10m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 Since just after breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1110z:   265 stations spotted.

Bonfire night - NOT amateur radio

In the UK, we celebrate November 5th as Bonfire Night. This is a bizarre festival celebrating the failed attempt to blow up parliament in 1605. This photo was posted on 365project yesterday. It is an excuse to launch fireworks and let off bangers.

Plans for today (Sunday)

Around midday I shall try again to be spotted on QRP 8m FT8 in the USA.   Before then, I shall be on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Sunday November 6th 2022

 Solar flux is 131 and the SSN 82.  A=10 and K=1.

23cm

Apart from an evening on RX about 40 years ago, I have never been on this band. 

As reported yesterday, my 2W transverter has arrived from Bulgaria. I now have to work out what leads I need initially from the home QTH. 

Some take the band very seriously with large antenna arrays and high power. In my case, I shall have a very small station and shall be extremely pleased to work a few locals. In better weather next year, I shall try some /P operation from a local highspot.

It is a new challenge quite unlike anything I have done so far.

Birthday boy (nearly)

 

One of our grandsons has a birthday next week. Here he is opening his presents from us.

8m QRP FT8 TX and RX

 As yesterday was successful, I have gone on 8m FT8 QRP on 40.680 MHz (TX first). I am on RX and TX, hoping for more spots from the USA.

UPDATE 1351z: Nothing from the USA.  A spot of me by G0HVQ (181km) on 8m FT8.

10m FT8 RX

It is now 1210z and I have been on 10m FT8  RX for the last hour or so. So far, 286 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1420z:  About an hour ago, I QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 TX. This morning, 418 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX as the map shows.

Farm shop breakfast and walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we had breakfast at a local farmshop followed by a walk at Anglesey Abbey where the photo was taken. 

Plans for the day (Saturday)

As my 8m QRP FT8 reached Florida, USA yesterday, I shall be on 8m FT8 QRP TX again later. 

Before then, I expect to be on 10m FT8 RX to get a feel for conditions. I was quite surprised by 8m yesterday as I was not expecting great things.

Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows us with 2 of our grandchildren yesterday. 

2m FT8 last evening

 Last evening, I went on 2m FT8 QRP.  My signal was spotted by 8 stations (no QSOs) and I spotted 15 stations with the furthermost F6APE (553km). Almost as far was DB9VE (551km).  My antenna remains the big-wheel omni.

Sunspots - Saturday November 5th 2022

 Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 81. A=16 and K=2.

Listenbourg - NOT amateur radio

Apparently, this imaginary EU country first appeared last week as a joke. Since then it has a leader, Formula 1 Grand Prix and National Anthem!

Moral: do not believe all you see on the Internet.

See https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/what-is-listenbourg-new-eu-country-viral-b1037604.html .

23cm transverter has arrived

This came today from Bulgaria complete with a small test 2el antenna. Once I work out what leads I need, I shall try some tests with some locals.

There was, thankfully, no duty to pay.

As you can see in the photo, it is very small for 2W PEP.

Spotted in the USA on 8m ....at last

At last, my 8m QRP FT8 has been spotted in the USA by 2 stations with the furthermost N2OTO in Florida (7094km). I am still on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8. I think this was F2 propagation. It was a matter of time.

Kingsbridge Estuary again - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows another view of the Kingsbridge Estuary in Devon where I lived as a child. This is the view towards Kingsbridge from East Portlemouth. Judging by the fields, it looks like August. 

Oscar 100 activity

My usual peek at activity levels on Oscar 100 yesterday evening in Europe show activity still quiet. My recommendation is still not to bother. 

Getting worldwide QSOs seems easier and far less expensive with an Android phone with Droidstar and DMR.

Sunspots - Friday November 4th 2022

Solar flux is 125 and the SSN 65.  A=26 and K=4.

23cm transverter

According to my tracker, this arrived in the UK on October 24th. It has still to be delivered. It is now November 3rd.

8m QRP FT8 TX (Thursday)

S50B reports he has been spotted on 8m in the USA this morning. It sounds like the E-W MUF went to 8m, which is promising. 

I have gone on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 TX (first) and RX hoping to be spotted in the USA.

UPDATE 1930z:  No spots. QRT. 

Rallies this weekend

The following rallies have been notified to me. It is always a good idea to check with organisers if going any distance.

Sunday Nov. 6th - Bushvalley ARC Rally, Limavady (NI). BT49 0DF.   No contact details given.

Sunday Nov. 6th - Holsworthy Radio Rally, Devon. m0omc@m0omc.co.uk.

How do you start on 472 kHz (630m)?

This is a question I am often asked. Many people are under the illusion that huge antennas and extensive grounds are needed. This is definitely not true!! I am sure that if you want to work vast distances then these would help, but I have had great success on WSPR around Europe with just my simple QRP transverter and my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I have also had some international QSOs with these around Europe.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/630m-472khz-transverter .

Old voice recordings - NOT amateur radio

There are some very old voice recordings on the Internet. I have a link to some of these on my main website.

