My son and grandson are away on different school trips to southern Italy. This is an example of the food.
28 Mar 2023
Italian food - NOT amateur radio
My son and grandson are away on different school trips to southern Italy. This is an example of the food.
27 Mar 2023
630m transverter
This was designed some years ago, but has appeared in QST and the RSGB book "LF Today".
I wanted a simple way of getting on this MF band and this was the result. Several have since been successfully built.
It produces about 10W into 50 ohms, but the ERP will be considerably lower depending on the antenna used. In my case, my "antenna" was just an earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with the electrodes about 12m apart with the wire back to the shack along the fence not very high. I tried the wire on the ground and it made little difference. My theory is this forms a loop in the ground. The actual loop diameter will get larger as frequency is reduced. Such an antenna has been used for far field amateur TX tests (successfully) at well below 10 kHz.
Most nights my measured 10mW ERP was spotted in Norway on WSPR. It used the FT817ND in split mode TXing on 80m but receiving directly on 630m.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/630m-472khz-transverter .
Cambridge Backs today - NOT amateur radio
This was the view towards King's College chapel this morning. Spring is on its way with several trees bursting out.
Spain on 8m?
Recently, a station in the Caribbean has reported a sudden increase in contacts on 8m with Spain. He wonders if the authorities there have granted access to 8m to radio amateurs.
It would be good if more countries were granted legal access, if only for a limited time. This next year or so, around the solar maximum, a great deal of useful research could be done.
Does anyone know the legal situation in Spain please?
8m QRP FT8 (Monday)
After being off for about 10 days playing with other things, I am back on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 again at 1430z. No spots. It will get much easier for QRP stations when the Es season gets going.
Today has been disappointing on 8m. It looks like conditions have to be very good for my QRP FT8 to get through. I would probably do better on 8m WSPR, but I think there are fewer monitors? I expect many are also fighting high local noise levels that make decoding weak signals hard.
UPDATE 1550z: No spots. Are there many monitoring 8m WSPR?
UPDATE 1610z: Trying 8m QRP WSPR near 40.680 MHz in the WSPR window. TXing 30 %.
UPDATE 1651z: No WSPR spots so back on QRP FT8.
UPDATE 1743z: No spots, so QRT on 8m soon. I think QRP 8m stations are unlikely to get too far now until the Es season.
On guard - NOT amateur radio
This heron was opposite King's College in Cambridge earlier. Punts were going by within a few metres.
26 Mar 2023
481 THz tests
As yet, I have not got Spectran working with the optical RX so I can only do optical tests with continuous carrier or CW and not QRSS. Tests so far are a reflected (off a wall) signal on CW. Good copy over a reflected path of just 100m. At least the optical gear works again!
UPDATE 2020z: Expections were well exceeded. I set up my 481 THz beacon firing out of our lounge double-glazed window at a wall of a house at the very far end of our close. I walked with my RX to the other end. So the path distance was about 0.25km with one reflection. Signals were S9+ even by ear. The gear really works well. I must get Spectran working and try some NLOS tests. with G4HJW. I suspect we will have greater success with cloudbounce. My main issues are exhaustion and giddiness.
2m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
For a change, I am on 2m QRP FT8. No QSOs yet, but copying G3MLO.
Already 12 spots of my QRP with the furthermost F6EGD (472km) in Brittany. Not bad with the FT817ND and omni big-wheel.
UPDATE 1554z: One thing to watch with WSJT-X V2.6 is a new feature. You can chose just to send CQs, reply to the first that calls you, or reply to the most distant. Inadvertently you can operate as just a beacon and wonder why you had no contacts!
UPDATE 1710z: 19 stations in 5 countries spotted so far with the furthermost MM0ABM (502km) and 14 spots of my 2.5W and omni.
UPDATE 1810z: 15 stations have spotted me today.
Lode village - NOT amateur radio
Yesterday, we did a walk with 2 of our grandchildren at Lode, which is a village near us. The photo shows them outside a thatched cottage. As you can tell, they were not keen on the photo!
630m WSPR RX (Sunday)
At 1046z I QSYed to 630m WSPR RX. I am not sure how many people are on during the day, so this is an experiment.
