3 Oct 2023
Anglesey Abbey earlier - NOT amateur radio
Promising HF conditions today
UK high speed trains - NOT amateur radio
What a shambles!!
In the UK we started a new infrastructure rail project (HS2) to connect the capital London with Manchester and Leeds. Over time, this project costing billions of pounds was way over budget.
Officially, the UK government has still to make a final decision, but, after cancelling the extension to Leeds from Birmingham, it now looks like the line from Birmingham to Manchester will also be cancelled or shelved.
The high speed line from Birmingham to London terminates on the edge of the city and it will actually take longer to get from Birmingham to central London using the high speed line costing billions than on existing trains!! What a cock up!!
Several questions are begged. Why did they not start in the north where the need was greatest? If they knew it was going to be over budget why do it at all? Why stop the Birmingham to London leg where it does at the London end?
For a very long time the current government has refused to say it is going to cancel the northern extension. I guess they are trying to think of some good words to say.
In my view, this has done serious, long-term, damage to the UK and the ruling Conservative party.
8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
My 2.5W FT8 was turned on at 0804z. So far, just a spot of me by local G4WSZ (12km). Although I spotted ZR1ADI (9777km) yesterday, he was not able to copy my QRP. I live in hope!
UPDATE 1042z: G3WCS (223km) spotted.
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Tuesday)
My QRP 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on at 0804z this morning. No spots yet. I guess the stations in the Canaries have not yet fired up.
UPDATE 0820z: Spots from ODESSA and EA8/DF4UE.
UPDATE 1518z: 34 spots of me with many from North America. Also spotting me was J41PAN a special call from Greece to celebrate operation from Paneio Mountain.
UPDATE 1941z: 47 stations spotted me today including 2 spots from Antarctica.
Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio
Ely is about 20 minutes away from us by car. The cathedral, which is very old, dominates.
Plans for Tuesday
I shall try 8m FT8 QRP again and 10m QRP WSPR TX as the antenna is free with the beacon.
Village cottage - NOT amateur radio
This cottage was extended some years ago. The new part matches the old very well.
2 Oct 2023
630m WSPR RX (Monday)
At 1920z, I turned on my 630m WSPR RX using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
Lightning stops play
Just now, we had a lightning flash and clap of thunder. Judging by the time delay, I would imagine it is 10km south of here.
If it looks like the risk is going away, I shall probably reconnect things.
See https://www.lightningmaps.org/#m=oss;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=;ts=0;Inertia
Maybe it is because I am retired? Maybe it is because I am old? Maybe it is related to my 2013 stroke?
Whatever the reason, I am always very tired and get exhausted very quickly. Jobs that would have once taken a few minutes take ages. As examples I have had an SDR and a tiny spectrum analyser for ages and they have still to be used. My 630m transverter that needs fixing still needs fixing.
It is as if there is no urgency. Perhaps this is a good thing. There is always tomorrow...
Working Russian stations
If you are old enough, you will remember working lots of stations in the old USSR. We were able to share our hobby on equal terms with people who were really the same as us.
I feel the same now about Russia. I hate that they invaded Ukraine, but I hope that via amateur radio we can all share our common humanity. Incidentally, one of my old neighbours was Russian and nicer person you could never meet. Since leaving work, I have had regular contact with a Russian who has always been the same.
Windmill Maintenance - NOT amateur radio
Our hedge is in the front of the photo.
8m QRP FT8 (Monday)
My 2.5W and dipole was turned on at 0700z. So far just local G4WSZ (12km) spotting me.
UPDATE 1350z: ZR1ADI (9777km) again spotted. Sadly he has not spotted my QRP!
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)
My QRP 10m WSPR beacon designed and made by W5OLF is on again with the PA on!! It was turned on at 0700z. So far, spots from local G4KPX (14km) and the Canary Is..
UPDATE 1509z: 25 stations have spotted me. Many are in the USA.
Tristan da Cunha
Years ago I was fascinated by this remote island in the South Atlantic. I have heard it on 20m SSB, but never worked anyone on Tristan.
630m WSPR RX last evening
No further stations were copied after midnight. I hope to fix the transverter this week.
1 Oct 2023
630m WSPR RX (Sunday)
As usual, I am on 630m WSPR RX. So far (at 0730z) 3 stations spotted.
UPDATE 2107z: 5 stations spotted.
The next solar maximum?
According to my favourite site for solar data, the peak of solar cycle 25 is still November 2023, which is just next month. The data was only updated today.
Solar conditions could still be good for several years yet.
St Ives (Cambridgeshire) - NOT amateur radio
8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
Once again my 2.5W and a dipole is on 40.680 MHz FT8. So far, just local G4WSZ (12km) spotting me.
UPDATE 1220z: 3 spots of my 8m QRP FT8 today (2 on PSKr). I see G9PUV has been spotted in S.Africa.
UPDATE 1723z: ZR1ADI (9777km) in S.Africa spotted on 8m FT8. This is the furthermost this autumn.