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

DMR - like repeaters?

Monitoring DMR on my Android phone with Droidstar, it sounds like a repeater.  At the moment a Welsh station is chatting with a station in Arizona in the USA. 

Like Oscar 100, it seems the fun is getting the gear going, then it is fine for chats, but people soon get bored with nothing much to say. It is OK to listen to in the background or for nets and skeds.   It does not give me much pleasure.

UPDATE 1212z:  Some transmissions are quite broken up either because stations are coming in via repeaters or packets are being lost over the internet. Some signals are very good indeed. It is amusing to hear stations all over the planet chatting like locals.

Teenage home - NOT amateur radio

This is Kingsbridge in Devon where I lived in my teenage years. The water is the Kingsbridge Estuary. 

10m FT8 RX (Thursday)

At the moment, I am on 10m FT8 RX. At 0910z, 99 unique stations spotted.

Stations spotted
by 0952z

UPDATE 1430z:  864 unique stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

Last night's 2m FT8 activity contest

For the first time, I submitted an entry for this 2m FT8 UKAC activity contest. It was surprising not to see a list of affiliated societies. If it was there, I missed it. 

This being the case, I am unlikely to submit an entry in future. The only reason I entered a score was to help CDARC. I could enjoy the activity without submitting an entry.

Sunspots - Thursday November 3rd 2022

 Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 49.  K=14 and K=4.

2m FT8 activity contest (Wednesday)

Starting at 1900z, tonight is the 2m FT8 activity contest (UKAC). Although I often go on with my 5W and omni antenna, I rarely actually submit an entry. I might do this evening.

Stations spotting my 5W
2m FT8 this evening

71 stations spotted on
2m FT8 RX this evening

UPDATE 2045z:  4 QSOs and spotted by loads of stations. 71 stations spotted here.

Cosmology - NOT amateur radio

As part of my University of the Third Age lectures , I am attending a course on Cosmology. It is very interesting, but also very hard.

Like last year, I try to take away some aspect of what I have learnt. My overwhelming thought is "this cannot be right".  Yes, the explanations sound plausible, but we know so very little. My overriding thought is "in 100 years people will say, "did you really believe THAT?"".

It is very enjoyable just being able to learn for fun with no worries about exams  etc..

Next term, I am doing something quite different: the history of the Bank of England.

It is also nice being in Cambridge.

UPDATE 1855z:   It has been estimated that there are 60000000000 planets in the Milky Way galaxy alone that could support life.  There are billions of galaxies in the universe that we know of. So, it looks like somewhere out there there should be life. Mind boggling.

Nice walk - NOT amateur radio

Quite regularly we go for a walk around nearby Anglesey Abbey which is a National Trust property. At all times of the year there is something to see. It has certainly turned autumnal in the last few weeks.

8m QRP FT8 TX (Wednesday)

Later this afternoon, I hope to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz. 10m so far looks pretty promising.

UPDATE 1842z: No 8m spots.

G3XBM history

My interest in radio goes back to 1961. Since then, it was my career and an absorbing hobby. 

After all this time I still find aspects of our hobby totally fascinating. 

Most recently, I have ordered a 2W 23cm transverter from Bulgaria that I hope to use to work some locals and maybe further in the UKAC sessions when portable.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/g3xbm-history .

2m UKAC yesterday evening

As usual, I went on the 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB with 10W pep and my horizontal omni antenna. 6 contacts were had in about 40 minutes before I stopped. 2 QSOs at 105km.

10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

Any HF user will agree that 10m is good again these days. I am hoping for the E-W F2 MUF to exceed 8m.

My plan for today is to go on 10m FT8 RX and switch to 8m QRP FT8 TX if things look promising later.

UPDATE 1400z:  On 10m FT8 RX 621 stations spotted today.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 2nd 2022

Solar flux is 128 and the SSN 63. A=8 and K=4.

Right wing politics - NOT amateur radio

It puzzles me that many right wing candidates get elected to high office in many countries. Now I know many on the left and right of politics are less than perfect and we are free to elect the candidates we choose in most countries. This is fair. If we don't like the candidate we vote them out.

However, we seem to have a swing to the right in politics in many countries.

Perhaps this is a protest vote and these candidates better represent certain minorities?

All I can say is this. Politicians with extreme values can be dangerous. History has taught us this many times in many nations. Be very careful what you wish for!

My own politics is centralist. I think it is better to be fair to everyone and extreme left or right rarely works.

Where I was born - NOT amateur radio

As a child, we lived in a council house and did not have much money. 

Just after WW2 this big country house was a nursing home, so it is good to be able to say I was born in a grand country house!

8m QRP FT8 TX (Tuesday)

We had thunderstorms earlier, so I disconnected everything. In a few moments, I expect to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz. 

UPDATE 1548z:  No spots after 60 minutes. Apparently the E-W F2 MUF reached 43 MHz this morning.

UPDATE 1726z: No spots today.