Time and parallel lives - NOT amateur radio

We experience time as flowing from the past into the future. We are also aware of one life in one place. However, it is possible that time is an illusion created by human brains. It is also possible all possibilities exist and every "fork in the road" is followed, but were are only aware of one. Life is a mystery and our human brains are limited. 

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on at about 1200z, but so far no spots.

500uW 10m WSPR (Saturday)

Although my 10m QRPP beacon has been on all morning, no spots received. 

UK sub-postmaster/mistress scandal - NOT amateur radio

Usually I try to be a peace loving and reasonable person, but this makes my blood boil and I am absolutely fuming!!

For over 20 years, UK sub-postmen and women have been trying to get justice for wrongs done when money went missing due to an IT software bug. Now, in all my professional life I have rarely, if ever,  come across software that is totally bug free. The more complex the software, the more likely that it will contain rare bugs. In this case the software was called Horizon and designed by Fujitsu.

When over 700 people had issues with tallying up the money what did the PO do? Fail to investigate and LIE that nobody else had the problem. People at the PO and Fujitsu knew but covered it up. Instead, some went to prison, some were driven to suicide, some were disgraced in the papers and lost their livelihoods. These people were deeply wronged. This is a scandal of epic scale. In my view this is the worst scandal in recent UK history.

Recently, a TV drama has brought the gross injustice these poor people have suffered for many years to the forefront.  The people who knew the truth have never, yet, been brought to justice. The woman in charge of the Post Office at the time was even made a CBE (a very high honour in the UK) in 2019. Those responsible must find it hard to sleep at night.

Thankfully, there are several petitions doing the rounds and this is now headline news.

I hope all affected are given very generous payments for all the wrong done to these people and their families and I very much hope all those who knew about this injustice are given long jail sentences. If they are declared bankrupt, so be it.

See https://www.change.org/p/biztradegovuk-post-office-scandal-full-compensation-and-accountability .

See https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/strip-paula-vennells-of-her-cbe?source=homepage&utm_medium=promotion&utm_source=homepage

If you feel able, please sign both petitions so this is headline news and justice is done.

 See also https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67899189 .

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. As mentioned before we can trace our family history here continuously back to the mid 1500s. We were probably in this area 1000s of years ago.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

11 stations spotted me overnight. No great DX.

Sunspots- Saturday January 6th

Solar flux is 153 and the SSN 121.  A=5 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Friday)

My 630m 10mW ERP WSPR was turned on at about 1628z.

UPDATE 1904z:   5 stations have spotted me this evening.

8m quiet?

It seems to me that the 8m experiment is drawing to a close.  

With quite a high sunspot number, there have been F2 openings as high as 6m.  40 MHz is between 10m and 6m, so one would expect the F2 MUF to climb to 8m at times when it did not make it to 6m.  

There are very few people active on 8m, whereas there are many on 6m, so short-lived 6m openings are more likely to be spotted, especially on FT8. During the Es season distances up to about 1500km can often be worked. 

At the moment, I am inclined to pay for just one more year on 8m, but it needs more people in more countries. I still find it incomprehensible (and totally stupid) that radio amateurs are not allowed access to just 5 kHz, secondary only, narrow digital only, power limited, no interference, at 8m. It is as if OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC are very "anti" an allocation at 8m. They are not just neutral!!

I have tried my best, but can do little more. 

It needs more people to approach their administrations about a tiny 8m allocation.

Fungi - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we did a nice walk at Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge where we saw this log and fungi. Some years ago this was a tall tree with a hornet's nest. I think it was felled as it was rotten.

AI key - NOT amateur radio

According to The Knowledge today, Microsoft is introducing an AI key on its keyboards . This links to their AI tool in Windows (Copilot) which is linked to ChatGPT.

Interesting clouds - NOT amateur radio

This photo was recently posted by a friend in Shetland on 365project. I think these clouds are very high and the colours are ice crystals reflecting the low sun.

500uW 10m WSPR TX

My QRPP 10m WSPR beacon has been re-sync'd to internet time and is on. Any reports are welcomed. At the moment nobody has spotted me. It will probably be on all day.

