Yaesu curtains?

For several years I have been worried about Yaesu. At the Dayton Hamvention 2023, I was hoping they would announce a new SDR QRP radio to replace the FT817/818. They have the technology.  Sadly, nothing HF was announced just, yet another, VHF/UHF mobile.

Since the early 1970s, I have been a real Yaesu fan. Many Yaesu radios have been bought over the years. At the present time I have 4 Yaesu rigs.  In my view, they have blown their last chance.

In my view Yaesu will quit the amateur radio market in the next few years. I hope I am wrong.

10m 1mW QRPP WSPR (Saturday)

 The lowest power I can run with WSJT-X is 1mW, so that is what I am running now. No spots yet at 1mW.

UPDATE 1230z:  DK6UG (633km) has spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR 4 times already. At best he was getting me at -6dB S/N.

UPDATE 1736z: 5 stations have spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR with the furthermost EA8/DF4UE (2876km). 5mW now seems like high power!

UPDATE 2020z:  8 stations spotted my 1mW 10m WSPR, which was better than I expected. Amazing.

10m QRPP WSPR: 5mW (Saturday)

My 10m WSPR is on 40% TX at just 5mW with the attenuator as close as possible to the TX. This also means the 20dB pad is also in line on RX.

How is it going? On TX, 4 unique stations have spotted me (one report is so strong I could certainly be copied at low microwatts!!).  On RX, even with the 20dB pad, I have spotted 10 stations already after about 30 minutes!

I am tempted to try FT8!

UPDATE 1115z:  I have another 10dB attenuation I could add. Tempted to try 500uW TX WSPR just for fun!

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Today, I had every intention of not going on 8m at all. 

Instead I was going to make an attenuator for 10m WSPR and concentrate on that. However, I am currently on 8m FT8 TX using my usual 2.5W. I have been on since about 0855z, ad already been spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

UPDATE 1040z:  On 8m FT8 TX, spotted by 4 stations. On 8m FT8 RX 2 stations spotted.

OFCOM publications

 Just a reminder that OFCOM updates the records it holds on licences and similar matters every week.

Saturday plans

If the Es looks encouraging today, I hope to try mW 10m WSPR TX. This means adding attenuation very close to the transceiver. 

Sunspots - Saturday June 10th 2023

 Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 152. A=4 and K=1. 

Rallies this weekend

The following have been notified to me, but do check first  if the details are correct.

Sat June 10th - Rochdale and Ditrict Amateur Radio Summer ally, Norden, Rochdal, OL12 7QR. No contact details.

Sun June 11th -Mendips Rally. Farrington Gurnesy, BS39 6TY. Contact mendipsrally@hotmail.com

Sun June 11th - Junction 28 Radio Rally, Alfeton, DE55 7BD. Contact secretary@snadarc.com

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw these orchids this morning in a meadow near Cambridge. When we went last year, they were dead.

Sunspot peak in November?

 I had not noticed but the solar peak is again shown as November this year. We will see. 

Es so far

We are about half way through the Es season in the northern hemisphere. Although there have been some good openings at times, the impression I have is that overall things have been below average. 

8m FT8 (Friday)

 Although I have been on 8m FT8 since before breakfast, no spots. 

UPDATE 1124z: Just spotted by EA3ERE (1153km).

UPDATE 1552z:  4 unique station spots including a new one G3WCS (223km) in north west England. Is this some kind of back scatter? It is too close for Es and the report is far better than I would expect for tropo. It also looks too weak for aircraft scatter. Nothing from Hugh HC02 today in Portugal. If open to him, he is a very reliable reporter.

UPDATE 1905z:  Best day ever on 8m with spots by 9 unique stations as the map shows. Not bad for 2.5W FT8 to a low dipole.

10m 500mW WSPR (Friday)

Spots of me to 1420z

Before breakfast my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. So far 6 spots. These look like a mix of F2 and Es spots. Tomorrow I intend to do some QRPP tests on 10m WSPR TX. 

