Solar flux is 219 and the SSN 142. A=16 and K=1.
19 Jul 2023
18 Jul 2023
Medieval stained glass - NOT amateur radio
Low cost 10m FT8 RX
Mine was built ugly style, but worked well. It would make a great club project for a winter evening on a PCB. It would surprise me if it cost you more than a few cups of coffee out.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx.
Lunch companion - NOT amateur radio
We had a companion for lunch: a robin that came to our table and, at times, was just a few inches away. I am sure it would have eaten out of my hand given more time. As it was, it had some of my wife's cheese scone when she was not looking!
6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
My gear (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni) was turned on at 0741z. So far (at 0757z) just spots by 5 Gs and no Es. On 6m FT8 RX 3 Gs near Birmingham spotted.
UPDATE 0816z: Spotted a station in Ukraine on RX. He has also spotted me on QRP TX. Must be some Es about ,even though it did not look too great. See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/.
UPDATE 1126z: 24 spots of my 6m QRP FT8 and 21 stations have been spotted here on RX. Plenty of Es.
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| Stations spotting me at 1306z |
UK strikes - NOT amateur radio
As in many countries, the high rate of inflation, higher fuel costs and higher interest rates are fuelling a round of strikes by people who are finding the cost of living too high. I am not sure of the answer, but remember the painful days of high inflation in the last century.
17 Jul 2023
Oil and gas prices - NOT amateur radio
In recent months, these have fallen in the UK. There is a suspicion that prices rise like a rocket and fall like a feather here in the UK.
At its peak diesel was £199.9 a litre. It has since fallen about 50p. In some places it is even cheaper. I get the distinct impression all the reductions in wholesale prices are not being passed on. I am not sure who is trying to claw back profits lost during the pandemic, but somebody is!
For the hard pressed motorist or someone depending on gas or oil to heat their home, a full and quick reduction is needed, by law if necessary.
Most swifts still here - NOT amateur radio
Most swifts (birds) are still here. They usual start migrating south in late July or early August. Suddenly one realises the screaming of feeding parties high above has stopped.
See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .
6m QRP FT8 (Monday)
My system (2.5W and a vertical omni V2000) has been on since 0726z. So far spotted by 2 stations in East Anglia on TX and I have spotted 1 station in Devon on RX. No Es.
UPDATE 1008z: 8 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP (including Portugal and Italy) and 2 stations have been spotted on RX (one by Es).
UPDATE 1212z: 23 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP today. |
| Stations spotting me at 1253z |
UPDATE 1722z: 29 stations have spotted me today on 6m QRP FT8.
Plans for Monday
Later, I expect to go on 6m QRP FT8 again. On recent days, there has been some good Es on 6m . I have yet to see how European Es is shaping up.
UPDATE 0712z: It is quite early, but early indications are that European Es is not as great as yesterday. Things may well change.
VLF earth mode experiments in 2011
Some years before my stroke, I was out doing earth mode experiments at VLF. This was 2011.
Oscar 100 narrowband activity
Every few weeks I take a peek to judge the activity level. My last look was mid afternoon in Europe on a Sunday, when activity is likely to be good. Yet again, there were few stations and plenty of space.
Judging by the activity levels, I cannot see another geosynchronous satellite happening soon. This underlines to me that the Amateur Radio Service is no longer about self training and research. Instead, most would appear to be "black box" operators. Getting on Oscar 100 is just too hard for most. Instead, many spend thousands on a rig, linear, tower and beam.
I can see the hobby dying out as many people age and no longer buy Japanese "black boxes". Maybe before 2040?
See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/
16 Jul 2023
UK politics - NOT amateur radio
The assumption is that the Labour party will win the next General Election and that the ruling Conservative party will be ousted. At the moment Labour enjoys a commanding lead.
In my view (often wrong!!) is it will be much closer in the end. Labour could even lose. It would not surprise me if the outcome is a hung parliament. Some years ago we all assumed the Labour party of Neil Kinnock would win. It did not.
12 months is a very long time in politics. The political landscape could rapidly change.
The leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, seems an honest man, but lacking in charisma. Maybe the UK public is looking for a man with integrity? What is really needed is an honest leader, with integrity and charisma. These are qualities that seem in short supply, not only in the UK.