UPDATE 1358z:  No spots.

UPDATE  1537z: Spotted twice by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canaries.

8m QRP FT8 TX (Friday)

My 2.5W FT8 to the dipole should be on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1950 Hz) all day. It was turned on about 0945z.

UPDATE 1623z:   No spots.

Michael Rainey AA1TJ

Overnight I had a very good email from Michael AA1TJ. I was so pleased to hear that both Michael and his XYL were well and he is still busy with QRPP. 

Some of his results are truly inspiring, as they usually are!  In my view Michael is one of the most amazing QRPers on the planet and he definitely has produced some really great design ideas over the years.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

As WSPRnet was working again last night, I turned on my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In all, 11 stations spotted me, but no great DX.

Sunspots - Friday January 5th

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 64. A=6 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

WSPRnet seems to be fixed so I have QSYed to 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. At 2140z 3 stations have spotted me.

17m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Currently I am on 17m FT8 using 2.5W to the coax to the 2m big-wheel matched with my Z-match. So far, just European spots.

UPDATE 1550z:  Just one USA spot so far.

UPDATE 1636z:  More USA spots.

UPDATE 1926z: 31 stations have spotted me with many in the USA. WSPRnet still looks broken.

UPDATE  2030z: 32 stations have spotted me.

Christmas nearly over - NOT amateur radio

This weekend it is time to take down the cards and decorations. It seems they have been up for a very short time. 

We will blink and it will be next Christmas!

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

As WSPRnet seems to be in trouble, I am on 10m FT8 using 2.5W. It looks like all my spots so far are from the East via F2. On RX the band is well open to the east with plenty of stations in Australia and the Far East.

UPDATE 1155z:  11 stations have spotted me this morning on 10m QRP FT8. I wonder if the vertical coax to the 2m big-wheel (suitably matched) might be better? Might try this tomorrow. It could be this would be more omni-directional.

WSPRnet in trouble?

Overnight I went on 630m QRP WSPR, but I think WSPRnet had/has a problem so I do not know who was spotting my 10mW ERP.  

Until this is fixed, there is little point me being on WSPR TX.

UPDATE 1740z:  It looks like it is still in trouble. Unless things are fixed in the next couple of hours, I shall probably give 630m WSPR a miss tonight. If it is soon fixed, my 10mW ERP WSPR will be on. 

Oscar 100 activity levels

Every few weeks I take a look at the online SDR at Goonhilly Downs in Cornwall , UK monitoring the narrowband transponder on this geosynchronous satellite. 

It has certainly encouraged amateurs to experiment with microwaves but, in my honest personal opinion, it has not attracted the following I was expecting. There is still plenty of space. 

In my view, because it does not cover the USA and Japan, we have not see dedicated Japanese "black boxes" which could transform things. There is not enough profit to make it worthwhile. 

This is a pity as it offered DXing without QSB at any time covering large parts of the planet with small, fixed antennas. There is no need for towers, big beams and linears. Antennas could even be ground mounted.

2m FT8 UKAC last evening

Last night was the first 2m FT8 activity contest. I worked a couple of stations using 2.5W and my big-wheel omni antenna, but I was not seriously taking part. I was only on for about 15 minutes. 

The map shows the stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX. It seems to me these distant stations are coming through by tropospheric scatter.

Bargains from China?

Banggood is selling some very low cost transceivers and receivers. These are far below the prices we are used to. In many cases, these are with free shipping from China. In some cases I am unsure if there is VAT and duty to pay. I am also concerned about quality control.

In the end, Chinese products really will be competitive against the Japanese. They are not there yet, quite. I give it 5 years, possibly less.

Sunspots - Thursday January 4th

 Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 63. A=11 and K=0.

Revising - NOT amateur radio

For the last few days, our younger grandson has been staying with us. Here he is revising for his GCSEs. I am asking him science questions and my wife is doing Shakespeare.

I seem to recall doing the same about 30 years ago with our sons!

