As this is the second Tuesday in the month, at 1900z tonight should be the 70cm UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB.
As I can only run 2.5W to a 2m big-wheel and my voice is poor, I usually stay on for much less than 1 hour.
As I recall, activity last time was down with many preferring the FT8 activity contest that is usually on the Wednesday. Usually, the activity contest sees SSB activity higher than usual.
Since about 0800z I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon.
UPDATE 0842z: No spots yet.
UPDATE 1208z: No spots. Bad Es day?
UPDATE 1251z: Still no spots, so probably swapping to 10m FT8.
When on 8m, I keep forgetting that my 10m antenna is free and I can go on 10m 500mW WSPR TX with my beacon. 10m WSPR QRP TX was turned on at about 1530z.
This is a subject I have discussed before. These are my current views. I may well be proved wrong.
Amateur radio as a service is changing. In my view, the future is about deregulation and as long as you don't interfere with others, it may be allowed. Access to all (current) amateur bands will be open to all.
Does it bother me? Not really. Experimenters will continue to experiment and those that want to natter about gardening can just get on with it.
Cynic, me?
The "special operation" by Russia against Ukraine is now in its second year. At one time the Ukrainian people had a certain respect for Russia. Indeed many in both nations have relatives in the other country. All respect by the Ukrainian people for Russia has gone. The Ukrainian people HATE Russia.
In my view, this war/invasion is totally and utterly stupid. What good can ever come of this? Every country has the right to determine its own future. By free and fair elections the people can choose their own future without external interference. I sincerely hope peace can be created.
Mine is the version covering 20m to 10m. Other versions are available.
Just imagine a good multi-band transceiver with case with change for less than $100. Every amateur home should have one! If your soldering skills are normal this should be a straightforward build.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/qdx
My gear (2.5W and a low dipole) was turned on at 0810z. In the last few days I have been spotted on every day without any Es DX and I spotted a newcomer to 8m G3WCS in IO83 square.
I just wish the RSGB and OFCOM would see the value of a very narrow band around 40.680 MHz by NoV for the Amateur Radio Service instead of both being so "anti". 5kHz would be so useful for research. Instead, we have to pay to do useful research!! Madness.
Sorry, I have no sympathy with this position. Yes, I know weather radar may use some of these frequencies, but I gather these are at night to minimise interference to/from other services. The ISM band is protected by limits and international law. The RSGB should be actively fighting for us on our behalf. Instead, they seem to be meekly accepting OFCOM's position rather than causing a fuss. Yes, protect our existing bands by all means (personally I would prefer more, narrower bands BTW), but please understand that some of us wish to contribute to genuine research and not talk on 80m with commercial gear about growing carrots . Rant over.
Keeping within the law, I hope as many as possible will operate legally within the 8m ISM allocation 40.66-40.70 MHz with WSPR or FT8 beacons without a licence.
UPDATE 0834z: No spots.
UPDATE 1258z: Just G3WCS (223km) spotted on RX. No spots of me on 8m FT8 TX.
UPDATE 1437z: No 8m FT8 spots of me today so far. Disappointing.
UPDATE 1450z: At last! Some Es with a spot of me by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. Thank you Hugh.
Back in the 1960s, I was invited by a friend to a Billy Graham crusade, that was televised to a cinema in Plymouth. Evangelical Christianity was not for me, but one thing has stuck with me to this very day. This was the difference between being clever and being wise. Many are clever, but not many are wise. My Auntie Kitty was not clever, but she was wise.
Some people are graced with wisdom. They can see beyond the obvious and discern what lies beyond. They have an inner sense of the ultimate truth that lies beyond the surface. These people have real wisdom.
The ultimate message is you do not have to be clever to be wise.
Wisdom is a gift.
Following correspondence with OFCOM here in the UK, it is my view that anyone at all may use the 8m ISM band 40.66 - 40.70 MHz for beacons without a licence as long as they comply with the technical requirements and IR2030. In the UK this means 10mW ERP .
At times this will cross Europe on WSPR, possibly even on FT8. In your own country, rules may be different. If you are unhappy, seek your own legal advice as I am not a legal expert. In the UK callsigns and locators are not required by law in the ISM bands, but I advice using a callsign and QTH locator that can be reported on WSPRnet.
What this could mean is many more stations beaconing on 8m.
This is NOT the Amateur Radio Service.
As I see it, it is a legal way to do experiments and research on 8m.
When I was first involved with amateur radio it was 1962.
My first venture into radio was when my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas 1961. This allowed you to make a variety of circuits without soldering. That first Christmas I was DXing on Medium Wave. I joined the RSGB shortly afterwards. My first G8 call was in 1966 and I became a G3 in 1967, taking my Morse test in the famous Liver building in Liverpool.