UPDATE 1138z: G0VQH is getting signals far stronger than I am on 630m WSPR. I am not sure what Jennie is using, but it certainly works better than my system currently!
UPDATE 2130z: Went back on 630m WSPR RX for the evening. 3 stations spotted. QRT soon.
10m FT8 RX (Sunday)
At the moment, I am on 10m FT8 RX. At 1014z (must always remember that in the UK we are now British Summer Time!) 388 stations spotted as the map shows. It is too easy!
UPDATE 1038z: 501 stations spotted.
I might QSY to 630m WSPR RX soon.
Sunday plans
 |
| Getting the optical gear working |
As today looks dull and wet, these are my plans :
- Email G4BAO to set up a sked on 23cm SSB. Email written and sent.
- Try to get the optical gear working. All gear assembled. Spectran installed.
- Go on 10m FT8 daytime. RX on morning. Off late morning.
- Go on 630m WSPR RX this evening. Went on late morning.
I may try a local CW test after dark this evening bouncing off a wall about 200m away - small steps.
The other Burwell - NOT amateur radio
We live in Burwell in Cambridgeshire. There is another Burwell in Lincolnshire that is much smaller. It is shown in the photo
25 Mar 2023
Magnolia - NOT amateur radio
Magnolias in bloom are a sure sign of spring. We saw this in the nearby village of Lode. There were at least three.
630m WSPR RX (Saturday)
Rather earlier than normal, I have turned on 630m WSPR RX. So far spotted PA3GSH (396km), so my system is working.
Again my "antenna" is the coax to my 2m big-wheel omni antenna tuned with a ferrite rod on the bench.
UPDATE 1930z: 2 stations spotted so far this evening with the furthermost DB8BG (498km).
Progress
About a week ago, I outlined the projects that I hoped to tackle in the next 4 weeks. So far, I am making progress.
- My FT-710 now works with FT8 .
- I have had a QSO on 4m FT8, albeit with my 2m big-wheel and coax via the auto-ATU in the FT-710.
Next week, I hope to re set up my optical gear and do some local tests and arrange a 23cm SSB sked with G4BAO.
Progress!
10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
At the moment, I am on 10m FT8. So far, 3 stations have spotted me after about 5 minutes and 5 stations have been spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1225z: 12 stations have spotted me, 1 QSO and 123 stations have been spotted on 10m FT8 RX.
 |
| Spots of my QRP 10m FT8 today |
UPDATE 1725z: 354 stations spotted on RX and 18 spots of me today on 10m FT8 QRP TX.
Lincoln 2013 - NOT amateur radio
In 2013, we visited Lincoln. It was very cold! The photo shows Lincoln Cathedral proudly on the hill.
24 Mar 2023
630m WSPR RX (Friday)
At 1850z my 630m WSPR RX was turned on. No spots yet.
UPDATE 2206z: Still no spots.
UPDATE 2208z: I am puzzled. G6AVK is usually copied, but I have had no spots all evening. As far as I can tell, everything is correct. It is not just uploading to WSPRnet as there are no local spots either!
UPDATE 2240z : Restarted WSJT-X and immediately got spots from the Netherlands and Germany. Not sure what was going on. Now QRT.
Another banking crisis? - NOT amateur radio
Although the banking sector is supposed to be far more resilient these days, you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Bank stocks still look spooked by recent events with SVB and Credit Swisse. I hope this is short lived.
10m FT8 (Friday)
Am now on 10m FT8. Only D2UY (Angola) coming through, suggesting there is plenty of disturbance. I am not sure if there is a delay on PSKreporter at the moment.
UPDATE 1456z: Just 2 G spots of me so far. These are probably normal tropo. Furthermost is G4FAL (180km) near Sheffield. I remember that this sort of range was always possible with QRP 10m SSB and a dipole. It is probably even more likely with FT8. Pretty sure far more inter-G QSOs would be possible on 10m FT8.
UPDATE 1900z: Now QRT, but in the end I was spotted by 8 stations and I spotted 12.
CDARC Zoom talks
As I am unable to drive at night, I have really enjoyed the Cambridge Radio Club lectures via Zoom. They are trying to arrange "hybrid" meetings with personal contact in Cambridge and Zoom lectures for those that cannot get in. In my view, the Zoom lectures have been excellent.
