Experimenting

Ideally, you can build something, but experimentation does not have to mean building. As I have found out (the hard way!) there is still lots we can do in our great amateur radio hobby just by observing. 

Propagation is a great way to observe, whether it is on any band. Another is to try a new mode, maybe ATV or FT8. Perhaps try QRP or satellites.

What is so great about our hobby is that it can be enjoyed in so many ways. Some enjoy chasing DX whereas others just enjoy a good ragchew. I can only speak for myself by saying that my greatest fun was when I found out something new and challenging.

One thing I have learnt time and time again is there are no experts! Those who claim to be experts are often proved wrong, peddling myths they heard 40 years ago. Observe!!  Over the years I have found out several things myself. One of the joys is finding out yourself and not accepting conventional wisdom.

Two things stand out for me. One is I am convinced there is some sort of chordal hop E layer propagation. I have not (yet) seen this accepted. The other is how effective earth-electrode "antennas" in the ground can be. Over the last few years, these are being increasingly used by amateurs at MF, LF, VLF and ULF.

What myth are you going to disprove?

The future of amateur radio

This is a subject we have touched on many times. 

However, an increasing proportion of people in our hobby (the vast majority?) are getting very old and frail. Most are old men. We seem to have become (in the main) appliance operators where the main challenge seems to be the knobs on the latest and greatest product from Japan. Real researchers seem to be very much in the minority.

It is my firm view that national authorities will increasingly see the Amateur Radio Service as an unwanted burden. I can see the day coming when the Amateur Radio Service ceases. One possibility is that all non-licenced services are combined in some administrations. I cannot see the Amateur Radio Service existing beyond 2040. 

Already in the UK 3 dealers seem to have merged. The writing is on the wall....

Personally, I am not bothered as long as we have free access to interesting spectrum for research.

Magnet fishing - NOT amateur radio

 

Last week, our younger grandson went fishing with a magnet. Among the finds was a very old key. Just imagine the story it could tell. Was it just lost? Did someone throw it i? We shall never know.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 25th 2023

 Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 141. A=7 and K=1. 

Near Hathersage, Derbyshire - NOT amateur radio

This was the view out of the train window earlier. 

Sunspots - Monday July 24th 2023

Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 117. A=6 and K=1.

Loop antenna testing

This was 10 years ago at our old house when I was testing a loop antenna in the garden. The loop works surprisingly well. 

Russia and Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

 After all this time, I am completely puzzled why Russia is doing the damage it is on Ukraine. For many years to come the Ukrainian people will hate Russia, as will much of the world. Surely this is not productive. All this wanton destruction seems so pointless. Why don't we concentrate on real threats rather than waste all this money on destroying things?

JAs again on 6m

 Many Japanese stations are being worked (again) on 6m FT8. This is a case where ERP really does matter. Although I am being spotted by Es around Europe, I think high power and big, high beams are getting the DX contacts! 

At the moment, I am RX only on 6m FT8. I shall let the "grown-ups" have the fun, HI.

UPDATE 1003z: 107 stations spotted on 6m FT8 with the furthermost HL4GAV (8944km) in South Korea. Looking at his/her spots this looks genuine.

UPDATE 1212z: 150 stations spotted on 6m VHF FT8 today. I wonder who is chasing 6m DXCC 😆? In another month there will be almost nobody on 6m! Sorry, but I reckon the Amateur Radio Service, as we know it, will be gone by 2040.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Sunday)

My 500mW WSPR TX beacon has been on for a little while. Already 9 stations spotting me. Plenty of Es around.

UPDATE 0907z: 10 spots of me. Later in the Es season I detect a pattern. I seem to have more northerly spots. I am wondering if this is the traditional Es or something else? It happens every year on 10m. The co-incidence is odd.

UPDATE 1400z: 20 stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR with the furthermost PU5ALE (10191km) in Brazil.

How simple can you go?

This has been on before, but I make no excuses for posting it again. One of the challenges in amateur radio is to see how simple a complete transceiver can be made that really works. This is just one possibility. There must be many others. My main issue was adjusting the RX to be precisely on the TX frequency. Maybe you have some ideas?

UK politics - NOT amateur radio

In the UK a General Election, after which the next ruling government will be formed, is expected late 2024. The ruling Conservative party is expected to lose power. 

Sadly, the leading opposition party is led by Sir Keir Starmer. He seems an honest man, but rather lacks charisma. 

In my view, the outcome could well be closer than expected.

Near Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

This house was next to Ely Cathedral. I think it is either a cathedral office or linked to the King's School.

Sunday plans

Later this morning I expect to be on 6m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR TX. Sadly the SWR on my loop makes 8m TX tests unlikely, although I might try 8m FT8 RX later.

Sunspots - Sunday July 23rd 2023

 Solar flux is 174 and the SSN 103. A=8 and K=0.

Ely thistle - NOT amateur radio

This splendid thistle was in the Almonry Garden at Ely Cathedral last Tuesday.  You can just see Ely Cathedral behind.

OFCOM publications

This is just a reminder that OFCOM updates the data it holds on licences etc. every week. Check the OFCOM website for details. The latest versions of their publications are also there too.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

As mentioned before, my 8m antenna system is faulty and needs replacing. As an experiment I tried my V2000 vertical omni on 8m. The VSWR is over 3:1 so not really suitable. I gave a few transmissions but am currently on 40.680 MHz FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1144z:  I must mend my 8m antenna system!

UPDATE 1600z:  As an emergency measure I am using my indoor loop on 8m. The SWR is higher than I would want, so I am mostly on RX.