My first serious TX activity was when I moved to Cambridge in the early 1970s. My first outings were on 2m AM, then 70cm AM with a simple homemade QRP transverter. In those days most people were crystal controlled, so it was "tuning high to low" to get a contact.
These days, people rarely come on just for a chat. Times are changing.
A reminder that OFCOM updates the information it hold on licences etc. every week. See the OFCOM website for the latest data.
Incidentally, I enquired about changes to my T&I 8m licence. A month later, I am still awaiting a response. They say they are incredibly busy. At this rate, the Es season will be over before they respond! I know from work days how this can feel, but a response email would take just a few minutes!
After breakfast, my plan is to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 again in the hope of catching some Es.
UPDATE 0854z: Gear turned on at 0820z. No spots.
UPDATE 0948z: G3WCS spotted (IO83). Is this genuine?
UPDATE 1046z: It turns out G3WCS is genuine, Also WESSEXSDR (265km) has spotted me on RX. In the last few days I have been spotted on 8m FT8 every day, and not one of these was Es, despite using just 2.5W FT8 and a low dipole.
UPDATE 1918z: 2 stations have spotted me today on 8m FT8 and I have spotted 2. No Es. QRT soon.
It is on 70.093 MHz (70.092 USB-D) sending FT8 + CW ID + dashes. It has an output of 1W to a halo. I hope I can spot it. It runs pretty much 24/7.
See www.qrz.com/db/M0NYW/b for more details.
Since 0720z, I have been on 8m FT8.
UPDATE 0907z: No spots.
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| 3 spots of my QRP 8m FT8 |
This is a common sound at this time of year. Swifts scream overhead in feeding parties. They are definitely back!!
Basically, I am against wealth and privilege simply as a result of who your parents were. Much wealth came from the slave trade centuries back, which I find abhorrent. That is history. What matters is how we are today.
Overall, I favour a much slimmed down monarchy much closer to the people. Those that work for the UK get the royal purse. Hangers on do not. There is no doubt our history and traditions are worth millions in tourism and help stability.
UPDATE 0841z: Our church bells are ringing.
UPDATE 1400z: A good service and parade that passed (thank goodness) without incident. It rained....again! Why does it always seem to rain on Coronations?! I am old enough to remember the last coronation in 1953 and crowding around a tiny, snowy, picture on a black and white TV in a neighbour's house.
In the last 2 days, my 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz has been spotted by 2 Gs. I have not managed any Es yet, but I expect this will soon change. So, I plan to go on QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz (TX first) with a DF of about 1950 Hz.
Assuming the storm risk has passed, I intend to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 after lunch. I usually TX with 2.5W about 1950 Hz high in the first period. I should be on by about 1130z. At 1142z, I turned on my 8m QRP FT8.
UPDATE 1425z: No spots yet.
UPDATE 1527z: After an interruption because of a thunderstorm, I am now back on again.
UPDATE 1535z: Still no spots.
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| Just 1 spot by G7PUA/A |
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| The storms seem to have passed at 1819z |
We are just having a passing thunder storm.
Although the chances of a direct strike are low (thankfully) in the UK, passing storms can cause power surges that can damage equipment.
I am no expert on thunder and lightning, but I know from others that it should always be treated with respect. Whenever there is a risk, I disconnect mains plugs and antennas "just in case". Opinions vary on what to do, but leaving things connected only works if your lightning protection is very good. Most of us have very poor protection.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .
My intermittent coax plug has been fixed and now on 10m FT8 with the FT817ND at 2.5W. So far spotted by just 1 G station, but spotting stations across the world on RX.
UPDATE 0944z: 12 stations have spotted my 2.5W and 67 stations spotted here.
UPDATE 1000z: Thunder stopped play! All disconnected. See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .
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| 160m FT8 QRP TX |
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| 160m FT8 RX |
Very late in the day, I decided to switch from 8m to 10m FT8. Just a couple of spots of my 2.5W from the FT817ND. I also discovered that my 10m coax antenna plug is intermittent. This needs investigation. Quite a few stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1803z: 4 spots of my 2.5W with the furthermost 9G5AF (5189km).
These rallies have been notified to me. I do not have contact details, but advise checking with the organisers first if intending to travel a long way.
Sunday May 7th - Dartmoor Radio Rally, Yelverton, PL20 6AL
Sunday May 7th - Hamfest Rally,Thorpe Camp Visitor's Centre. No postcode given.
Earlier. I got my first 8m FT8 report for a while. This was Martin's SDR at WESSEXSDR (265km) at a respectable - 17dB S/N.
See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .
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| Spots of my QRP FT8 on 160m with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground last evening |
There is no way I would be climbing through narrow, dark, wet tunnels deep underground, but I have always been fascinated by underground c...
