Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 71. A=8 and K=4.
3 Sept 2022
Sunspot cycle 25 peak
The latest predictions still show the peak of the current cycle exceeding that of the last one. The last had 2 peaks separated by about 2 years, with the second peak greater than the first.
2 Sept 2022
East Anglian Churches blog - NOT amateur radio
When we visit a local church (usually with our grandson ringing bells these days!) we try to update our churches blog. This week we visited Dullingham, which is about 8 miles from us.
6m QRP FT8 (Friday)
In the end I decided to give 6m QRP FT8 ago this morning.
The gear was turned on about 0943z.
So far 3 G spots of me with the V2000 vertical and FT817ND with the furthermost M1ABK (70km). Nothing spotted on 6m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1216z: Spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost HA2NP (1482km). 39 stations have been spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Plenty of Es I assume. 1 QSO with a station in Croatia. These maps are now old!UPDATE 1253z: 54 stations spotted on RX and 9 stations have spotted my QRP. 2 QSOs.
UPDATE 1608z: 20 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP and I have spotted 70 stations on the band. The maps below are from earlier in the afternoon.
UPDATE 1645z: The Es opening seems to be over.
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| 6m FT8 RX |
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| 6m FT8 QRP TX |
10m FT8 QRP
When I turn things on, I may give 10m FT8 QRP a go. Only if this is promising might I give 8m FT8 QRP a go.
It is some time since I last tried 6m FT8. Maybe that is worth a go?
4m TX fault
Yesterday, I tried my 4m QRP transverter on TX with the FT817ND. It said "HI SWR" on the FT817ND. Not sure what was going on, but it is probably something simple, like a dry joint.
I was very pleased with the results yesterday on 4m FT8 RX with just the 40 MHz antenna.
If the fault really is trivial, I am undecided about the erection of a 4m halo. Such an antenna would give me access to 4m.
Shack in 2013
Caterpillar - NOT amateur radio
I am not sure what it turns into.
It was about 5cm long.
Grimeton laser
This may be of some interest. I wonder how far away it can be seen?
https://www.instagram.com/p/
English translation below
Worldheritagegrimeton Light in the autumn darkness... What is it? Catch our green laser - and #tag your photos! Maybe you've never seen it? Maybe you have seen something and wondered? From the antenna tower of the world heritage site, the #artwork #Transmission glimpses from time to time. Green laser that sends secret (or loving) messages at Morse code intervals. The light that can be seen from several miles away conveys messages based on @UNESCO's work for peace and the equal value of people. Peace. Friendship. Freedom. Equality. Life. Love .... It was set up in 2020 by the light artist Aleksandra Stratimirovic and is a permanent work owned by the municipality of Varberg. If you capture it on picture with your camera, don't forget to post your experience on social media, tagged with #transmissiongrimeton and @worldheritagegrimeton and we'll see your message! Who collects the most "transmission" spits during the fall. In a few days we will send the first one, and then three every month. If you still miss them all, you always have the chance at midnight on New Year's Eve! Photographer: Natalie Greppi # konstpålandbygd #konst #artwork #laser #greenlaser #Grimeton #artspotting #communication #morsecode # höstmörker # ljusimörkret # worldheritage #workdheritagegrimeton #UNESCO
1 Sept 2022
4m FT8 frequency
Some days ago I asked the RSGB's VHF manager what frequency I should use on 4m for FT8 .
Several days later (after I had already found out) I was given the wrong frequency. It was obvious he didn't know!!
You would have expected the VHF manager of our national radio society to have known.
Basically, I was not very impressed.
Rally
The following rally should be on this weekend. As always, it is best to confirm details before travelling a long way.
Sunday September 4th - Andover Radio Club Spring (!!) Boot Sale. Contact arac@arac.org.uk .
G-QRP Convention
This is being held this weekend at Telford. This is along with the Telford Hamfest. For those unable to attend, the talks are being streamed by Zoom. See www.gqrp.com/convention.htm . Contact Martyn on 01952 255416.
8m experiment (Thursday)
UPDATE 1105z: Nobody has spotted me yet today on 8m FT8.
UPDATE 1300z: Spotted in Portugal and Spain on 8m FT8 QRP. Es not quite done yet!!
Being alive - NOT amateur radio
On our 2m FM net last night, an ex-doctor gave some sound advice. Rather than worry about the future, enjoy being alive today.