Amateur Radio Weekly newsletter

This comes as a free email newsletter. It is a good source of amateur radio data.

See https://hamweekly.com/ . 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

Since just after breakfast I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. At 1058z, 16 stations had spotted me.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Switched on the 6m QRP FT8 gear just after breakfast. Looks like there is Es, but no JAs spotted here although I see them being worked from Eastern Europe.

UPDATE 1130z:  64 stations have spotted my 2.5W 6m FT8 today.

Poldu, Cornwall

A few weeks ago some friends called at the Poldu radio museum. They mentioned that I used to work for Philips and the person there said he knew me. It was Terry who must have retired to Cornwall. Small world. 

Sunspots - Saturday July 22nd 2023

Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 121. A=13 and K=2. 

Bee patient - NOT amateur radio

This morning, I tried to take a photo of a bee on a thistle. I waited and waited, but the bee refused to make itself visible. In the end I gave up! The bee is the black blob in the right hand thistle. Well, I tried.

Spelling - NOT amateur radio

These days, I am finding spelling far harder. 

Years ago I would look at a word and know if it was wrong. It is as if my built-in spell check no longer works. Errors no longer stand out as wrong. Now, this may just be old age or yet another after effect of my 2013 stroke. 

Please, be patient. If I realise a word is wrong, I shall try to correct it.

Carpe diem (sieze the day) - NOT amateur radio

 The dictionary definition is:

"to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future"

I guess as we age, we have to make the most of the time we have.

10m QRP WSPR (Friday)

Having been on since 0750z, most of my 500mW 10m WSPR spots are from local G4KPX (14km). OH6BG (1718km) could be F2.

UPDATE 1205z:  There would appear to be Es on 10m with 10 spots of my 500mW WSPR even though the charts do not look to great. See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/.

Stations spotting me today
on 10m QRP WSPR

UPDATE 2124z:  9 stations have spotted me today.

JA spotted on 6m FT8 (again)

At this time of year Japan is regularly worked from Europe on 6m. This year was no exception. Even with my V2000 vertical, JA7QVI (9273km) was spotted here. I suspect my V2000 and 2.5W is not enough! So far, all my six 6m spots are of G stations working JAs. 

These openings are linked to the formation of noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx .

UPDATE 0951z:   8 spots of me so far, all Gs.

Stations spotted today
on 6m FT8 RX

UPDATE 2117z:   QRT soon.  25 stations spotted here.

Sunspots - Friday July 21st 2023

Solar flux is 183 and the SSN 131. A=10 and K=3.

Yaesu FT-710

This is a very good transceiver, scoring very highly on the Sherwood tests. However, I missed 2m and 70cm and found 4m a disappointment. In the end, I went back to the ICOM IC-705 that better matched my needs. 

It is my view that Yaesu has lost its way in the amateur radio market. They are capable of making some excellent products, but need to get a grip before it is too late. In my professional life, I saw signs. Yaesu has them all. Let's hope I am very very wrong. I like Yaesu.

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

European Es (Thursday)

As I write, it is 1508z. So far today, European Es has been almost non-existent. I caught a very brief 10m Es opening to the south of France just after lunch, but nothing else. Perhaps things will magically improve?

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

UPDATE 2120z:  QRT and no more Es.

Profound moment - NOT amateur radio

Some days ago I posted that my cousin had died of jaw cancer after his only child died in the last year. She died childless, so the widow is all alone.  

My faith was weak before, but this has had a profound effect on me. What faith I had has been shattered. I guess I am hoping for some sort of "eureka" moment, but right now it is hard to see anything good in this situation. 

One could be forgiven for thinking life can be cruel and random. I would like to see some good in this, but I cannot.

Rally on Sunday

Sunday July 23rd - Finningley ARC Car Boot Style rally. Sandtoft, Doncaster DN8 5SX. See http://www.g0ghk.com

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My gear (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna) was turned on at about 1324z. So far just spotted by 7 G stations with no Es.

Stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today

UPDATE 1923z:  What a pathetic day!  In the end I was just spotted by 8 G stations with no Es.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on about 1324z. So far, no spots.

UPDATE 1925z:  Just 3 spots by F1JSC (1010km) alone. Today has been very poor for Es in Europe.

Cambridge by bus - NOT amateur radio

One of the benefits of being old is you get a free bus pass. It is now quicker to get into Cambridge by bus than driving and taking the "park and ride" bus. 

Also, one of the John Lewis rewards this month is 2 free hot drinks. 

So later were are off to Cambridge by bus (free) and 2 cups of coffee (free) . And the weather looks good.

Sunspots - Thursday July 20th 2023

 Solar flux is 189 and the SSN 141. A=5 and K=1.

Fordham Abbey - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we visited the Japanese garden at nearby Fordham Abbey with our village history society. It was very good. They make Saki there which is a Japanese rice wine.

See https://fordhamabbey.co.uk/. 

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

I keep forgetting that I can use my 10m W5OLF 500mW TX WSPR beacon if the 10m antenna is not in use. At the moment just G4KPX (14km) spotting me. At least I know I am getting out!

UPDATE 2002z:   8 unique stations have spotted me today.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

As my 8m system is currently out of action, I am again on 6m FT8. So far today  14 stations have spotted using my 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna with the furthermost US2YW (1864km) in Ukraine. On 6m FT8 RX 4 stations spotted. There would appear to be far more people monitoring 6m than actually TXing.

UPDATE 2007z:   25 stations spotted my 2.5W QRP FT8 today.