Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

4 Jun 2023

Trondheim, Norway - NOT amateur radio

For about 10 years now I have done the 365project. Every day we post a photo.

This photo was posted by someone who lives (I think) in Norway. It is interesting to see how people use 365project. My wife and I use it as a visual diary, whereas some use it to show their photographic prowess. We would never win on that count!

Tomorrow 10m FT8 QRP

In view of the (low) activity levels on 8m this Es season, I propose to concentrate instead on 10m QRP FT8 using my little QDX transceiver.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on before breakfast. It is now 0848z. Just a single spot (quite strong too) from HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

There appear to be fewer active stations on 8m this Es season. I was hoping for more, not fewer. With this year probably seeing the peak of the current solar cycle this is very disappointing! Where are all the experimenters? Perhaps people prefer discussing vegetables on 80m with commercial gear!

UPDATE 1414z: Just HC02 (Portugal) and SR4BBX (1217km) have spotted my 8m QRP FT8 today. Just G3WCS spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1539z: It is extremely unusual to see 8m FT8 reports from new stations, bringing into question why I should continue with my experiment. My experiment was to see how useful QRP and simple antennas could be on 8m. I think I have already proved that and only with reports from newcomers will I learn more. So, unless I see significant interest from others it is unlikely that I shall spend as much time on 8m in the future. Results were more interesting in the last Es season.

Stations spotted on 8m RX today

Stations spotting my 8m FT8 QRP today

UPDATE 1814z: Just 2 spots all day on 8m QRP FT8. On RX 3 stations spotted, although I suspect the EA is illegal.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

My 500mW W5OLF WSPR beacon on 10m has been on since before breakfast. It is now 0836z and, so far, 8 spots of me. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of Es around yet.

UPDATE 1438z: 31 spots of me so far today with the furthermost FR1GZ (9724km).

UPDATE 1846z: 50 spots of me today. More Es later.

Village garden - NOT amateur radio

This is a garden in our village. It is good seeing all the wild plants. Years ago, it was a pub.

European Es

It is now 0554z, so it is too early to tell how Es will be in Europe today. Assuming it is good, my plan is QRP 8m FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR TX.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Sunspots - Sunday June 4th 2023

Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 112. A=5 and K=2.

3 Jun 2023

The dangers of AI

There is little doubt that the power of artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful force for good allowing huge quantities of data to be analyzed quickly and accurately. An example is analyzing x-rays for tumours.

At the same time AI could also be our downfall. As the knowledge warned today it could also be our downfall.

"The truth is that it’s “already too late” for any meaningful pause in AI development, says Iain Martin The Times. As with the creation of the nuclear bomb in the 1940s, the pressing question is whether democracies or dictatorships get there first. If the West and its allies fail, we will be at the mercy of autocrats who can swarm us with thousands of lethal drones, or deploy sophisticated programmes which “relentlessly search for weaknesses through which to launch cyber attacks and shut down our financial systems”. This is a race “we have to win”. "

This is quote from The Knowledge today.

Wicken Fen walk - NOT amateur radio

My wife made this collage of our walk this morning to Wicken Fen. The round trip is about 1.5 hours with a break for a coffee and snack at the cafe at Wicken Fen.

Geese with young - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we went for a nice walk to nearby Wicken Fen. Until we got home and put the photos on the PC I had not noticed the young. The photo was taken through a zoom lens.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Since early this morning, I have been on 8m FT8. At 1247z, no spots.

Media fascism

In the UK media for several days a headline has been about an ITV presenter, who happens to be gay. The lives of him and his family have been a total hell. On the BBC news it has been the very first item. Had it been a heterosexual affair nobody would care.

In my view this is despicable. He and his family should be left alone.

As far as we know, he had done nothing wrong or newsworthy. Just leave him alone and get off his back.

In my view, this is journalism of the very worst kind: superficial and gratuitous gossip. BBC, get back to real news please!!!

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)

Certainly this morning, Es has not been very good.

UPDATE 1645z: 10 stations have spotted me today. Not a lot of Es.

Sunspots - Saturday June 3rd 2023

Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 147. A=5 and K=1.

2 Jun 2023

OFCOM publications

A reminder that OFCOM updates the publications it holds on the statistics on licences and similar.

Our local shop - NOT amateur radio

This is our local co-op shop where we do most of our convenience shopping. It is about 400m away. Most of our food shopping is done in Newmarket about 6km away.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Friday)

32 stations have spotted me today (at 1705z).