OFCOM updates
Not that it bothers me, but OFCOM has not sent me any emails about recent updates. Perhaps the person responsible has been on leave.
Dullingham Church - NOT amateur radio
Today we took him to Dullingham, UK. The bells here are not ringable in the conventional way. Instead they pull ropes at the back of the church in a way that one person can ring all the bells.
Solar data update
Usually in the first few days of the month, my favourite site for solar data does an update. Watch out for this. Last month, the maximum for solar cycle 25 was expected November 2023.
4m
At one point I was going to take down my 8m wire dipole over the winter and put up a 4m dipole in its place. I gather 4m activity is quite low outside of the Es season, so I may not bother. I suppose I could give the UKAC activity sessions a go.
Yesterday, I spotted 2 stations on an unresonant 8m wire dipole antenna, so I know the RX in the transverter works. It seems pointless erecting an antenna just for the 4m UKAC sessions.
UPDATE 0752z: It occurs to me that I can test my 4m transverter TX by adding a 10dB attenuator in line with my 8m antenna. I have yet to calculate how much the SWR will be improved, but it will be a lot. Even with 10dB attenuation I am sure I can be picked up 3km away! Once this is done (assuming the TX is working!) I can decide what to do about a 4m antenna. Maybe I should erect a 4m halo below the V2000? For this, I would need help as it involves ladder work. Luckily it is above the flat garage roof, so very little ladder work would be needed. I must look for a source of 4m halos. At one time Moonraker sold them.
UPDATE 0808z: Several sources of 4m halos. The going price seems to be a bit under £45.
UPDATE 1658z: 5 stations spotted today on 4m FT8 with the low wire dipole cut for 8m (totally unsuitable) with the furthermost being GM4CXM (507km). Amazing.
31 Aug 2022
Blog numbers? - NOT amateur radio
Since I went on my blog early this morning, the number of readers has remained very low and unchanged. It looks like there is an error or the blog is suddenly very unpopular!
UPDATE 2155z: Definitely wrong. Numbers have hardly changed all day.
Where did summer go? - NOT amateur radio
It seems hard to believe, but today is the last day in August. According to the UK Met Office (weather) autumn starts tomorrow! We have had a dry, hot summer. When the autumn chills come, they will be a shock.
10m WSPR QRP TX
As it is my intention to concentrate on 4m FT8 RX later, I intend to go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. This does not need the PC.
As long as the 10m antenna is available, I can use this beacon, leaving the PC free.
UPDATE 1012z: Although my beacon has been on for almost 2 hours, no spots.
UPDATE 1401z: Just a single spot by OE3XOE (1233km) all day.
4m FT8 and activity
Andrew G6ALB is remaking his 4m personal beacon at the weekend so that I can retest the RX in my transverter. The transverter has not been used for years.
I was hoping for suggestions about where to put my RX for the best chances on FT8 RX. Some say 70.100 whereas others suggest 70.154 MHz USB dial. At the moment I have no 4m antenna so cannot TX.
As the chances of Es are much diminished I guess most propagation will be inter-G. I have no idea what activity levels on 4m are like. If like other VHF bands, I guess my best chance will be the next UKAC activity session in 3 weeks' time.
So, where is the best place to watch for 4m FT8 activity in the UK please?
UPDATE 1018z: I have divided my time between the 2 frequencies I know about, but nothing yet spotted on 4m FT8 RX. I am still waiting for FT8 frequency information. Help!!
UPDATE 1107z: I have been told most 4m FT8 in the whole of Europe including the UK is on 70.154 MHz USB dial, so that is where I shall monitor. Still no spots.
Latania (?) - NOT amateur radio
When it comes to plants I am definitely not an expert! We saw this on our walk a few days ago in somebody's garden. Not sure if it is a palm or fern. It is quite big.
Has the decline already started?
Some time ago, I expressed my concerns about the future of our hobby as the average age of radio amateurs increased.
My concern was that as we age, it is likely that fewer new radios will be bought. In 20 years' time several of us will be in care homes! If we still have amateur radio access, it will probably be with internet radios.
Already, I think one European amateur radio dealer has gone. My prediction is others will follow across the planet.
The danger is magazines will see less advertising revenue, so some will shrink or go out of business.
