Absent friends?

It is odd how you do not see postings from people you know about for a while and then realise they are not there. Many times there is a good reason and they pop up again. For some time I have not heard from Mike Rainey W1TJ or Jay Wilson W5OLF. Just wondering if they are OK? If you have any news please let me know. They're kind and generous people. 

First swallow seen - NOT amateur radio

Last evening I saw my first swallow of the year. Considering it had flown all the way to southern Africa and back is quite incredible.

See the RSPB website for details: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/

Sunspots - Saturday April 8th 2023

Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 38. A=8 and K=2. 

Ready, aim, fire - NOT amateur radio

 

At the pub with our grandchildren this afternoon.

Simple 10m FT8 RX as the Es season approaches

Now seems a good time to remind people of my very simple 10m FT8 receiver, the 10FT8R. Even buying all parts new, I doubt it would cost more than 4 cups of coffee out. It allows the "big rig" to be used for something else whilst keeping a watchful eye on 10m FT8. The design uses low cost crystals and a Polyakov mixer that requires injection at half frequency in a direct conversion RX. The design appeared in RadCom last year. It works remarkably well. My thanks to Jay, W5OLF for doing the schematic drawing.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .

10m FT8 QRP with the QDX (Friday)

Again, I  am on 10m FT8 QRP with the QDX which runs less than 5W. It is now 0925z and I have been on for about 10 minutes. So far, spotted by 1 station 4X1UF (3513km) and 4 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1550z:   So far today, my QRP 10m FT8 spotted by 57 stations on 5 continents.

Oscar 100 narrowband transponder

Every few weeks I like to give an update on activity levels on this geosynchronous satellite by looking at the web SDR at Goonhilly Downs in Cornwall. The last time I looked was late afternoon in the UK on a Thursday. Activity levels remain low.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Sunspots - Friday April 7th 2023

Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 33. A=9 and K=2.

OFCOM updates

A reminder that OFCOM updates the data it holds on us every week. Check the OFCOM website for details.

Earth-electrode "antenna"

This has been used for many years from VLF-60m with great success. After cutting back some bushes, I want to replace this and try it on 630m, 160m and 80m. Although theories vary, I think it acts as a loop in the ground at MF. It certainly works remarkably well.

Most of the path is in the ground with just the return wire from the far electrode along the fence. Tests with the return wire on the ground at 630m made little difference, so most of the radiation is from the loop in the ground. 

If my theory is correct, the effective loop diameter gets bigger as you move LF. At 2200m it should be even better!

African migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

Swift

About now, I start to watch and listen for the returning migrant birds from Africa. Already swallows have been seen in Devon and even in East Anglia, although I have seen none. Last year I saw very few indeed. 

Locally swift numbers did not seem down on normal. Swifts usually arrive here in numbers mid May. Often they are heard screaming in the sky before they are seen. "They are back", goes out the cry and all is still well with the world. Not yet...

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/.

Fresh green - NOT amateur radio

One of the great things about spring is the fresh green leaves. The trees in our garden are just coming into leaf. There is a sense of the earth "coming alive" again after a long, dark, winter. All seasons have their beauty.

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Since about 0700z, I have been on 10m QRP FT8 with the tiny QDX transceiver, which runs just under 5W. At 0825z, 12 spots of me with the furthermost A61R (5589km).

UPDATE 0920z:  15 stations have spotted my QRP 10m FT8 today and I have spotted 22.

UPDATE 1025z:  26 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 42 with the QRP QDX.

UPDATE 1248z: Spotted by 79 stations so far with the furthermost PY1SX (9306km). 5W or less on 10m FT8 seems quite enough!

UPDATE 1324z:  Spotted by 90 stations.

Stations spotting me at
1434z on 10m QRP FT8

UPDATE 1434z:  Spotted by 124 stations in 5 continents. QRP reins!!

UPDATE 1733z:   Spotted by 171 stations.

UPDATE 1910z: 173 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP today. Unlikely to get any more spots today.

Sunspots - Thursday April 6th 2023

 Solar flux is 137 and the SSN is 37. A=11 and K=1. 

Coffee in the garden

Our son came to stay with his son and we were able to enjoy coffee in the garden. 

Donald Trump - NOT amateur radio

 It is impossible to know if the ex president of the USA is guilty of the crimes of which he is charged. What I do know is unless he is found guilty, his chances of re-election in late 2024 increase. 

At the moment, the USA seems very polarised. I really cannot understand why the USA cannot find younger candidates. If either Biden or Trump stand and get in they would be very old men!

Finland joins NATO - NOT amateur radio

Although not a political animal by nature, I can understand why Finland has joined NATO. It is the 31st member state sharing a very long border with Russia. It feels safer as a nation within NATO, knowing that if it was attacked all the NATO countries are duty bound to support it. It looks like the invasion of Ukraine has had the exact opposite effect with even more NATO countries on its borders.

Personally, I just wish all countries could live in peace and harmony as defence spending is, ultimately, a total waste of money.

QDX on 10m FT8

This runs at less than 5W, but has been widely spotted again this afternoon. It would seem the tiny QDX is all that is needed to get around the world. Since the photo was taken, many more stations have spotted me today on 10m FT8.

