Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

24 Sept 2023

QSYed to QRP 8m FT8

Even though my chances are small, I have QSYed to 40.680 MHz FT8. At this time of year Es openings are possible, but rare. Aircraft reflection is possible, as I suppose are random MS and tropo. I live in hope! F2 is unlikely at this time of year with my low power.

UPDATE 1829z: No spots. I see there are 3 stations in Belgium on. I hope I can get spotted by one or spot them.

UPDATE 1833z: QRT soon on 8m after a hopeless day!

CQWW contests

Today is the CQWW RTTY contest. The SSB contest (the biggest in the world) is at the end of October and the CW contest at the end of November.

As my voice is poor, I do not get the same pleasure I used to get in the SSB contest. Also, I frequently forget!

Even if you are not a great contest fan (I am not!), it is a great opportunity to work some more countries. Exchange is, I think, report and CQ zone if you are outside of the USA. For example, if in the UK, 5914. Of course, there is no need to submit a contest entry. I have never submitted an entry to CQWW.

HF MUF

Recently, I was made aware of this website. As the MUF is creeping up, it is worth a regular look. It may give a clue to possible 8m and 6m F2 openings.

See https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/5 - this gives the MUF for vertical incidence.

10m QRP WSPR TX

My 500mW WSPR beacon was turned on about 0800z. So far, spots from the Canary Is.. I presume this is F2.

UPDATE 1048z: Still just the spots from the Canaries.

UPDATE 1835z: The usual USA stations spotted me, but going QRT very soon.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical was turned on at about 0800z. No spots yet. If things look promising, I may try 8m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 0849z: So far, spots of my QRP from 4 UK stations. I suspect some are by aircraft reflection with the furthermost GW4VXE (367km),

630m WSPR RX overnight

Once again I stayed on 630m WSPR RX overnight with the earth-electrode antenna in the ground. No further stations were spotted on RX overnight proving it is not worth staying on after midnight.

The shack some years ago

This was one of my Facebook memories today. It shows my shack 11 years ago.

Sunspots - Sunday September 24th 2023

Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 198 (I think this is the highest level this cycle. A=10 and K=0.

23 Sept 2023

630m WSPR RX (Saturday)

For the last few evenings I have been monitoring 630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX. After about 10 minutes, G1GKN (54km) and DC0DX (467km) were spotted. Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

As Colin G6AVK suggests, I must try to find out what is wrong with my 472 kHz transverter and get back on TX.

UPDATE 1947z: SM6NOC (1056km) spotted. This is my furthermost so far and the first over 1000km.

UPDATE 2036z: 4 stations spotted.

Autumn cyclamen - NOT amateur radio

These were at nearby Anglesey Abbey earlier this week. In every season, there is something to see.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)

My QRP W5OLF beacon was on all night. Clearly there is F2 propagation with several spots from the Canary Is.

UPDATE 1037z: Still just spots from the Canary Is..

UPDATE 1121z: Still just spots from the Canary Is.. At the peak these were -5dB S/N (27dB in hand when running 500mW) suggesting just uW would have been sufficient assuming a low local noise floor.

UPDATE 1652z: 20 stations have spotted me including 4 reports from Antarctica.

UPDATE 1744z: 22 stations have spotted me. Clearly there is E-W F2 to the USA.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Although I have been on for about 15 minutes, no spots have appeared on PSKreporter. I rechecked frequency, time sync and restarted WSJT-X. The internet connection works fine.

Either PSKreporter has a long delay, or is not working as there are plenty of monitors that usually spot me that are within range.

UPDATE 0920z: Darn Windows updates! Since doing the updates, I am being spotted. It is almost as if until the update was done, no spots could be seen. On my Chromebook, updates are done seemlessly, which is far better.

UPDATE 0950z: 3 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 with the furthermost DL3BUA (939km) near the Polish border. There is still life on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1034z: Still just those 3 spots of me on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1150z: Now 4 spots including G8EEM (208km).

UPDATE 1206z: 4 spots of others on RX with the furthermost OZ8R (819km).

630m WSPR overnight

My RX was on overnight, but just the 4 stations spotted in the evening copied. It is not worth staying on overnight.

