Last evening the furthermost was SM6BGP (994km). On my screen it said 1003km, but I am not arguing. I am on 630m RX again this evening. Still using the coax to my 2m big-wheel and a mains plug earth. Tuning is again via the ferrite rod on the shack desk.
The following rallies have been notified to me. As always, check before travelling far.
Saturday November 19th - Wiltshire Radio Rally, Chippenham, SN15 5NJ. rally@chippenhamradio.club .
Saturday November 19th - Rochdale and District Amateur Radio, OL12 7QR. rozallin@gmail.com .
Sunday November 20th - CATS 43rd Radio and Electronics,CR5 1ES. bazaar@catsradio.org.uk .
I am on 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz. So far today, no stations spotted but I have been spotted by SR4DON (1352km).
UPDATE 1656z: No further spots on 8m FT8 today. My 8m WSPR local tests start on Monday Nov 21st.
UPDATE 1720z: I have just written an article about 8m for Practical Wireless. If they publish it, it should appear early next year. My aim is to try to get a tiny 8m amateur band by NoV and dispel the utterly stupid myth that such a band would be "more of the same".
At the moment, I am trying to drum up local support (near JO02DG) for some very low power WSPR tests in the 8m ISM band.
Following a recent email from OFCOM, it is my view that anybody in the UK may use the 8m ISM band without a licence for beacons as long as they meet IR 2030. This allows 10mW ERP. At first sight, this seems very low, but with WSPR this could well be spotted across Europe from the UK.
These local tests could indicate what might be possible.
Of course, I would much prefer a tiny, digital only, amateur allocation at 8m.
UPDATE 1228z: Interestingly, the majority of my 10m WSPR spots today would have been possible at 10mW ERP assuming the local noise floor permitted.
UPDATE 1630z: Several locals have offered help with my upcoming 8m WSPR tests. The tests should take place very soon, probably next week.
UPDATE 1636z: Of course access to the ISM bands does not have to be just 8m: here in the UK as long as long as IR 2030 is met many ISM bands could be used for beacons legally without a licence is my interpretation. ISM rules vary with countries and I am not a legal expert, so you will have to check yourself.
At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. So far, spots from the Canary Is, although I have not been on very long.
UPDATE 1543z: 10 unique stations have spotted my QRP 10m WSPR.
This Qatar satellite has been in geosynchronous orbit for several years now. It has never really caught on. When I monitored last night (European evening) at 1955z there were just a few stations active on the narrowband transponder. It feels people (a very few) enjoy the challenge of getting active on the satellite, then lose interest.
Last evening, I went on DMR briefly. As I have no DMR gear, I used my Android network radio with an app called Droidstar. With this, access to the worldwide DMR network is possible.
DMR is OK to have on in the background, but does not exactly "turn me on". It is OK for skeds, nets, and worldwide chats with a handheld, but is not really my "thing".
My network radio is an Inrico T320. It is ideal as a DMR handheld.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/network-radio.
For the first time this season I am on 630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX.
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| M0NYW VLF converter |
See https://alexander.n.se/en/saq-scheduled-to-air-on-november-16th-2022/ .
See http://wspr.rocks/ .
Been on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 for about 2 hours TXing in the first period, but no spots.
UPDATE 1430z: Although nobody has spotted me today on 8m FT8, I see ZS6OB (9099km) has again been spotted by me on 8m FT8 RX. As this is just with a low wire dipole, this is pleasing.
UPDATE 1743z: Yet again, my 8m FT8 QRP has been spotted by EI9KP (649km). The propagation mechanism remains a total mystery as I only have 5W and a low wire dipole. It is too far for tropo and too near for Es. Aircraft reflection is a possibility. My report was not bad.
On 10m QRP WSPR TX with the W5OLF beacon. 3 unique stations spotting me so far today.
This service was very different. People were asked to stand when a villager who lost his/her life in war was named. In the end, a huge number of people were standing.
This re-enforces that most wars are pointless. I hope the world wakes up that wars rarely solve issues. There are exceptions when we are fighting evil. Even in these cases, we need to understand the reasons these tyrants (e.g. Hitler and Putin) had or have these views. Usually jaw jaw is far better than war, war.
It has been foggy all day, so on my return from Cambridge, I have gone on 2m QRP (5W) FT8. So far (at 1835z) stations have been spotted in 3 countries. I have been spotted by 13 stations across England so far.
UPDATE 2140z: 16 spots of me in 4 countries, with the furthermost F6EGD (472km),
Despite asking for some local support for my 8m ISM WSPR experiments at 10mW ERP, I have so far heard ......nothing.
All I was asking for was to monitor 8m WSPR at my usual power and then later at 10mW ERP, which is the limit set by OFCOM to operate on 40.66-40.70 in the UK without a licence as long as IR2030 is met.
Without help locally, I cannot proceed.
One possibility is to arrange skeds at full power and then at 10mW ERP.
It is my view that 10mW ERP WSPR will be copied locally. Even this low power could well be copied around Europe on WSPR when Es is good.
It is my view that we have to prove OFCOM and the RSGB wrong. A small amateur band at 8m would be good for self-training and research.
The hobby should be about self training. I am so far disappointed that nobody has yet come forward to help. Most do not have 8m antennas, so I am expecting a variety of antennas to be used. At most, this would be a few hours monitoring WSPR.
If successful many more people could use 8m.
UPDATE 1832z: Offers of local 8m RX help so far? Nobody. I am very disappointed.