QDX reviews
The place to look for reviews of amateur gear is eham.net. I was quite surprised to see that the QRP labs QDX, which is a tiny 5W digital transceiver was only 4.2 out of 5. In my estimation, it is a 5 out of 5. It is truly tiny and if FT8 or WSPR are your "thing", you really need nothing else. I must write a review.
Some people have had trouble with PAs blowing. In my case I have 5 3A diodes to drop the voltage and always use it with an antenna with a low SWR. I can see a problem with auto-ATUs which may present a bad match during tuning.
A 6m, 8m and 10m version would be good.
See https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=15155 .
UPDATE 0615z Monday: Review written.
Suffolk - NOT amateur radio
The Suffolk countryside is gentle and rolling. It may lack some of the hills and coastlines of some counties, but I like it.
"Life's a bitch and then you die" - NOT amateur radio
Not sure where this phrase originated. It must be good to have a strong faith.
Recently my cousin died of jaw cancer having lost his only daughter in the last year. His wife was so upset that she told nobody of the funeral and there were only 3 people there (her sister, niece and herself). She must feel so alone and bereft.
Nothing I can say will be able to make things better. Talk of a loving God and life everlasting seem hollow.
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
It is now 1105z and I have been on for about an hour. So far, my 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni has been spotted by 26 stations.
UPDATE 1340z: 29 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 28 stations with the furthermost EA8DBM (3016km). The Es would seem to be in the direction of Iberia (Spain and Portugal).
UPDATE 1600z: My signal has been spotted by 30 stations and I have spotted 33 here on RX.
European Es yesterday
Much of yesterday I was on 6m FT8. There was plenty of Es from all parts of the continent.
The peak months are May, June and July, although Es can occur at any time of the year.
With FT8, I suspect we will find out that many more openings occur than we were expecting. Only a 15 second TX burst is needed for the station to appear on PSKreporter. Also FT8 works with signals weaker than CW, so much weaker signals can be decoded. This alone is a good reason to stick with 6m outside the Es season.
15 Jul 2023
Super DX on VHF and above
Indications suggest the path could work on higher frequencies too. I have not been checking 6m FT8 until yesterday.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx
Lightning risks
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
UPDATE 0844z: 6 UK stations have spotted me. No Es here.
UPDATE 1040z: 21 stations have spotted me. There is Es about. Several stations now spotted on 6m FT8 RX.
Time to update the rig?
Back in 2012
This was a few years before my stroke. It shows me working on a new 472kHz transverter in the back of the garage in our old house.
14 Jul 2023
G3XBM Project Scrapbook - Issue 5
My free PDF "G3XBM Project Scrapbook" is now at issue 5. I hope to update all links to it.
If you spot errors, please tell me soon.
Pass it on - NOT amateur radio
This was one of my FaceBook memories from 2021. It means a lot to me. We are here for just a short time really.
6m QRP FT8 (Friday)
As my 8m antenna system is faulty, I am on 6m FT8 with 2.5W and the vertical omni V2000 antenna. The gear was turned on at 0850z. Already spotted by CT1IUA (1814km) in S.Portugal so there is some Es about.
UPDATE 0916z: Plenty of Es spots of my QRP from Portugal and Spain. Nothing yet on RX, which is surprising.UPDATE 0939z: Still the same 10 stations spotting my 2.5W on TX and just G3RIK (224km) spotted on RX. Disappointing on RX.
UPDATE 1045z: 5 UK stations spotted on RX and I have been spotted by 14 stations (G, CT and EA).
UPDATE 1321z: Still 14 stations spotting my 2.5W QRP FT8 and I have spotted 11 stations on RX. All these on RX were in the UK.
Old work colleagues - NOT amateur radio
13 Jul 2023
10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
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| Stations spotting my 2.5W FT8 at 1610z |
Rally on Sunday
The following has been notified to me. I always advise checking first.
Sunday July 16th - McMichael Radio Rally. No postcode given. Contact rally@radarc.org .
12 Jul 2023
10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
So far today (I have only been on for about 45 minutes) 21 unique stations have spotted me according to PSKreporter.
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