10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

Stations that have spotted
me today on 10m QRP WSPR

At the moment, I am on 10m WSPR with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. So far, 10 stations have spotted me. It looks like my intermittent coax plug was why I was getting no spots some days ago.

UPDATE 1921z:  13 stations have spotted me. Now QRT.

CQWW SSB contest

This weekend is the SSB leg of the biggest contest in the world. I may give it a try later. 

The CW leg is at the end of November. These are 48 hour contests and a good chance to work new stations and countries.

One good thing was this showed my 10m coax plug as intermittent. I have now fixed this and gone on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF TX WSPR beacon. 

The photo shows activity on 10m SSB - busy!! With my poor voice, I find this much harder these days.

See https://www.cqww.com/ .

Astronomy-Now magazine - NOT amateur radio

As a young child, I had quite an interest in astronomy. In my old age (!!) I am attending a course on cosmology at the University of the Third Age in Cambridge.  

Some have even suggested that the planet Earth is a living organism.

There is a magazine for those interested in astronomy. I think this is aimed at those with an interest rather than those professionally involved.

See https://astronomynow.com/ .

23cm transverter

My transverter is in the UK according to the tracker, but I have not got it yet. When it arrives, I need to check what leads I need for local tests. For UKAC next year, I shall need a better antenna.

Me in 1967- NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken in 1967 and was the photo in my Student Union card. In those days I had hair and was a real country bumpkin in a big city.  This appeared as a Facebook memory yesterday.

10m FT8 RX (Sunday)

Stations spotted
by 1030z

At the moment, I am on 10m FT8 RX. Already, I have spotted 133 stations. If things are promising later, I shall QSY to 8m QRP FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1157z:  367 stations spotted so far today.

Religions - NOT amateur radio

As a teenager I had quite a strong Christian faith. As I get older, my faith has waned. 

If I was born in Iran I would probably have been an ardent Muslim and if I was born in Israel, I would probably have been a Jew. 

No, I am puzzled why we so strongly believe "our" religion is the right one and our holy book the only true one. 

11m amateur band

Until today, I had no knowledge that the 11m band was allocated to the amateur service in the USA prior to this being allocated to CB. I guess the nearest amateur bands today are 12m and 10m. 

This appeared on the Amateur Radio Weekly email, with the original article being on Bas's blog at https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/ .  

I was aware of the 5m band, but wonder what other allocations were made in the past? Possibly there were other odd allocations made locally such as the 73 kHz band in the UK at one time. In the UK a very few NoV permits were allocated near 9 kHz. I had one of them.

Some other countries had an 11m amateur band.

Sunspots - Sunday October 30th 2022

Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 97.  A=26 and K=3.

8m QRP FT8

As 10m F2 looked promising, I went on 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz. Sadly no 8m spots. I keep hoping the E-W F2 MUF will creep to 8m.

With the grandsons - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows my wife with our 2 grandsons earlier today. 

Both are young teenagers growing fast.

Network radio

My network radio has been put to good use as a DMR radio. My grandson is amazed that with something so small I can talk to stations across the planet. It is an Android radio, the Inrico T320.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/network-radio.

Pumpkin time - NOT amateur radio

Our grandsons working on a Halloween pumpkin yesterday.  

EI7GL blog

John's blog is back and I see he has already posted something today. His blog is always interesting.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/ .

10m FT8 RX

Shortly, I shall again be on 10m FT8 RX. If this is good I shall QSY to 8m FT8 QRP TX.

UPDATE 1229z:  279 stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX. So far today, things look average.

Mushroom

We saw this mushroom yesterday on our walk at Brandon Country Park. It is called a fly agaric mushroom.

If eaten it can cause hallucinations.

See https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/fungi-and-lichens/fly-agaric/ .

Sunspots - Saturday October 29th 2022

 Solar flux is 129 and the SSN 87. A= 16 and K=4.

OFCOM news

Every week, OFCOM updates the data it holds on us e.g. licences.  See the OFCOM website for details.

Plans for today (Friday)

My plan for today was go on TG91 DMR and maybe 8m QRP FT8 TX later. We were out with family this morning. 

UPDATE 1812z:   In the end I did not go on 8m FT8 at all.

End of Southgate News?

My friend Steve G1KQH has passed me this sad news :

SILENT KEY: SOUTHGATE AMATEUR NEWS' RICHARD BRUNTON G4TUT/SK

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you follow amateur radio current events you are probably  aware of the Southgate Amateur Radio News website. We here at Newsline are sad to report that the colleague of ours in England, who ran that important website, has become a Silent Key. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has that report.

"JEREMY: We are sad to announce the passing of Richard Brunton, G4TUT.  Richard died at age 77 as the result of a fall on the 21st of October.  The callsign may not seem familiar to you, but for decades Richard was editor of the Southgate Amateur Radio News website which has a significant international following. Each and every day, Richard would search the world’s ham radio and technology resources seeking out stories of interest and publishing them. Beyond the straight news items and specialist sections of his site, Richard encouraged non-commercial podcasts and blogs to promote ham radio opinion and stimulate debate on the essential subjects of the day. He also compiled the ‘CQ Serenade’ weekly programme which was broadcast throughout Europe on  Shortwaveradio.de and other public-facing media. Richard himself was an  intensely private man who had no close family, but he reached thousands  of friends daily through his website. Amateur radio has lost a statesman and a stalwart whose dedication to amateur radio was valued and enjoyed by so many"

Museum yesterday - NOT amateur radio

This was our younger grandson at our local museum next door yesterday 

Sunspots - Friday October 28th 2022

Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 72.  A=9 and K=3.