A few days ago, I put a photo of a rack of shoes on display at one of the big shops in Cambridge on 365 project as a gap filler. Much to my surprise, it was on the popular page!
As they say in Yorkshire, "there's nowt as queer as folk".
My optical tests were great fun. They all happened before my 2013 stroke. I can recommend optical experiments to anyone, as all the gear for use and testing was homemade easily in the back of the garage (literally).
If that darn stroke had no got in the way, I should probably still be doing optical tests today!
We will probably be pushing up daisies!
At the moment, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8. My TX period is first. No spots at 1212z.
UPDATE 1322z: No spots today.
It looks like all UK amateurs (anyone actually!) may legally operate beacons on some of the ISM bands without a licence as long as they comply with IR2030. Callsigns are not needed, but you could use your amateur callsign.
ISM is not for radio communication, but my reading of the rules suggests beaconing is fine.
In the case of 8m this means 10mW ERP. My current plan is to test locally initially at the power of my T&I permit (5W) and then repeat the test at 10mW ERP. I shall probably try WSPR and maybe (if the test is successful) later with FT8.
If successful, it means many more in the UK could run beacons on 8m, or indeed any permitted ISM band, albiet at low ERP. 10mW ERP at 8m is probably enough to cover the local area. On better Es openings DX copy is possible.
Of course a small amateur allocation at 8m would be better. I cannot understand why in the UK and other administrations they don't permit amateurs access to 8m with just a band of even 5 kHz wide, narrow digital only, secondary, low power, by NoV or similar, strictly no interference. To my mind this is stupid and backward. Such a band would actively encourage research and self training. As it is, in the UK we have to pay annually to do this!!
UPDATE 1824z: I have emailed members of my local radio club membership list hoping to do some local tests with WSPR. When using 10mW ERP I propose to use the call ISM1, so people know when I am on 10mW ERP WSPR. FT8 might work, but WSPR works with much weaker signals. Measuring 10mW ERP could be a challenge.
See https://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/pwr2volts.htm .See https://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Coax_Calculator.htm .
Yet again, I am trying to be spotted in the USA on 8m QRP FT8. I was spotted there by 2 stations a few days ago. A transatlantic QSO would be even better.
On RX, ZS6WAB (8931km) has been spotted strongly several times.
UPDATE 1922z: No spots all day apart from the ZS several times on 8m FT8 RX. Now QRT.
My stroke was in 2013. Apart from my poor voice and always being giddy, most of my body is fine.
I am now even more aware of a couple of things that may have been a result of my stroke or just old age.
Firstly, names of words rarely automatically look wrong when they are written down. At one time I could just look at a word and know it was wrong.
Secondly, I hate driving or being driven. It as if my mind is in overdrive and stressful. All the time I am thinking of potential hazards. It also seems my perception of speed is different. It feels like everything seems faster 30mph feels like 50mph and so on. Perhaps my brain needs more time to process things.
Later, I hope to go on 8m FT8 QRP. At the moment I am on 10m QRP WSPR TX. So far at 1007z, 7 unique stations spotting me. This is encouraging.
Just had this response from OFCOM about the use of ISM bands without a licence in the UK:
“The use of licence-exempt apparatus is authorised under exemption regulations, with set emission powers and other criteria. This is in order for it to be available to all users with minimal risk of disruption or interference.
The limits, including maximum power levels and whether airborne use is permitted, are set out in the UK Interface requirement. If apparatus being used for testing meets the relevant technical criteria and complies with IR 2030, then a licence will not be necessary. Please note that some frequency bands which may be licence-exempt in other countries, such as the USA, may not be so in the UK and only the frequency bands listed are eligible for the exemption of qualifying apparatus.
In some circumstances we may be able to authorise the test or development of non-compliant radio apparatus under an Innovation and Trial (I&T) licence. However, this generally will be under conditions that are sufficiently remote, shielded or otherwise unlikely to affect other users. I&T is not intended for the operational use of radio apparatus, such as for the monitoring / control / telemetry of other apparatus, where a licensed or exempt authorisation is already generally available. Even if it were the radio apparatus itself that is under test or development (in excess of normally permitted limits) we should emphasise that, as described above, it will not be possible to grant an operational permission for its future deployment and use.”
My reading of this is that as long as we meet the interface requirements set out in IR 2030, we are perfectly at liberty to use ISM bands for beacons without a licence.
At 8m, this means a limit of 10mW ERP. 10mW ERP does not sound much but on WSPR or FT8 range might be surprising.
This means anyone in the UK can use 8m (or any other ISM band) for beaconing as long as they fully comply with IR 2030.
I am not a legal expert and I have just shared what OFCOM has written in answer to my question earlier in the week. In this instance, OFCOM has been very helpful indeed. I should like to thank OFCOM for the prompt reply.
Twice this week I have received blog comments that I have reported as SPAM.
On first reading , they look like genuine comments, often with flattering comments saying how useful the blog is. Then there is a link which takes you directly to, what is, blatant advertising.
Every comment is approved. Almost all get posted. Just a very few do not get that far. It is some time since I have had to reject one.
For the avoidance of any doubt, adverts or grossly off topic comments will never appear.
If making a comment I would be most grateful if you post your callsign (if you have one). Anonymous posts are not usually allowed, especially if the poster is not known.
I would very much like this blog to be a friendly and inclusive place. I do not mind views that grossly differ from my own. We are a free country and we each have views.
Although I am not sure how or when this started, quite often now we see UK postboxes with knitted tops for certain occasions. The photo show...
