Football - NOT amateur radio

In the UK, we call soccer "football". I am definitely an armchair fan! The last time I went to a match in person was 3 years ago with my son and grandson at Cambridge United. Watching on the TV is not the same, but some matches are very expensive.

Today, I have split loyalties: Plymouth Argyle used to be my local team. If they win today they have a better chance of promotion to the next league up. Cambridge United are struggling at the bottom of the table and face relegation. Last time I looked, Plymouth were 3:1 up.

Wrexham Town, who are a non-league team, could be promoted into the Football League if they win tonight.

UPDATE 1600z:  Plymouth Argyle won 3:1.

Plans for next week

My plans for next week are currently as follows:

• Restart experiments on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 TX now the Es season is almost here. 
• Put Spectran software on the shack PC and carry out local 481 THz optical tests with it.
• Go on 10m QRP WSPR TX whilst on 8m. 
• Perhaps try 80m TX with the FT-710 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Maybe I should try 80m FT8?? 
• With Spectran on the PC, I could also perhaps try some 136 kHz QRSS tests.

Memory costs - NOT amateur radio

It is amazing how inexpensive memory now is. Just now, I ordered a 32GB flash drive for just £5.49. We can expect in 10 years this memory will seem small: it would not surprise me if 1TB costs under £10 in 10 years.

Anemones - NOT amateur radio

 

These were seen in Salisbury earlier in the week.

Spring in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Spring is a lovely time of the year. Everything springs into life after what seems like a long winter. Summer migrant birds are returning from Africa and the blossom is at its best. The birds are singing and building nests.

On the trees, the leaves are a fresh green, whereas later they look tired. Blossom is ephemeral. In a few days it will be gone until next spring and so the cycle goes on.

The photo shows spring in our garden.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My tiny QRP QDX transceiver was turned on at 0830z. So far,  just a local spotting me. On RX, I suspect a pirate as the only station spotted so far is in South America where it is still dark and the time is all wrong.

In the last day, 222 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP from all over the world.

UPDATE  0841z:  A few more stations coming through on RX.

UPDATE 1000z:  Sorry, the South American was last night, not this morning as I was looking at the last 12 hours, so was probably genuine. So far this morning, 10 stations have spotted my QRP 10m FT8.

Stations spotting my 10m FT8 QRP today

UPDATE 1325z: 43 stations have spotted me today and I have spotted 55. The photo shows the stations that have spotted my 10m QRP FT8 today.

UPDATE 1516z:  50 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP and I have spotted 73 on RX. I get the impression things are not so "hot" as yesterday. So far, not a single North American has been spotted. Also, I wonder if working the same stations yet again causes people to lose interest in FT8 unless there is some choice new country to chase? On SSB, FM and AM people can chat, whereas they cannot on FT8, although JS8call allows keyboard chats.

UPDATE 1816z:  Switched to the FT-710 from the QDX. This works on TX on 10m but not on 80m. I must be doing something wrong. 6 stations have spotted me so far at 10W on 10m FT8 TX. Maybe the settings are per band?

The current station

The photo shows my current station. On the left is the FT817ND with the SWR meter above. On the right is the FT-710 and tiny QDX transceiver plus the Tigertronics USB interface used with the FT817ND. In the background is the little used MX2 2m SSB handheld. 

Out of shot is the 500mW W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon TX. 

Sunspots - Saturday April 22nd 2023

 Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 114. A=9 and K=3.

VLF earth-mode TX

Looking back over some of my old photos, I came across this photo of my 5W earth-mode VLF transmitter, that was last used over 10 years ago. 

The 3C90 toroid on the left is to match the low impedance output from the TDA2003 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In the centre is the TDA2003 audio amplifier. On the right is the keyer IC that can produce QRSS or CW.

It would be good to do some more experiments in the future, if my health allows.

Doom painting detail - NOT amateur radio

Earlier this week I posted a photo of a "doom"  painting in a local church in Salisbury. It was painted centuries ago before many could read or write. I expect many in the congregation looked at the painting and thought about hell and purgatory.  

The whole painting reminds me of Bosch. It was whitewashed out by the "thought police" and rediscovered in the 1800s. Attached is a small part of the painting in detail.

Salisbury walk - NOT amateur radio

We went to Salisbury mainly to see the cathedral, but it was a very nice place to visit. On 2 occasions we did a lovely walk though the water meadows, where John Constable painted on many occasions.

Rallies this weekend

The following have been notified to me. It is advisable to check first for accuracy before  going far.

Saturday April 22nd - Moray Firth ARS (no location or postcode given). Contact mfars.secretary@gmail.com .

Sunday April 23rd - North ARS  Blackpool, FY2 9AA. Contact dwilson@btinternet.com .

OFCOM updates

 Just a reminder that OFCOM updates its data every week. See the OFCOM website for details.

8m WSPR for all?

Certainly here in the UK and probably many (or all?) countries people seem to have licence free access to the 40.66-40.70 MHz ISM band as long as any national conditions are met. In the UK this means 10mW ERP maximum and full compliance with IR2030. Interference must be accepted and not caused. We know from Australia that 5mW 8m WSPR has been received at 5000km, so much of Europe could be spanned on 8m WSPR by anyone. 

This is NOT the Amateur Radio Service!

This probably means any ISM band may be used licence free as long as national law is followed, although I have not asked OFCOM specifically about other ISM bands.   Remember OFCOM only covers the UK. You have to either be sure of the legality in your country or seek legal advice if you are unsure.