Sunspots - Saturday September 23rd 2023

Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 184. A=10 and K=2.

22 Sept 2023

630m WSPR RX (Friday)

Once again I am trying 630m WSPR RX with my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. The stations so far copied are shown on the map.

UPDATE 2115z: The impression I am getting is that there are a few keen operators, but perhaps fewer than in previous seasons. I am wondering if I should get on 630m WSPR TX .....or not.

Too quick - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken about 9 years ago. It shows one of my grandsons collecting conkers. These are on our kitchen table.

At the time you think they will be little for a long time. A blink and they are teenagers! Moral? Enjoy every moment.

Cambridge without the students - NOT amateur radio

This time of year can be quiet in Cambridge. There are fewer visitors and the university students have not yet returned.

This photo was taken in Cambridge earlier.

10m QRP WSPR TX

As I am on 8m FT8, I can use my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon at the same time.

UPDATE 1635z: 25 spots of my QRP this afternoon. See map.

8m QRP FT8

As 10m FT8 was good, I have QSYed to 8m FT8. So far, no spots with my 2.5W and dipole.

UPDATE 1554z: S50B (1220km) has spotted me and I have spotted him. There is still life on 8m FT8.

10m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 10m FT8 QRP gear was turned on at about 0700z. I have already spotted FR1GZ but I have yet to be spotted outside Europe with 2.5W.

UPDATE 0754z: 15 stations have spotted me with the furthermost FR1GZ (9719km).

UPDATE 1412z: My 2.5W was widely spotted today. See map.

Plans for today

As 8m is not too promising, I shall try 10m FT8 QRP today. If conditions buck up, I may try 8m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR TX with the beacon.

Paul Tillich - NOT amateur radio

Many years ago, I read a book by the German theologian Paul Tillich. The book was entitled "The Shaking of the Foundations". I think it was written about 1950. Paul Tillich was no saint. According to a biography by his wife, he had human weaknesses like us all. In some ways this makes what I read even more powerful.

I am not a deeply religious person, but somehow this rang true to me.

"Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness. It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life. It strikes us when we feel that our separation is deeper than usual, because we have violated another life, a life which we loved, or from which we were estranged. It strikes us when our disgust for our own being, our indifference, our weakness, our hostility, and our lack of direction and composure have become intolerable to us. It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection of life does not appear, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage. Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: "You are accepted. You are accepted, accepted by that which is greater than you, and the name of which you do not know. Do not ask for the name now; perhaps you will find it later. Do not try to do anything now; perhaps later you will do much. Do not seek for anything; do not perform anything; do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted!" If that happens to us, we experience grace. After such an experience we may not be better than before, and we may not believe more than before. But everything is transformed. In that moment, grace conquers sin, and reconciliation bridges the gulf of estrangement. And nothing is demanded of this experience, no religious or moral or intellectual presupposition, nothing but acceptance.

In the light of this grace we perceive the power of grace in our relation to others and to ourselves. We experience the grace of being able to look frankly into the eyes of another, the miraculous grace of reunion of life with life. We experience the grace of understanding each other's words. We understand not merely the literal meaning of the words, but also that which lies behind them, even when they are harsh or angry. For even then there is a longing to break through the walls of separation. We experience the grace of being able to accept the life of another, even if it be hostile and harmful to us, for, through grace, we know that it belongs to the same Ground to which we belong, and by which we have been accepted. We experience the grace which is able to overcome the tragic separation of the sexes, of the generations, of the nations, of the races, and even the utter strangeness between man and nature. Sometimes grace appears in all these separations to reunite us with those to whom we belong. For life belongs to life.

And in the light of this grace we perceive the power of grace in our relation to ourselves. We experience moments in which we accept ourselves, because we feel that we have been accepted by that which is greater than we. If only more such moments were given to us! For it is such moments that make us love our life, that make us accept ourselves, not in our goodness and self-complacency, but in our certainty of the eternal meaning of our life. We cannot force ourselves to accept ourselves. We cannot compel anyone to accept himself. But sometimes it happens that we receive the power to say "yes" to ourselves, that peace enters into us and makes us whole, that self-hate and self-contempt disappear, and that our self is reunited with itself. Then we can say that grace has come upon us.

"Sin" and "grace" are strange words; but they are not strange things. We find them whenever we look into ourselves with searching eyes and longing hearts. They determine our life. They abound within us and in all of life. May grace more abound within us!"

See The Shaking of the Foundations.

630m WSPR last evening

Overall, 4 stations were spotted last evening. It seems staying on after midnight is pointless. This was the same before. The best time would seem to be mid evening.

Sunspots - Friday September 22nd 2023

Solar flux is 168 and the SSN 159. A=10 and K=2.

21 Sept 2023

UK Prime Minister on climate change targets - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, the UK Prime Minister announced that some climate change targets were being pushed back 5 years. With high interest rates and high cost of living costs, many are struggling. However, I think this is a backward step. It is true that some technologies are not yet there. Storage of renewable energy and cheaper (non-lithium) batteries for electric cars come to mind. As far as I know there was nothing on home insulation that would reduce costs with any fuels.

If the UK is to lead in renewable energy, this needs serious investment, not pandering to Tory backbenchers and fossil fuel companies.

Before this is likely to be a serious issue, I shall be dead. However my children and their children will suffer the consequences. Better renewable energy storage, solid state batteries and better ranges on cheaper electric cars are all likely. Carbon capture may help.

Overall, I am disappointed. There is so much more that can be done. Make no mistake, this really is an existential threat to the whole human race. We ignore this at our peril.

Hopefully, technology will help and there will be a mass transition away from fossil fuels, but this is far from certain.

Upcoming rallies

The following rallies are due. I always advise contacting to check details are correct. All are on Sunday September 24th (Sunday coming).

Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hangar Sale, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Contact coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk.
Bury St Edmunds Radio Rally, Roughham Tower, IP32 7QB. Contact rally2023@Bsears.co.uk .
Weston Super Mare Radio Society 8th Radio and Electronics Rally, Worle, BS24 7DX. Contact westonradiosociety@gmail.com .
Biggleswade Swap-meet and auction (BVWS), Biggleswade, SG18 8JH . Contact Jezzer3@hotmail.com .

What IS it? - NOT amateur radio

This soft and squishy blob about 6cm across appeared on our drive this morning. I have no idea what it is. I said to my wife that if little green men appear tell them we are friendly.

I am sure there is a much more rational answer.

472 kHz WSPR

This autumn, I intend to try 472 kHz WSPR again. I had a problem last season which prevented me TXing. Once again I shall be using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Probably RX only at first to check activity. I might try RX only tonight.

UPDATE 1925z: When using the shack PC WSPRnet asked me to log in again and enter my password, which I cannot recall, so I am getting a new one. I may try 472 kHz WSPR RX tomorrow night instead.

UPDATE 1956z: It works! I had the wrong username (now corrected), so I am monitoring 472 kHz WSPR. So far, G1GKN (54km) spotted using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2013z: Furthermost on 472 kHz WSPR RX is DC0DX (467km).

UPDATE 2037z: 3 unique stations spotted so far this evening.

UPDATE 2130z: After late evening in previous years 472kHz WSPR has not been productive. As this is my first time on the band for some time, I may let the RX stay on overnight to see what is spotted.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

All morning I have been on 40.680 MHz FT8 with my 2.5W and dipole. At 1133z no spots on RX or TX.

UPDATE 1434z: Still no spots.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

Since about 0830z, my QRP 10m WSPR TX beacon has been on the air.

UPDATE 1130z: 4 stations have spotted me. The DX stations look like F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1952z: 10 stations spotted my 500mW WSPR beacon today with the furthermost in Antarctica.

Sunspots - Thursday September 21st 2023

Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 159. A=16 and K=2.

20 Sept 2023

1980s "shack"

Whilst trying to find something else, I came across this old photo of my radio gear. It must be about 1985. My shack was just a desk in our bedroom! The grey handheld is a 2m SSB MX2 and the CB radio was converted to 10m FM. The black vertical radio is a 2m ICOM IC202 used on 2m and 10m QRP via a homebrew 1W transverter.