Yesterday, I spotted no stations on 8m FT8, but my 2.5W FT8 was spotted again by EI9FP (649km) and G0HVQ (181km). Later today, I may try 8m FT8 again.
29 Dec 2022
28 Dec 2022
17m FT8 RX
Just turned on 17m FT8 RX. 15 stations spotted so far.
UPDATE 2245: 59 stations spotted today. BTW, using the 10m end-fed antenna. QRT.
Amazon - NOT amateur radio
Amazon is like Marmite in that some are dead against Amazon and some are for the company.
They should always treat workers well. Yes, they should pay fair taxes. In fact, perhaps all online sales should be taxed so that we are encouraged to use high street shops more?
Personally, I quite like the convenience of Amazon. Things get ordered one day and the goods usually arrive the next day.
One day my wife went to our local chemists to buy some very ordinary nail scissors. They had none and no plans to stock any. She went on Amazon and they came next day. I cannot remember the price we paid. If you are housebound or unable to carry things a long way, the convenience of online delivery is great.
The demise of retail outlets on the high streets is sad, but our shopping habits have changed. I just wonder what our high streets will be like in 2030. We cannot be like Canute. Change always happens. Perhaps the nature of high streets will change with more independent shops and bigger retailers offering free home delivery of goods bought in store. Also, I expect there will be more places to meet and more flats.
UPDATE 1513z: Toilet seat broken. Ordered from Amazon after lunch yesterday. Arrived and fitted just after lunchtime today. Free return not needed.
UPDATE 1515z: Amazon has been used here for years. In all this time, I have never had things delivered to the wrong place. I have had to return things very, very infrequently. Whether from Amazon or other suppliers, my experience of shopping online has been good.
8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
At the moment (1000z) I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 with 2.5W to the low wire dipole. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1022z: Still no spots. One thing is clear from my experiments: running QRP ERP I do lose out on a lot both on TX and RX. Compared with a station with a modest beam at several metres, I am probably 6-10dB down, possibly more. Running just 2.5W on TX is probably 10dB down on many stations, if not more. This means I could be at least 16dB weaker than many stations. Despite this I have still been copied in 16 countries and 3 continents on TX. Moral? I have learnt something!
UPDATE 1228z: No spots today.
UPDATE 1755z: 2 stations have spotted my 2.5W 8m FT8 to a low wire dipole. Nobody spotted on RX.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)
When on 8m I forget that I can still go on 10m WSPR 500mW TX with my beacon. On now.
UPDATE 1010z: So far, spots from SV9 (F2 or Es?).
UPDATE 1052z: 3 unique stations have spotted me today so far. I think this is mid-winter Es.
UPDATE 1230z: 4 unique stations have spotted my QRP 10m WSPR so far today.
UPDATE 1735z: 8 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon today.
Break? - NOT amateur radio
We love seeing our grandchildren, but at our age we get more tired, sooner. We have a break of about 7 days before they come again for a few days. It is a chance to "recharge batteries".
Maybe it is a chance to try some new amateur radio stuff? Maybe that SDR or 23cms?
At one time our elder grandson contacted us most nights. He has now got more friends his age who share his interests, so we are less of a crutch. All part of growing up, and totally natural.
Plans for today
Today I have 2 aims.
Firstly I want to concentrate on 8m QRP FT8. It is the winter Es season and the F2 MUF is increasing. Yesterday the USA was spotted in Australia on 8m. There are more countries monitoring 8m.
Secondly I want to test my SDR for the first time.
UPDATE 1807z: My SDR tests will have to wait until tomorrow.
Wisdom - NOT amateur radio
Many years ago I was taught that wisdom is quite different from being clever. Often the most profound things come from someone with wisdom, as these words that are supposed to have come from a woman of 92.
2m FT8 RX near Cambridge
When I go on 2m FT8, a very useful resource is the monitor a G0LRD. It is situated not far from Cambridge and my signal is usually about +5dB S/N. With it, I can look at 2m FT8 activity received locally, and check my own 2.5W is clean.
An example of David's page is attached. I think David also uses a Wimo big-wheel omni antenna. It is a great local (to me) resource.
27 Dec 2022
When will my assembled QDX transceiver arrive?
My built QDX transceiver covering 10m has been ordered. According to Hans the waiting time is currently about 1 month, so it might be ready at the end of January. As FT8 and WSPR are the main modes used because of my poor voice, I can see this transceiver being well used. It covers 20m,17m,15m,12m and 10m. My antenna is a good match on all bands except 20m. Even there it could be used on RX.
See http://qrp-labs.com/qcxmini/assembled.html .
See http://qrp-labs.com/ .
Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio
Dalham Church - NOT amateur radio
Dalham church is almost outside the village, so parishioners would have had a long uphill walk every Sunday. It is conveniently next to the old Lord of the Manor's house!
Rally on Thursday
The following rally has been notified to me. I guess they are assuming most attendees are still on holiday.
Thursday December 29th - Yeovil ARC Rally, West Camel, Yeavil,Somerset BA22 7QX. No contact details given, but always worth checking before travelling.