UPDATE 1420z: 18 spots pf me so far with the furthermost F61695 (9729km) (see table).

UPDATE 1641z:  25 spots of me so far on 10m QRP WSPR today. Several of these would have copied me at low mW level with a quiet noise floor.

UPDATE 2036z:  55 unique station spots of me today. QRT soon. Quite a decent day.

Sunspots - Friday June 9th 2023

Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 149. A=5 and K=1.

Fancy car - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went for a walk. On the way we saw this car with metallic paint. It looked different colours from different angles. Very flashy.....and no doubt expensive.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 My 8m gear (2.5W to a low dipole) has been on since just before breakfast, but no spots.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon has been on 10m QRP WSPR TX since just breakfast. So far, F2 in evidence but not Es. 5 unique stations spotting me so far.

Sunspots - Thursday June 8th 2023

Solar flux is 167 and the SSN 177. A=5 and K=1. 

2m FT8 activity contest

Stations spotted on
2m FT8 to 2000z

There is a lift on 2m!  

There is an FT8 activity contest at the moment and 126 stations spotted on RX and my 2.5W to the omni has been widely copied.

UPDATE 2136z:  181 stations spotted. QRT.

Haircut time - NOT amateur radio

We have a long laurel hedge about 25m long. Every year it gets cut.  I have done the top and my son will do the sides in a few weeks. 

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

Gear turned on at 0853z. No spots.

UPDATE 1326z: Just spots by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

UPDATE 1800z:  3 stations have spotted me on 8m QRP FT8. Most Es openings this year seem to be towards Iberia.

UPDATE 2020z:  QRT.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

 My W5OLF beacon was turned on at 0853z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1148z: 30 stations have spotted me so far today. Although I know some Es signals can be strong, some reports are amazingly strong. Later this week I might try the FT817ND with an attenuator right on the output to see who still copies me at low miliwatts. I could also do this on 8m WSPR.

UPDATE 1329z:   33 stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today.

UPDATE  1810z: 36 stations have spotted me today with the furthermost PT2FHC (8860km) in Brazil.

UPDATE 2020z:  QRT about an hour ago.

European Es (Wednesday)

Early indications are that European Es is not as good as yesterday, but this can rapidly change. My current plans are 10m 500mW WSPR TX and 8m QRP FT8.

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

2m activity contest last evening

Last evening was the June 2023 2m activity contest (UKAC). 

Conditions were well up, but I found it very hard work with my 2.5W to the big-wheel omni. I guess this is a combination of several factors.  Firstly, my low ERP is obviously a handicap with stronger signals being copied over me. Secondly, I have a very poor voice, not cut out to "outshout" others. Thirdly, I have no compressor, so my signal lacks punch. 

In the end 6 stations were worked before I gave up. These days, I find FT8 easier as I do not need to "outshout" other stations. To be honest, I am no longer attracted to VHF/UHF voice contests.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 7th 2023

 Solar flux is 172 and the SSN 133.  A=7 and K=1.

Friedrichshafen - mid June

This is the biggest gathering in Europe for radio amateurs. It attracts amateurs from a wide range of countries. I still keep hoping Yaesu will announce a new QRP SDR radio to replace the FT817. I suspect they will not, alas. In my view they have "missed the boat"....yet again. Personally, I fear Yaesu will leave the amateur radio market shortly. They could well be joined by others.

 "Times, they are a changing".

See https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/ .

The Knowledge newsletter - NOT amateur radio

This has been on before, but I make no apology as I find it so good. 

This comes free by email every day and is a digest of news from across the world's press. It usually takes about 5 minutes to read and seems pretty unbiased.  If you do not want to buy a newspaper or do not have time to read one, I strongly recommend it.

See https://www.theknowledge.com/ .

Shopping - NOT amateur radio

Most weeks we go about 12 miles on the bus into Cambridge. As we are old (!) we have free bus pass, so the journey is totally free. It is also as fast as taking our car. It is a pleasurable ride too.