10m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My tiny QDX was turned on just before 0700z and already at 0721z 12 stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 0905z:  35 stations have spotted me with the furthermost 5Z4VJ (6858km) in Kenya and 53 stations spotted here. 

Stations spotting my 10m FT8 QRP today

UPDATE 1734z: 153 stations have spotted my 10m QRP FT8 today.

Friday plans

Later, I hope to be on 10m QRP FT8 with the tiny QDX transceiver.

Last night I wanted to try my FT-710 in the UKAC on 4m, but totally forgot!! 

Sunspots - Friday April 21st 2023

 Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 97. A=5 and K=1.

Head for heights? - NOT amateur radio

This man was way up the tower of Salisbury Cathedral. I have no idea what he was doing.

More AI crappery - NOT amateur radio

As an experiment just now I asked Chat GPT4 about my son, who is a professional jazz pianist. I tried about 7 times. The answers were all correct in parts, but every one was totally wrong on when and where he was born and many other details. 

My worry is people will believe that AI always is factually correct, when it isn't. 

Yes, I am sure a great deal of good can come from AI, but also it could result in a lot of incorrect data being assumed as correct.

At the moment, Chat GPT4 gets about 3/10 from me and "must try harder".

Artificial intelligence (AI) is coming, but it still has some way to go. I wonder what AI will be capable of in 10 or 20 years' time.

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Stations spotting my 10m QRP FT8 late today

We have been away for a few days in Salisbury, so no amateur radio operation for a few days. We returned about 1515z today. I have been on 10m QRP FT8 and, so far, 60 stations on 4 continents have spotted me and I have spotted 119 stations on 5  continents. I am using the QDX transceiver. It runs less than 5W.

481 THz testing

The photo shows me testing my optical kit. It was recently tested locally. I want to do some over the horizon tests with G4HJW. 

Sunspots - Thursday April 20th 2023

Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 113. A=12 and K=1. 

The Knowledge - NOT amateur radio

Every day I get "The Knowledge " by email. It is a few minutes read summary of the news from various sources. It is free and produced by the makers of "The Week". As far as I can tell it is neutral, neither left or right politically. I find it excellent, especially if you have not too much time.

Today there was a piece about AI. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Doom painting - NOT amateur radio

This painting is in a local church in Salisbury. It was painted when most people could not read or write. It was white washed over in the Reformation (vandalism in my view) and rediscovered in the 1800s. Why do people believe they always know best? It is part of history. 

QRZ.com

This is a very useful site. Many use it in mid QSO to find out a bit more about the QSO partner. It is also useful for address and location details. 

See www.qrz.com. 

Facebook memory

 This was a Facebook memory from 2012. 

Sunspots - Wednesday April 19th 2023

Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 140. A=17 and K=1. 

Oscar 100

Activity on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 remains low. I look at the web SDR at Goonhilly Down. Last time I looked was on a weekday evening in Europe. Activity has always been lower than I expected. 

Salisbury cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

This is the highest cathedral spire in the UK at over 100m tall. 

Salisbury Market - NOT amateur radio

 

Tuesday is market day in Salisbury, 

Sunspots - Tuesday April 18th 2023

Solar flux is 167 and the SSN 162 A=6 and K=3.

Loop antennas

Loops work remarkably well. They can be quite small. Their main drawback is they are narrowband so have to be retuned if moving too far in frequency. If using WSPR or FT8 this does not matter. For good efficiency, the inductor is usually made from copper pipe or coax cable. 

Sunspots - Monday April 17th 2023

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 155.  A=4 and K=1.

Anglesey Abbey this morning - NOT amateur radio

 

We go here every month. It is not very far by car. The photo shows some of the flowers out.

FT-710 webpage now ready

In the last hour, I have added the FT-710 page to my website. Over time, I hope to expand this.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft-710 .

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

For about 30 minutes (it is now 1021z) I have been on 10m QRP FT8. So far this morning 7 spots of my QRP.

Stations spotting my QRP 10m FT8 today

UPDATE  1906z:  82 stations have spotted my 10m QRP FT8 with the QDX (see map). Interesting, that North America was spotting me whereas not yesterday.

UPDATE 2024z:  88 stations have my 10m QRP FT8 today.

New page on my website - NOT amateur radio

A few moments ago I added a new page on my website about our local museum and windmill.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/non-amateur-radio/burwell-museum .

In the near future I need to add a page on the FT-710 transceiver.

Dayton Hamvention

Mid may sees the Dayton Hamvention in the USA. This is probably the biggest amateur radio gathering on the planet. Often, the big manufacturers use it to announce new products, even if they are still in development.

I really hope Yaesu announces a real successor to the FT817/818, both of which are no longer in production because of component shortages. This is their very last chance. Otherwise I fear they will leave the amateur market. The impression you get is of a floundering market strategy in which they cannot tell their a*e from their elbow. 

What do we want?

• SDR based RX
• Better battery pack
• Auto ATU
• More bands
• Speech processor
• etc.

None of this is rocket science. Yaesu - pull your finger out!! Do it NOW!

UK licence changes?

OFCOM is looking at licences to improve efficiency. I have no idea what the changes will be. OFCOM is seeking opinions. Look on the OFCOM website for details.

Sunspots - Sunday April 16th 2023

Solar flux is 176 and the SSN 151. A=9 and K=1.