My personal view is that all lectures should be on Zoom only, with a social gathering somewhere else once a month. This would mean no room hire, reduced annual fees, people could watch or talk from anywhere on the planet and people could watch the Zoom talks with others in their homes if they do not have Zoom. I would expect most people have Zoom.
Imagine if CDARC became a worldwide radio club!
The image is from the CDARC website. I wanted to link to this image, but could not see how to do this. Instead, I took a screenshot. If copyright infringement is an issue, it will be removed.
See https://www.cdarc.org.uk/ .
Grass cutting - NOT amateur radio
For the second time this year, I cut the grass, just beating the rain. February was very dry, but March made up for it!!
4m FT8 (Friday)
As HF looks to be disturbed, I am again on 4m FT8 with my makeshift antenna. At 1043z, no spots.
UPDATE 1245z: No spots of me, but G4HGI (244km) spotted on 4m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1416z: GW8ASA (301km) has again spotted me at similar levels to yesterday.
UPDATE 1421z: Nothing outside of the UK so far on 4m FT8. Rather surprised there are not many more stations on 4m FT8. I expect this will change in the Es season.
Lightning
One of the pleasures of UK winter is the usual absence of thunder and lightning. In the UK they can occur, but they are far more common in the summer.
Although I know the chances of a direct strike are low, they do occur. I know of 2 friends who had this. One of the more common things is a power surge as storms approach.
What I tend to do is keep a watchful eye on approaching storms. If there is any danger, I disconnect everything: antennas, mains plugs etc.. I have no idea if this is the correct strategy. My view is it is better to be safe than sorry.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .
CME
It looks like the coming days (especially today) could see quite disturbed solar conditions due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) on the sun. I am not clever enough to know how this will effect HF and low VHF.
Red Kites (birds) - NOT amateur radio
Until these birds were re-introduced in England some years ago, you would only see them normally in Wales. Now they are a quite common sight especially near motorways where they seek out road kill.
See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/red-kite.
23 Mar 2023
Low cost RF modules
A few moments ago I took a peek at RF modules on eBay. This is just one that will cover many bands. Someone much fitter than me could probably design some useful kit around these.
Signs of spring?
In the UK, clocks go forward an hour on Sunday morning to British Summer Time (BST). Already there are promises of better days to come. Weeping willow trees often have hints of green before most others. This one in Ely a few days ago thinks it is spring!
I like the spring as it is the season of new hope after a long, dark winter. The blossom does not last long, but it beautiful for a while. I prefer the spring to the summer.
Under water - NOT amateur radio
These were photographed by a friend earlier this week in Letchworth.
Unused spectrum - NOT amateur radio
OFCOM is consulting on the future use of the 1900-1920 MHz spectrum. See the OFCOM website for details. Apparently these frequencies are allocated, but not used.
4m FT8
At the moment I am again on 70.154 MHz FT8 with my big-wheel 2m omni and coax tuned via the auto-ATU in the FT-710. At 1029z, no spots. I have yet to be spotted on 4m, although my "antenna" does not help!
UPDATE 1226z: Well, my 4m "antenna" is working with 3 stations spotted and one spotting me - G4HGI (244km).
UPDATE 1241z: I would imagine that most propagation is one of the following: flat-band propagation, tropo enhancement, MS or scatter. As Bas says in the comments, the Es season is probably some months away still.
UPDATE 1515z: G3SHK (200km) has been spotted, and has spotted me, on 4m FT8 (see map). M0RJV (91km) has spotted me. Still to have my first FT8 QSO on 4m. The impression I am left with is this band is very under-used apart from (maybe?) during the Es season.
UPDATE 1630z: My first ever 4m FT8 QSO has happened. GW8ASA (301km) was worked this afternoon using the 8m dipole and the internal auto ATU.
 |
| Stations spotting me today on 4m FT8 TX |
UPDATE 1907z: No further stations spotted.
UPDATE 2115z: QRT.
Devon cliffs - NOT amateur radio
This photo was taken in 2012 and shows me in Bolberry Down in Devon.
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