Like most men, I hate clothes shopping. Instead I had a coffee whilst my wife did the spending!

OXO QRP TX

This circuit was originated by GM3OXX, hence the name. It has become a classic circuit. It produces about 1W CW. It has been built by many people in many forms and is very easy to replicate. You just need to add a low pass filter for your chosen band. I have used it to 10m.   This schematic was on the G3PTO website many years ago.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Tuesday)

Once again I am on 10m WSPR with my 500mW beacon. It is now 0820z and, so far,  20 stations spotted. Some are F2 and some Es. A very promising start.

UPDATE 1449z:  52 unique stations have spotted my 500mW today so far. Pretty encouraging.

UPDATE 2052z:  54 stations spotted today. Some would have copied me with just microwatts given a quiet noise floor.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

As the Es looks promising, I am again on 40.680 MHz FT8 (TX 1st, DF about 1950 Hz).  No spots yet.

UPDATE 1452z:   My 2.5W 8m FT8 spotted by 5 unique stations so far.

OFCOM and my requested 8m T&I licence changes

I sent an email to Dave Parsons at OFCOM, who has always been quick and helpful. Within 24 hours he came back to me for some clarification. Hopefully, he will unblock things. He is one of the better people there.

UPDATE 1333z:  Just a day after contacting Dave, my licence has been amended so I can run 20W if I need/want to on 8m.

Sunspots - Tuesday June 6th 2023

Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 151. A=5 and K=2.

Yaesu FT-710 versus ICOM IC-705

My IC-705 was traded in some months ago for the Yaesu FT-710. Both are excellent radios and I have enjoyed them both. The FT-710 has 4m but no 2m or 70cm. The FT-710 also has an auto ATU which I find quite useful. The FT-710 is a 100W  radio whereas the IC-705 is a 10W radio (5W with the attached battery). As a QRPer, 10W was more than enough for me.

I was hoping that Yaesu would announce a new QRP SDR transceiver at Dayton as a proper replacement to the FT817. Sadly, no such product was announced. Had one been announced, I might have traded it for the FT-710.

In my view amateur radio is at a crossroads. In many countries, amateur radio appeals mainly to older males. As these age, fewer new rigs will be sold and magazines will lose advertising revenue from dealers. Some will get smaller, less frequent, or close. In my view, several larger manufacturers will leave the amateur radio market as they will be unable to make profits. My prediction in the UK is that amateur radio will cease to be a service supported by OFCOM. I can see (not many years ahead) when CB, ISM and amateur radio will all become a "free for all" as these generate no income and are unnecessary hassle. The watchwords will be "no interference".

European Es today (Monday)

 At the start of today, I had great hopes for Es in Europe. Sadly, certainly at the moment, things are not looking too great.  Hopefully things will get better.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/8m-40mhz-spot-band/ .

Multiple lives - NOT amateur radio

We are used to thinking of time flowing from the past into the future and experiencing just one life from cradle to grave. 

However, we are only aware of one life, which is the one experienced now. It is equally possible that we could have been born on a different planet at a different time. We could have multiple lives, not one.

All we know is things are far beyond our imaginations. We are just humans with limited brain power.

Poplar fluff? - NOT amateur radio

My wife took this photo on a recent walk. It looks like poplar fluff, although I am no expert! On the ground it looks a bit like snow.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)

Been on 10m WSPR TX since before breakfast. It is now 0958z and, so far, 12 unique stations have spotted me.  These are the usual suspects.

UPDATE 2057z: 50 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today.

8m QRP FT8 ( Monday)

As the Es looks encouraging today, I have stuck with 8m QRP FT8. Already spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. 

UPDATE 1749z:   4 stations have spotted me. Better than I was expecting, especially as 2 of these were new reporters.

Sunspots - Monday June 5th 2023

 Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 110. A=6 and K=1.