Amateur radio: the great leveller

One of the aspects of our hobby I really like is that it is not political in the least. What binds us is a common interest in radio. Politically, we may be poles apart, but it matters not. None of us is perfect. As individuals, we are all equal.

Whether you live in deepest Africa, China, Australia, Russia, the USA or elsewhere does not matter at all. Back in the days of the USSR, it was common to hear chats between people in the USA and the USSR.  Today, I exchanged Happy New Year's emails with a station in Moscow. Tomorrow it will probably be someone in the USA!!

WSJT-X 2.7.0 - rc3

Those interested in digital modes may be pleased to hear that the latest release candidate of WSJT-X is available. I have no idea when this will be formally released.

See https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/wsjtx.html .

In praise of progress - NOT amateur radio

Looking at the state of the world, it is easy to be pessimistic on many fronts. There are wars in the Middle East, Ukraine and elsewhere and we seem to be making no real progress on climate change. 

However, there are very many fronts where progress really is being made. As mentioned earlier in the week, we can expect a big breakthrough in batteries and electric cars. Many of the world's killer diseases are being eradicated and there are far few children dying than was the case even just a few years ago.

Overall, each and every one of us has to make the world better. If we each make small steps then change for the better does occur.

QDX digital QRP transceiver

This is a tiny 5W digital transceiver from QRP Labs. It is available in 2 versions covering the HF bands. I have had the 20-10m version for several months now, but used it little recently as 5W seems like high power! It really is small. It is about the size of a fist mic only.

If digital modes are your "thing" then this low cost transceiver is probably all you need. It is available as a kit or ready built.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/qdx

10m QRPP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

My 500uW (0.5mW) beacon is running and already 2 spots from EA8BFK (2880km). At these powers, my mind is "blown away".  This is just amazing.  With WSPR, it would seem the impossible becomes possible.

UPDATE 1530z:  EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted me 5 times today. Even though the beacon is pre-programmed to report the power as 0.5W, it is actually 30dB lower at 0.5mW.

Our grandson - NOT amateur radio

They grow up all too fast. This was our older grandson yesterday.  It seems just a few minutes ago he was a baby! Now he is taller than I am.  

Sadly, he has no interest in radio.  Our other grandson is fascinated. He is amazed by my QSL cards and blog numbers. At some future point I could see him getting a licence.

The moral is to enjoy them at every age.

20m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

For a change, I am trying the coax to my 2m big-wheel omni matched by my Z-match ATU at 2.5W on 20m FT8. 96 stations have already spotted me. I have only been on for about 10 minutes! This is too easy!!

UPDATE 1737z:   Spotted by 425 stations. There is no challenge in this.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

In all, 14 stations spotted my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in  the ground. No great DX.

Sunspots - Wednesday Jan 3rd

 Solar flux is 142 and the SSN 59.  A=8 and K=1.

2m activity contest UKAC (Tuesday)

In the end I gave up after working just one station at 105km with my 10W pep to the omni antenna. Usually I work 5-10 stations in about 40 minutes. 

The low level of activity is probably for several reasons. Firstly many may just have forgotten thinking today was a Monday. Some may prefer FT8 these days. Also, the wind in the UK has been very strong, so there are probably fewer /P stations out this evening.

Granddaughter - NOT amateur radio

Our ballet bonkers granddaughter is usually very lively. Here she is in pensive mood.

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

At 1907z, I have been on for a couple of hours. So far, 6 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP.

UPDATE 2047z:  10 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2205z:   The map shows the stations spotting me this evening.

Electric cars - NOT amateur radio

These provoke strong feelings. 

In my view we will all be driving electric cars, when certain criteria are met. At the moment these are: range (too little) and price (too high) and too long to charge even if you can find a place to charge!  

In my view they will considerably increase range (1000+  miles on a charge) and there will be a big drop in price with a new battery technology perhaps solid state batteries. There is a lot of investment going towards this. 

Remember cathode ray tubes and film cameras?

There is a lot of stupid hype about electric cars at the moment, when the truth is the technology is not quite there. I give it under 5 years. By 2030, fossil fuelled cars will seem so old fashioned and so last century.  

My prediction is the Chinese will be first.