10m FT8 RX
Much of the morning, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. There is no doubt that HF conditions are again good. The average sunspot number must be around 100 and 10m FT8 DX from around the world is widely spotted most days.
UPDATE 1157z: 179 stations spotted.
 |
| Stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today at 1902z |
UPDATE 1958z: 806 stations spotted. Now QRT.
26 Dec 2022
QDX 10m
This is a 5W transceiver covering 20m-10m. Used with a software package like WSJT-X, it should work the world on modes like FT8.
10m FT8 RX (Monday)
Most of the day I have been on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 2139z: 713 stations spotted today.
25 Dec 2022
10m FT8
 |
| Stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX at 1240z |
My problem with my 10m antenna was the coax plug, which I have re-done. At the moment (whilst getting ready for Christmas lunch!!) I am on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1240z: So far today, 148 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1803z: 670 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. QRT.
White Gold - NOT amateur radio
About half of these came from coastal Devon, so it is highly likely that some of my fishermen ancestors were captured. At that time fishermen travelled thousands of miles to the rich cod banks off Newfoundland and were captured as they left port on their arduous journeys. It must have been a very frightening time.
A very good book was "White Gold" by Giles Milton. Until I read this I knew nothing about this.
Merry Christmas! - NOT amateur radio
This winter festival at the darkest time of the year pre-dates Christianity by many thousands of years. Whatever your faith (or none), I hope you have a good time.
Whatever your circumstances, you are loved. We all benefit from being kind and loving to each other. This time of year is especially magical for young children, so please make it an especially happy for them.
Merry Christmas!
👍
USA digital geostationary satellite?
Excuse my ignorance, but I am confused by the difference between a geosynchronous and geostationary satellite.
Apparently there are moves afoot to get a high orbit satellite with a footprint over the USA. Oscar 100 does not cover the USA. This one should be digital. If so, I expect it will get even less attention that Oscar 100, which is seriously under-used.
In my view, these satellites are interesting to access at first, but interest soon wanes later: people know they can access them and then they get bored. It is just like talking on a terrestrial repeater.
24 Dec 2022
Cold Devon day - NOT amateur radio
This was the beach in Devon near Thurlestone Rock. It is near here that I come from.
2m activity contest results
The results have just been published for the 2m UKAC contest. These results are for December and the overall scores for the year. Despite just one QSO in December, I managed to end up in 67th place in the low power section (I run 10W to my big-wheel omni antenna) out of 175 stations. As my voice is poor these days, I find SSB contests hard work, so I usually stop on for 30-60 minutes only.
SDR has arrived
It is unlikely to be tested for several days, but my SDR has arrived. It is meant to cover from 100kHz to 1.75GHz.
Looking for software recommendations to use with it please?
See https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01HA642SW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
Amaryllis at last - NOT amateur radio
Intermittent 10m antenna
This morning, I was planning to go on 10m QRP FT8, but something is still intermittent so I have a high SWR. I suspect the coax plug. At some point, I shall have to remake the joint. These days, this is less easy as my fine motor skills are poor.
8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
At the moment (1106z) I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 with my 2.5W and low wire dipole. No spots on RX or TX.
UPDATE 1545z: No spots.
Oscar 100 activity (or rather lack of)
Every few weeks I take peek at activity on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. My latest peak was at 1045z on Christmas Eve. This is European Saturday morning in a holiday, so I would have expected activity to be as good as at any time. What did I find? Very quiet (see screenshot).
23 Dec 2022
4m in the Caribbean
PJ4MM has also got a permit to TX on 4m. When the Es season comes, this will be an interesting path from Europe.
As far as I know, this is the first amateur in the northern hemsiphere in Region 2 to get a transmitting permit.
I think VP8 in the southern hemisphere has 4m, so this could be an interesting TEP path.
Panto - NOT amateur radio
Earlier this week we went to a local panto. It was very good. We have not been able to go for a few years because of Covid. This was like old times.
8m WSPR RX (Friday)
Martin G8JNJ is doing some 8m WSPR tests, so I am looking for his signal. The path loss between us means this very unlikely.
I have also heard today that a station in Bonaire now has an 8m licence - PJ4MM. Bonaire is in the Caribbean. Not sure what this licence covers i.e. it is limited experimental licence or a full amateur licence.
10m FT8 (Friday)
After lunch, I hope to go on 10m QRP FT8. Most days, the USA and Canada come through pretty well. When on RX I use 2.5W. Mostly I just go on RX only as the FT8 slot is so full.
UPDATE 1453z: So far today, 227 stations spotted on 10m FT8. There is still an intermittent fault on my 10m antenna plug as the FT817ND initially said "hi swr".I shall have to investigate.
UPDATE 1635z: Before going QRT on 10m FT8 RX about 30 minutes ago, 274 stations spotted today.
Birthday - NOT amateur radio
Today is my birthday. I am 21 and (quite) a bit! One of my gifts was a voucher. I have bought an SDR with it.
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