 |
| Stations spotted on 70cm FT8 last night with the 2m omni |
 |
| Stations spotting my 5W to the 2m big-wheel on 70cm FT8 last night |
OFCOM has released its latest Spectrum Roadmap. See the OFCOM website for details. Yet again, the bias is towards microwaves and users that pay.
All I am asking for is a more open and tolerant attitude to radio amateurs who seek to "self train" and do research possibly on new chunks of the radio spectrum. I see little evidence.
The document starts:
"The radio spectrum (the invisible waves that enable wireless technology)...."
Hmm.
At the moment my plan is to go on 8m FT8 QRP at about 1230z hoping to be spotted in the USA. I do not plan to go on 10m FT8 RX although I might go on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon.
My signal did not span the Atlantic today, but I was spotted in a new country - Denmark. I have lost count how many countries my QRP signal has been spotted in.
In some countries, people operate beacons to study radio propagation without needing a licence in the ISM bands. In the UK, such operation is unclear, so I have asked OFCOM to clarify. As I only asked yesterday I am not expecting an answer soon.
My question was:
"May I legally operate a test beacon, to investigate radio propagation, without a licence in the ISM bands at low power? If legal, at what power?"
Whatever the answer, I shall post it here.
In the meantime, this link seems to give a fair summary of legal ISM operation.
My reading indicates that at 8m one can use 10mW ERP legally under the short range devices legislation without a licence, but I do not know about type approvals. Can none type approved gear be used without a licence in the ISM bands in the UK?
As I am on 8m FT8, my 10m antenna is free, so I have gone on 10m 500mW WSPR TX with my W5OLF beacon. Yes, I remembered!
 |
| Spots of me at 1346z |
As 10m was looking good, I have QSYed to 8m (40.680) FT8 TX and RX.
UPDATE 1430z: It looks like today is going to be disappointing for me on 8m. No spots of me or of others today. I am still on, but will probably go QRT later. I think conditions have to be really good for me to be copied in the USA on 8m.
 |
| 8m monitors active this afternoon |
I have been on 10m FT8 RX for about 20 minutes (it is now 1045z) and, so far, 129 stations have been spotted.
At this rate, I shall definitely be trying 8m QRP FT8 later.
UPDATE 1127z: 234 stations spotted today.
Dave has some excellent stuff. He is really into simple, low powered beacons and makes some magnificent assemblies using Me-Pads and Me-Squares.
It is very hard to make money selling amateur radio kits. Some try and then fail quietly to disappear for ever.
Some (especially from China) appear very low cost. Some of these are fine, but some are poor with unclear instructions and errors. If buying these, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). My advice is look at what others have said first. If you are not sure do not spend money!
One of the very best has been QRP-Labs, by Hans Summers. His kits have been around for many years and are of high quality. They sell fast. Hans is a bright man. Unlike many, he really understands.
If you are considering getting a kit, think about what you are buying. Will they be here next year? Will the quality be what you expect? What if there are issues? Do they understand English? Can you communicate with them?
This morning I intend to go on 10m FT8 RX. At lunch time I will QSY to 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 if things are promising.
As I was out most of the day at my Cosmology lecture at the University of the Third Age in Cambridge (given by an ex Cambridge mathematician), I decided not to go on the radio at all today. My overriding thought is, "this cannot be the whole story". We really understand so little.
Following Murphy's Law, there were several transatlantic 8m FT8 QSOs today! Hopefully, I shall be on tomorrow and conditions might support 8m FT8 QSOs. Compared with better equipped stations, I am probably at least 10dB down. To achieve a transatlantic FT8 QSO, I probably need conditions to be very good. At least I know my signal can reach the USA judging by results last week.
At first this seems a crazy idea. In some ways it is less so. Certainly it is worthy of some thought.
For a long time I have been puzzled by scale. The world of sub-atomic particles and the sheer vastness of the universe seem so remote from each other. I have often wondered if our concepts of space and time are wrong. Perhaps the universe (or some universes) are actually in what we perceive as the micro world? What if every cell and atom in our body is a whole universe? We are used to thinking of things on the scale that we know.
A quote from the article:
"Earth seems to be stuck at a stage called an “immature technosphere.” This is a scenario where technological activity has fully developed and taken root — yet it’s not yet harmoniously integrated with other systems, such as the physical environment. It is important to integrate these two spheres, for only when the biological and technological processes are in sync can we ensure productivity and human’s future on this planet."
Something is fascinating them!
It is a very long time since I was on this LF band.
On TX, I have used my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground and a loop in the garden made with 0.2mm diameter multi-strand wire. Thicker wire would have been better.
On TX I used a QRSS beacon or a transverter, both home designed. I have been copied overseas. My transverter is shown on my video channel and on my main website.
When on 8m FT8, I keep forgetting that I can go on 10m WSPR as this uses a different antenna and does not need the PC.
At about 1555z, I went on 10m QRP WSPR with my W5OLF 500mW WSPR beacon. I could have gone on hours earlier.
UPDATE 1609z: 4 WSPR spots from the USA and Canada.
Since I retired in 2008, technology may have moved on. What I recall was li-ion batteries were a nightmare.
Failures were, thankfully, rare but when they occurred they could be very bad. At a guess I would say 1 in 150000 failed. This does not sound too bad, but how many are out there in laptops and other devices? I know of at least one person who had her flat totally destroyed when she was charging a li-ion battery pack.
If abused, the batteries can catch fire and explode. For this reason I never ever leave li-ion batteries charging unattended. Assume they are potential bombs.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-63532906 .
I am sure many incidents in the past were brushed under the carpet as product recalls could be extremely expensive.
These batteries can be misused. Treat them with the greatest respect.
Yet again, I am trying to get spotted in the USA on 8m. A QSO would be amazing! So far, I have been on about an hour, but no spots. With my 5W and low dipole, it has to be good to be spotted.
UPDATE 1557z: No spots. QRT on 8m.
I have no idea about guarantees, extras and programming. MLS have given me good service in the past, but I wonder why the price is so different? Surely MLS could sell this for far less and still make a good profit?
As you know, I am all for dealers making fair margins.
You can even get three from Ali Express with shipping from China for less!
Since just after breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1110z: 265 stations spotted.
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.
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.
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.
It is now 1210z and I have been on 10m FT8 RX for the last hour or so. So far, 286 stations spotted.
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.
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.
At 137kHz I have only dabbled, but I was surprised and delighted at the performance of this little EFP RX antenna. It was mag-mounted on the...