10 years ago - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the weather 10 years ago. 

It could even reach 22 degrees C in some parts of the UK this week. 

Since we have lived in this part of the UK, it has got a lot milder. Snow is now rare. Last year we had just one snowy day.

Enjoying Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

This morning, my wife, son and grandson went to Cambridge. 

This is my 14 year old grandson enjoying the visit.  

My wife was on her "University of the Third Age" course and my son and grandson went shopping and taking photos.

Rallies this weekend

The following have been notified to me. As always, it is sensible to check before travelling any distance. 

Sunday October 30th - Galashields Radio Rally TD1 3JX. I do not have contact details.

Sunday October 30th- Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar Sale. Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Contact coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk .

10m FT8 RX (Thursday)

In a few moments I will go on 10m FT8 RX. If things look promising I will switch to 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz. The E-W MUF is creeping up towards 8m! 

UPDATE 1025z:  So far today, 131 stations have been spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1112z: Either there is a problem my end or with PSKreporter as it still shows 131 spots. Other websites seem fine. I must check the shack PC.

UPDATE 1145z:   There was a message on my PC that I have said "OK" to about installing updates outside active hours. . Still says 131 stations spotted. I suspect an issue their end, but I will reboot the PC and install the updates in case this is the problem.

UPDATE 1920z:  QRT.  Updates done. 

New use for T320 network radio

Having owned a network radio for some years, I have found a new use for it.

It looks like a 2m or 70cm handheld with an antenna and PTT, but it is actually an Android cellular phone. With an app called Droidstar it is possible to access DMR and worldwide handheld communication. I cannot see it being widely used for this, but it means I can get on DMR without a special rig or hot-spot. 

Sunspots - Thursday October 27th 2022

Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 78. A=5 and K=2.

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My 8m FT8 QRP station was turned on at about 1500z on 40.680 MHz. No spots.

UPDATE 1936z:   No spots.

DMR sked this evening

As readers will be aware, last night I got the time of the CDARC DMR net wrong. Although I know the rig works having had a couple of QSOs on TG91, I have not checked if my settings for the CDARC net are correct, so I am hoping to have a sked at 2000z tonight with a club member to prove all should be OK for next week, at the right time!

UPDATE 2222z:  The DMR test tonight was successful. so I should be able to join the CDARC DMR net next Tuesday at 1700z.

10m FT8 RX ( Wednesday)

Stations spotted on
10m FT8 at 0924z

I am on 10m FT8 RX as usual. If things are promising late this afternoon, I shall QSY to 8m QRP FT8 TX hoping to see if there are any USA stations spotted on 8m FT8, or if anyone spots me.

UPDATE 0929z: 52 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1936z:  533 stations spotted today. Compared with recent days, not too great.

Time - NOT amateur radio

We experience time as a linear thing flowing from the past into the future. 

All our memories are assumed to be the accumulation over our lifetimes. But what if each day we are awake to these memories, but the past never happened?  What I am pondering is this: is our experience of time and living correct?  Could it be that consciousness is not as we thought? Is each moment actually an illusion?

No, I have not been sniffing glue or am not high on something!

If you look back over the last century or two, lots that we just accepted has proved to be doubtful. Many things we believe correct may prove not to be. Think of creation, evolution, the nature of the universe, genetics, quantum theory, relativity etc. We can only know so little. 

I have no idea what is correct, even if there a "correct" answer. All I know is there is so much to know and we are just humans.

We look though a glass dimly...

Sunspots - Wednesday October 26th 2022

Solar flux is 116 and the SSN 72. A=4 and K=1. 

Cambridge club DMR net

 Guess who got the time wrong? I went on at 1900z, but later found out it was at 1600z, so I missed it. I know it basically works as I have already had 2 QSOs, but was disappointed that I got the wrong time! 

10m FT8 RX (Tuesday)

In a few moments, I intend to go on 10m FT8 RX. If this looks good I'll QSY to 8m QRP FT8 TX later.

UPDATE 2210z:  Earlier, I was surprised how few spots I was seeing on 10m. The PC had stopped working as some software had updated. When reset, plenty were copied. 

Central Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

The parts of Cambridge that are most often in photos are the colleges and backs. Rarely do you see the town. This photo taken yesterday shows the "normal" town where the shops are. 

Sunspots - Tuesday October 25th 2022

Solar flux is 115 and the SSN 46. A=8 and K=1. 

Cambridge in autumn - NOT amateur radio

Monday is my day in Cambridge for my University of the Third Age course on Cosmology. I took this photo on the way.

10m FT8 RX (Monday)

All day, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, quite a good day, but fewer stations spotted than yesterday, so I decided against QSYing to 8m QRP FT8.

DMR joys

It is surprising how well DMR works. I am monitoring TG91 on my network Android handheld T320 using Droidstar. As yet, I am a novice and there are many things still to learn.  Although a vocoder is used to make the signal digital, it does not really make things sound wrong. I can easily detect accents and everything sounds natural.

However, it is fun to have it monitoring on RX in the background. It is amusing to hear USA stations talking to Australia and a station in Ukraine talking with Australians.

The impression is there is more fun getting things working than actually using the mode. Contacts are just too easy!