10m QRPP WSPR TX (Sunday)
Following the experiment yesterday with my beacon PA turned OFF, I am again on 10m WSPR with microwatts (even though the beacon is preprogrammed to say 0.5W). No spots!
UPDATE 0850z: EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted my microwatts!
UPDATE 1504z: EA8BFK has spotted my 10m WSPR microwatts 3 times today.
OFCOM publications
OFCOM regularly updates the figures it keeps on things like licences. They also announce details of new publications. See the OFCOM website for details.
30 Sept 2023
630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX
As per previous recent evenings, I have QSYed to 630m WSPR RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far, just G1GKN (54km) spotted.
Seen yesterday - NOT amateur radio
Politically neutral? - NOT amateur radio
Politically, I have always been what they call "a floating voter". This means I have no idea who I shall vote for in a local or a General Election.
I was amused to read in The Knowledge today of some view of the UK Labour Party leader, who expressed a view that the UK is gradually losing its status in the world. I think this is true and in the 21st century it is more likely we will see China and India on the rise.
It was strange to see Keir Starmer suggest last week that the UK is “drifting off the international stage”, says Dominic Lawson in the Daily Mail. Has he forgotten about the AUKUS deal, signed earlier this year, uniting the UK, US and Australia in a pact to use nuclear-powered submarines as a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific? Or the new UK-Japan Hiroshima Accord, which includes plans to collaborate on a next-generation fighter jet? Or indeed that Britain has become the first European member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement? The Labour leader has always been “intensely Eurocentric”, so he’s probably thinking about the EU. But even the Europeans acknowledge that, as the German magazine Internationale Politik Quarterly puts it, “Britain is Back”. Why can’t Starmer see it too?
8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on about 0825z. I am hoping to spot some Belgian stations. Once again I am on 40.680 MHz DF about 1950 Hz TXing in the first period.
UPDATE 0852z: 8m spots by local G4WSZ (12km). Running QRP, I am grateful for all spots.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at 0824z. Already F2 spots from the Canary Is.. Earlier spots were with the PA off, so would only be low microwatts. If genuine, these are remarkable. I might try again with the PA off!
UPDATE 0845z: I have turned OFF my beacon PA, to see if there are any spots! An interesting experiment.
UPDATE 0941z: Already one spot from the Canary Is. with the PA off!! My beacon still says 0.5W (preprogrammed) but my actual power must be just microwatts. At some point I must find out what it really is. EA8BFK's report (-24dB S/N) suggests microwatts. Amazing.
UPDATE 1552z: Quite a few spots from 2 stations in the Canary Is. despite my beacon PA being OFF!! As I said before, although my beacon is preprogrammed to say 0.5W, the actual power transmitted must be microwatts.
2 sides to every story - NOT amateur radio
Since going on holiday to Montenegro, I am even more conscious that there are two sides to an argument, Clearly the Russian people are fed a line that the invasion of Ukraine is a "special military operation" and the evil West continues to supply weapons and wants the downfall of Russia. We in the West are told the brave Ukrainian people are the heroes, fighting the invaders.
In Kosovo, NATO is trying to stop the Serbs taking it back by force. I did not realise that Kosovo was once populated mainly by Serbs and in more recent times there is an Albanian majority.
What I am saying is we, and all people, need to see the whole context in an unbiased way. Of course ethnic cleansing of any kind is totally wrong, and most wars achieve little. Too often people in many nations are fed a line by the media.
Get your information from multiple sources and take what you read and hear with a degree of questioning.
630m disappointment
Last night I was again on 630m WSPR RX. However just 3 unique stations were spotted.
29 Sept 2023
Being old (some advantages) - NOT amateur radio
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Today, for free, we went on the guided bus to St Ives in Cambridgeshire in bright sunshine. The guided bus is fast, traffic free, and uses the same route as the old St Ives branch railway from Cambridge.
After an excellent lunch in the URC church cafe, we sat by the river and went to the local museum.
630m WSPR RX last evening
In the end, 6 stations were spotted. There was nothing new spotted after midnight.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Friday)
My 500mW beacon is on. Just a single spot by DK6UG (633km) early this mornig.
UPDATE 1820z: 9 stations have spotted me today. I seem to be spotted in Antarctica regularly these days! In 5 years' time this would seem remarkable.
8m QRP FT8 (Friday)
Although I am not expecting much, I am again on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8. Any reports would be welcomed.....from anyone!!
UPDATE 1549z: Today I was spotted for the first time in Luxembourg and I spotted one of the Belgian stations now able to TX legally with an amateur call on 8m. Altogether, 2 spots of my 8m QRP FT8 today.
USA prefixes
At one time you knew a W6 was on the west coast, probably California. If you spotted a W1, chances were it was in New England and W4 was probably Florida. Not any more!!
Yesterday I was spotted on 10m QRP WSPR by a W7. He was on the east coast! Whereas at one time the USA prefix gave you a clue to where the person was, you now have no way of knowing.
Yet another step backwards.
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