Hans Summers from QRP Labs has been away for a few weeks, so the status of built QDX transceivers has not been updated for a while.
Looking at my place in the queue (updated Saturday), I think I should get mine in March. This will certainly be in time for the 2023 Es season, although I expect to span the globe this year with it by F2 propagation.
When my coffee is finished, I intend to try 2m QRP FT8. It is daytime, so some people will be at work. Hopefully, some will be on.
On 2m FT8 I can run 2.5W to the omni big-wheel antenna. The 2m FT8 frequency is 144.174 MHz.
Usually, I monitor the 2m FT8 RX online at G0LRD about 25km from me to make sure all is working and my signal is clean. This is very useful.
 |
| Stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX with the big wheel omni antenna |
In the past, we have had artificial trees, but prefer a real one. In the photo it does not look too bad, but I can tell.
It is odd to think we will blink and it will be Easter!! Blink again and it will be Christmas again!
My 500mW WSPR beacon was turned on about 0930z. So far, the Canary Is and a local have spotted me.
UPDATE 1201z: 5 unique stations have spotted me this morning with the furthermost FR1GZ (9724km).
UPDATE 1804z: 29 unique stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR today.
Shortly, I hope to turn on my 10m WSPR 500mW TX beacon. Later, I might try again on 8m FT8, although I have not achieved much success very lately apart from by aircraft scatter.
At one time I was very active monitoring amateur radio below 10 kHz. Stations from all over Europe were decoded. I also used to regularly run a website dedicated to amateur experiments at the very low frequencies. Some remarkable distances were spanned.
To TX, very big antennas are needed. For RX an E-field probe, which is tiny, is very effective. Extremely accurate frequency control is essential. This is usually achieved by GPS locking or locking to a VLF MSK signal, which is what I did. Bandwidths are measured in uHz. Timescales are measured in hours or even days! Casual listening is extremely unlikely to result in success, except perhaps by earth-mode over much shorter ranges.
Since my 2013 stroke, I have not been active below 10 kHz. Experiments continue and keen amateurs are still knocking on the boundaries and achieving what many thought was impossible.
Although I do not actively seek DX these days, you may like to hear the DX soundbites recorded in Ohio last year.
For the last few hours, I have been on 8m (40.680 MHz) QRP FT8. At 1206z, no spots on TX or RX.
UPDATE 1956z: No spots.
My 10m WSPR beacon has been on much of the morning. So far, 4 unique stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1735z: 25 unique stations have spotted my QRP today.
It looks like my best chance of copying beacons on 23cm is via aircraft scatter. This is reflection off aircraft in the correct part of the sky. I have not tried this yet.
I am told that using software like Airscout allows one to predict when paths might be possible.
Of course, this is no guarantee of success, but at least tells you when it is worth a try. I have no idea how strong such signals might be. Based on lower frequencies, I would expect such signals to be quite good. I expect there would some Doppler as the plane is moving across the sky. I guess how much depends on the path and plane direction.
This should be interesting. I wonder which beacons I can see? From here, I hope I can see the beacons on Dunstable Downs and at Martlesham Heath.
Just received an email from Dropbox saying my free account is over limit. The page is very intimidating and almost forces you to pay an extortionate £95 plus a year for extra space. All their stuff seems designed to take money off you or send you emails you really do not want. Even cancelling is made difficult.
I think I have deleted my account. I do not like their approach at all.
For information, Google offers all the file storage that I need for far, far less.
Despite my 2.5W FT8 to the dipole on 40.680 MHz being on since mid morning, no spots at all have been recorded on PSKreporter. I think this is the situation, although it could be delays at PSKreporter.
UPDATE 2148z: QRT. No spots all day.
My 500mW 10m WSPR beacom by W5OLF was turned on about 1010z. So far, at 1045z, spotted many times in the Canary Isles.
UPDATE 1229z: So far today, my 500mW 10m WSPR has been spotted by 5 stations.
UPDATE 1712z: 20 stations have spotted my 500mW WSPR on 10m today.
UPDATE 2150z: QRT.
Many years ago (5?) a doctor said these words to me. I replied "of course not".
Now I am less sure. As I get older, I feel my strength waning, people around me are dying (friends and family) and I live in an almost constant state of near exhaustion and giddiness. Life is no longer such fun. As a younger person, all my life was ahead of me. My sex life was healthy and meant a lot. These days, my drive is no longer there. Ahead of me is (probably) ill health and death.
We once went to a party, mainly of older people. The host said, "you are not allowed to discuss your illness or medication". She was very wise!
Most of the time, I remain positive doing what still gives me fun, and there are plenty of things. On the whole, I am a "glass half full" sort of person i.e. positive.
..... but I now know what that doctor meant.
Every few weeks I take a peek at activity levels on the narrowband transponder on Oscar 100 using the on-line SDR at Goonhilly Down. Although I cannot comment on the wideband transponder, the narrowband transponder is very under used. My last look was early weekend in Europe.
This was a whole 11 years ago. Later, I went on to much further over the horizon.
It has long fascinated me that many RF modules for various bands are available at low cost. People have used these for low cost 5.6 GHz ATV links. In fact a whole /P culture has grown around /P ATV at 5.6 GHz.
At times, PSKreporter seems not to work. Sometimes there is a great delay adding spots and at other times it seems unresponsive. I don't think this is an issue with my end. I think it is at the PSKreporter end.
Sadly, this makes it a far less useful site as you sometimes have to wait hours before you know if you have been spotted.
I am currently looking for 8m FT8 spots.
The bird migrants from Africa usually arrive in April.
The latest information on solar cycle 25 is out. It still shows the peak as November this year, which is early.
Every week, OFCOM updates the data it holds on licences etc.. See the OFCOM website for the latest.
Inspired by these biscuits, I made my own this morning. They worked out really well (see photo). I shall have to make them again adding a few more dried rosemary herbs. Looking at the recipe, I suspect any herbs could be substituted.
See flatbread crackers recipe.
At 0852, my W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. Already, plenty of spots from the Canary Isles.
UPDATE 1204z: 61 spots of me by EA8/DF4UE (2876km) today.
UPDATE 1255z: USA starting to spot me now. See http://wspr.rocks/ .
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2 .
Earlier than normal, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 with my 2.5W and dipole. It is now 0914z and, so far, no spots. I seem to get my spots via aircraft reflection mainly at this time of year. There was some winter Es earlier, but I think that has largely gone.
UPDATE 1200z: No spots on PSKreporter. QRT for a while as things cool. Back on 8m QRP FT8 this afternoon. Sometimes I notice a delay with PSKreporter.
UPDATE 1355z: Now on 8m FT8 again.
 |
| Typical TV picture via Oscar 100 |
 |
| Current email footer |
Instead, I have put a link to the book page on my website. So, clicking there is a link to the latest edition. This seems fine.
The following rally has been notified to me. As always, it is a good thing to contact first before travelling a long way.
Sunday February 5th 2023 - Canvey Rally, Essex, SS8 9QA. Contact sears.enquiries@gmail.com .
It is now 1105z. So far om 10m QRP WSPR with my 500mW beacon, spotted by 2 unique stations.
UPDATE 1352z: 6 unique stations have spotted me today.
It is now 1102z. Having been on 8m QRP FT8 for about an hour, no spots on TX or RX.
UPDATE 1355z: No spots today.
