These days, most go on the internet for a chat. FT8 activity is higher, but outside contests and lifts, the 2m band is pretty quiet. This is also true of 70cm, at least here.
Many years ago I designed and built the Fredbox. I do not suggest you try to duplicate it, but you may get some ideas from it.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/fredbox .
St John's Gate 1516 - NOT amateur radio
Ipswich train station - NOT amateur radio
Almost a week ago, we went to Ipswich on the train, arriving at this station. I don't think it has been on before, but my apologies if it has.
Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk. We had been told it was a dump. It actually has some fine old buildings and churches and a big park.
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