Stations spotting my
QRP 10m FT8 TX today

UPDATE 1955z:  64 stations spotted my QRP 10m FT8 today with the QDX transceiver.

XBM80-2 transceiver webpage

As Jason M0NYW has kindly done a PCB layout and provided the Gerber files, I was hoping to add a link to these on my website, but I cannot create a public link to my Google Drive zip file. Not sure if this is a temporary issue. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2 .

UPDATE 1700z:  I think I have solved the problem and the link to Jason's Gerber file is now on the webpage. 

Sunspots - Wednesday April 5th 2023

Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 44. A=12 and K=2.

At Lode - NOT amateur radio

 

As mentioned earlier, we did a nice walk earlier today.

2m activity contest (UKAC)

This evening is the first Tuesday of the month. The RSGB organised activity contest starts at 1900z. I usually go on for a little while with 2.5W and my big-wheel omni antenna. I usually make 5-10 contacts. FT8 is usually easier for me with my poor voice!

UPDATE 1936z:  After just 3 contacts, I just gave up. Some decent DX, but my voice was exhausted with too much shouting!  If I had more stamina, I am sure I would have had plenty of contacts.

Yaesu FT818

This was introduced in 2018 by Yaesu as a replacement for the FT817. It was a huge disappointment, being more for Yaesu's benefit (to overcome component shortages) than adding any new features. Several times over the years Yaesu could have led the world. 

With the FT817 they "owned" the QRP market, then they gifted it to others. In business terms it was unbelievably stupid. 

I hope they really will launch an SDR QRP rig soon, or they might as well give up. 

Walk - NOT amateur radio

For once, the sun was shining. We did a lovely walk with one of our sons and our grandson.  My wife loves her photos!

Sunspots - Tuesday April 4th 2023

Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 56. A=15 and K=2.

Family day

Our son and grandson have been here for a few nights and went to see a cousin and his son today. The first photo is with my wife in our garden. The rest are with our son's cousin and his son.

Spring - NOT amateur radio

For the first time this year, we enjoyed coffee in the garden. 

Although still quite cold (12 deg C) it was sunny and spring like.  There are buds on the trees.

This is our front garden. We had coffee on the bench just out of the photo on the left.

6m FT8 (Monday)

 At about 1035z, I turned on my 6m FT8 using the FT-710. Almost immediately, 2 UK spots of me.

UPDATE 1053z:   Already 9 English spots of me on 6m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1146z:   12 spots of my 6m FT8 TX so far.

UPDATE 1254z:   Spotted so far by 15 stations. All were in the UK. No spots on RX.

Stations spotting me today

UPDATE 2056z:  Spotted by 35 stations today on 6m FT8 TX.

Sunspots - Monday April 3rd 2023

Solar flux is 127 and the SSN 54. A=15 and K=2.

6m FT8

Already 18 spots of me (I have been on for about 30 minutes) with the furthermost SP9LJE (1259km). Only G3XDV spotted on RX so far. 

UPDATE 0949z: 20 stations in 4 countries have so far spotted me on 6m FT8 TX with the omni V2000 vertical antenna.

Plans for Sunday

Currently, I hope to be on 6m FT8. It is still a bit too early for the big Es openings but, despite this, I seem to be widely spotted. 

I think I shall give 8m a miss until a bit later in the spring. Then I hope to monitor both FT8 and WSPR at just above 40.680 MHz.

Amateur radio below 9kHz

 

This was 2011. It is a long time since I did experiments at sub-9kHz

4m Homebrew transverter

 

I came across this photo yesterday. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/4m-transverter .

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken in 2016 and shows our windmill next door.  The windmill is part of the very impressive Burwell Museum that opens next weekend after the winter.  It is open Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays Easter until late October. The views from the fully restored 200 year old windmill are impressive.

15m Pipit transceiver

This photo of my homebrew 15m QRP CW transceiver was found when I was looking through some old stuff. This was an 800mW transceiver. It worked very well and was the only rig used for several months.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/15m-qrp-cw-pipit .

Sunspots - Sunday April 2nd 2023

 Solar flux is 125 and the SSN 23. A=13 and K=3. 

4m EI4RF beacon - 70.013 MHz

Currently I am on 70.013 MHz FT8 RX, hoping to see the EI4RF beacon, that I believe has some FT8 sequences.  I am not hopeful. They say tune to 70.012 for FT8.

See https://www.qrz.com/db/EI4RF

UPDATE 2050z:  Nothing seen. I shall try for another 20 minutes or so and then call it a night.

UPDATE 2116z:   Still nothing. QRT.

6m MSK144

At the moment I am trying MSK144 on 50.280 MHz in a test with OZ9FZ.

UPDATE 2122z:   Nothing so QSYed to 4m FT8 RX.

Bicone antennas

Sometimes people want a wideband antenna covering several bands. One to consider is the bicone. these can be quite large, but can cover several bands.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biconical_antenna .

Solar maximum?

The site I always look at for the latest data is still showing the peak of this solar cycle in November 2023, i.e. this year. The information was only updated today.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .