Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 179. A=32 and K=4.
27 Sept 2023
26 Sept 2023
630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX (Tuesday)
At about 2015z, I QSYed to 630m WSPR RX with my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far (at 2027z) just G1GKN (54km) and DC0DX (467km) spotted.
DC0DX is stronger than I have ever spotted him so far this autumn.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Tuesday)
UPDATE 2020z: 10 stations have spotted me. Now QSYed to 630m WSPR RX.
8m in a few years?
OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC seem to be dead against allocating even a tiny, low power, amateur allocation at 8m. There must be a very good reason for their position, but they seem unwilling to share their reasons. As an outsider, the position seems stupid and illogical.
It is my hope that, over time, many administrations will allocate 8m to amateurs. As I understand things, most on 8m now, in any country, are interested in propagation and research, not chatting. By restricting modes to narrow digital only (modes like FT8, WSPR and CW) it is extremely unlikely this band would ever be used in this way i.e. for chatting. I cannot see why every administration cannot make, say, 5 kHz in the ISM section available to radio amateurs that apply, especially if secondary, low power, and assuming interference must be accepted and not caused to other services.
Will many more administrations grant amateurs access to 8m? I hope so.
QSYed to QRP 8m FT8 (Tuesday)
10m FT8 was too easy, so I have QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 hoping to catch some F2 propagation. I QSYed at 1423z to 40.680 MHz first period TX.
UPDATE 2043z: No spots. QRT.
10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
This afternoon, I am on 10m QRP FT8. It is now 1250z and I have spotted 37 stations across the planet and my 2.5W has been spotted by 1 station.
UPDATE 1414z: 21 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 166.
How do they do it?
630m WSPR TX
In the end I located my antenna current meter but it was broken and soldering the toroid on again was very hard. Still not on TX.
I have ordered some more 50 ohm patch leads and more PL259 to BNC adaptors.
Fault finding (despite the difficulty) continues. I hope to be on 630m WSPR TX by the weekend.
Sunspots - Tuesday September 26th 2023
Solar flux is 170 and the SSN 164. A=23 and K=4. Sunspot count still good.
25 Sept 2023
Fixing my 630m transverter
My very old transverter used a 28.060 MHz local oscillator. I obviously went to 3.2 MHz in my newer design to reduce start-up drift.
My antenna current meter is still missing. It is somewhere in the shack, probably in a drawer somewhere.
My first step is to see if I can detect my 3.2 MHz oscillator on the newer transverter.
By some means, I want to be on 630m WSPR TX this evening!
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)
My QRP beacon has been on since about 0814z. Just local G4KPX(14km) has copied me this morning so far. HF conditions appear a bit disturbed?
UPDATE 1006z: Since 0910z, I have been spotted in the Canary Is.. I remain amazed at how strong these F2 signals can be at times. I have received -4dB S/N at times despite running just 500mW.
Repair Cafe - NOT amateur radio
Plans for Monday
My current plan is to go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon and fix my 630m transverter so I can TX on 630m this evening.
Well that is the plan!
630m WSPR yesterday
Sunday evening 6 stations were spotted as the chart shows.
I must get back on TX soon! Thinking about my transverter, I guess the first thing to try is see if I can receive the 3.2 MHz oscillator on another RX. If this is not going, it would give me a very good clue where to start looking. My problem these days is it is like fault finding in a brain fog! Somewhere I have my very old transverter which I used on 500 kHz years ago.
2012 back of the garage
In the old house most of my building was in the back of the garage as this photo from 2012 shows.
24 Sept 2023
630m WSPR RX
At about 1845z I QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX. So far just G1GKN (54km) spotted.
I have found my old transverter, but not the current meter yet. I hope to mend the transverter this week.
UPDATE 1932z: DC0DX (467km) spotted.
UPDATE 1946z: SM6NOC (1056km) spotted.
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.
See also https://prop.kc2g.com/ .
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
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 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.
22 Sept 2023
630m WSPR RX (Friday)
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
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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 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 1412z: My 2.5W was widely spotted today. See map.
UPDATE 0754z: 15 stations have spotted me with the furthermost FR1GZ (9719km).
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!"
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.
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