Some manufacturers will view our hobby as a "lost cause" and may decide to leave the market. There will be a scramble to cut costs. I really cannot see all our traditional Japanese manufacturers continuing in our market without radical changes to their business models. Those that will still be around are those that see the future and adapt accordingly.
Now, some places are bucking the trend and the number of new radio amateurs is increasing. In my view, this is the exception. What we have to recognise is that what attracted us is very unlikely to attract many newcomers today.
Be in little doubt, our hobby is about to encounter very hard times in my view.
30 Aug 2022
2m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
Almost immediately this resulted in a QSO with G3TKF (221km) as well as 9 spots of me including one by G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall (see map).
3 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX this morning.
UPDATE 1133z: 7 stations spotted on RX and 11 stations have spotted me on 2m QRP FT8.
UPDATE 1332z: 9 stations have been spotted on RX here today with the furthermost DO7JVK (419km) in Germany. On QRP TX, I have been spotted by 13 unique stations today. Imagine if I had a beam!
Humming bird hawk moth - NOT amateur radio
See https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/humming-bird-hawk-moth .
St Barts - NOT amateur radio
Our grandson is mad on bellringing. He has rung bells now in well over 40 different churches. St Barts survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. He rang here recently.
8m experiment (Tuesday)
Unless things improve dramatically on 10m, it is very unlikely I shall be on 8m FT8 QRP today. There is little point if my chances are so slim.
365project - NOT amateur radio
The idea is to add a photo every day. It is interesting to see our grandchildren grow a day at a time over all this time.
Yesterday my wife met up with an old school friend she has known for 61 years. She introduced her to 365 some years ago and loves it.
Corfu? - NOT amateur radio
This photo was taken some years ago. I think it was in Greece, possibly Corfu, although I am not sure where. I do not recognise the islands.
10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
Today I expect to be on 10m FT8 QRP right from the start. It cannot be worse than yesterday!
UPDATE 0820z: Gear turned on at 0545z. 2 stations have spotted me (a local G and an MM). Nothing spotted on RX.
UPDATE 0954z: 3 European stations spotted on RX. Not exactly great!
Remote islands - NOT amateur radio
4m transverter
Some years ago I needed a way of getting on 4m. This transverter was the result. I have no idea where it is now! Possibly it is in a shack drawer or in the loft. I really ought to try and find it and give it another go, perhaps with a wire dipole. Several have been made since it appeared in GQRP SPRAT. It is also in my G3XBM Project Scrapbook and on my website.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/4m-transverter
According to the webpage I listened for a local station's personal QRP 4m beacon. I cannot recall using the transverter. Maybe it was with something else.
UPDATE 1345z: I have found the transverter! It was in the shack at the back of a drawer. Assuming it still works, I must try it out. First I have to erect an antenna for 4m.
UPDATE 1409z: In preparation for trying the band again, I started looking for information. At one time, the place to go was the 4m website, but I get the impression this is no longer well maintained. Instead I turned to the RSGB's 4m page.
UPDATE 1428z: I have connected the transverter to the FT817ND and the 10m antenna. At the moment I am on 70.100 MHz USB dial FT8 RX. I hope the crystal is still on frequency. I must check this. Noise goes up when the antenna is connected - a hopeful sign. Nothing copied.
UPDATE 1504z: I am puzzled what is the best frequency to try for 4m FT8 RX. Some say 70.100 MHz whereas some say 70.154 MHz. Which has the best chance of spotting anyone please? The 42 MHz crystal is oscillating and on 42.000 MHz . Currently I am monitoring 70.154 MHz USB dial.
29 Aug 2022
10m FT8 QRP
At about 1350z, I QSYed to 10m FT8 from 10m WSPR. It seems very quiet with no spots on 10m FT8 RX or TX.
UPDATE 1447z: Just a single spot by local G0LRD (26km) of me on QRP TX with PA2WDR (280km) on RX. I am quite surprised.got
UPDATE 1607z: ZD7BG (7606km) spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1732z: Unless things dramatically improve, today has been terrible on 10m here.
UPDATE 1936z: It got no better. Apart from the ZD7, just 2 Gs spotted. Basically dreadful! Now QRT.
Free Scrapbook PDF reminder
You can just look at it online or, if you want to, download it and print off. You could always just print off what you want. I want no money for this. I just want people to realise our hobby does not have to be expensive at all, and experimentation is fun.
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