8m FT8 QRP (Friday)

On 8m QRP FT8 all day. So far, 2 stations have spotted me and I have spotted one station HC02 (1808km) and SR4BBX (1217km).

European Es (Friday)

Things look much quieter for European Es this morning. My plan is to go on 8m FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR TX.

Rally this weekend

The following rally has been notified to me. It is always advisable to check first.

Sunday June 4th - Spalding Radio Rally, Holbeach, Lincs, PE12 7PR. Contact Graham on rally2023@sdars.org.uk

Sunspots - Friday June 2nd 2023

Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 143. A=13 and K=2.

1 Jun 2023

Invasions - NOT amateur radio

In the last year, we have all seen the invasion of a sovereign nation by its bigger neighbour.

In the past this has occurred on many occasions. In my view, invading another country is wholly wrong. In the past, Great Britain has been guilty too.

We have to try to understand the context of a dispute. Often we are fed a line which is only partially correct or not the whole story.

In no way is this an excuse for any country to walk into, or terrorise, another.

In my view the Russian "special operation" in Ukraine is despicable in the 21st century.

8m 2W WSPR (Thursday)

Currently, I am on 40.680 MHz WSPR (TX 20%, DF 1560 Hz, 2W). It is now 0958z. No spots.

UPDATE 1133z: Just 2 spots by HC02 (1808km) in southern Portugal.

UPDATE 1100z: Another (weaker) spot by HC02.

Spots of my 8m QRP WSPR today by HC02

UPDATE 1904z: Plenty of spots of me by HC02 (1808km) today. Some suggest even ISM power levels (10mW ERP in the UK) would have been copied.

The next solar peak

According to the latest update to my favourite site for solar data, the next sunspot maximum is still shown as December 2023 with a smoothed number of 142.5. This makes it a very short time since the minimum. The information was updated today.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

It is only now 0930z and already I have been spotted by 41 unique stations! Incredible Es conditions today.

UPDATE 1003z: Already an incredible 57 spots of my QRP 10m WSPR. At the moment, this looks like the best day this Es season.

UPDATE 1936z: An incredible 65 unique station spots of me. I think today I have received more spots on 10m than I can ever recall. QRT now.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

This morning, I turned on my 2.5W 8m FT8 earlier than usual at about 0650z. It is now 0819z and already there are spots from 4 countries. A very good start to the day.

Sunspots - Thursday June 1st 2023

Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 147. A=10 and K=2.

31 May 2023

10mW ERP on 8m WSPR without a licence?

Today alone, I have had several reports on 10m WSPR that suggest 10mW ERP at ranges around 3000km would be copied.

I am convinced following emails from OFCOM that, as long as ISM rules are carefully followed, a licence is NOT needed to run a beacon in the 40.66-40.70 MHz ISM band in the UK. This could well be true in other countries too. In the UK this means 10mW ERP. It is my firm belief that such beacons, would be received at great range. It is a great pity more people are not trying this.

This is NOT the Amateur Radio Service. It is ISM.

10m FT8 RX on the cheap

This has definitely been on before, but as we approach sunspot maximum (and beyond) a timely reminder is in order.

This works remarkably well and can be made very inexpensively, yet will bring in stations across the world most days. It may be built "dead bug" or, if you are really keen, as a simple PCB. As I have said before, it would make a great club project on a PCB. The circuit is simple, so a single sided PCB should be straightforward. It means the "big rig" is free yet 10m FT8 may be monitored.

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

Bots? - NOT amateur radio

Already I have had more than 3 times the number of visits to this site than yesterday. My posts are as boring as ever, so I think this must be bots probing.

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

This is where I lived as a young child.

Funny how we just took it all for granted.

It is now the most expensive resort in the UK. Salcombe.

Cambridge Store - NOT amateur radio

Many overseas visitors are fascinated to see what is on sale in UK shops. This was the fruit section of a Cambridge shop last week.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)

Gear turned on about 0845z. At 0905z, no spots.

UPDATE 2112z: Today, 23 unique stations have spotted me. QRT shortly.

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear on 40.680 MHz FT8 (TX 1st, DF about 1950Hz) was turned on about 0845z. Unsurprisingly, no spots at 0856z.

UPDATE 1426z: I am told by HC02 (1808km) that I appeared briefly in Southern Portugal but this did not appear on PSKreporter. On RX the only spot is of 9A3TN (1481km).

UPDATE 1750z: HC02 has spotted me again this evening. His report is now on PSKreporter. Also spotted (just!!) by SR4BBX (1217km) in Poland.