500uW 10m WSPR success again

 My 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR TX was spotted by EA8BFK (2880km) this afternoon,

Turing statue - NOT amateur radio

This statue in honour of WW2 code breaker Alan Turing is in King’s College in Cambridge. 

It is in a really obscure place and should be moved so visitors can appreciate it. I only took it by walking in areas the general public cannot access. Why not put it where people walk?

Granddaughter's photo - NOT amateur radio

 

This photo was taken by one of our granddaughter's last week.

It gets better and better on 630m WSPR!

In the last day and overnight, 33 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, with spots from Finland yet again. This was even better than yesterday.

Sunspots - Monday February 19th

 Solar flux is 157 and the SSN 84. A=6 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

My 630m 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has been on since 1930z. So far, spotted by 11 stations (see table). Furthermost is EI0CF (602km).

UPDATE  2036z: In the last 2 weeks 50 stations have spotted me.

Yaesu: multi-band, multi-mode, portables - gone?

Just now, I took another look at the Yaesu, Japan website. The FT818 has gone and is no longer shown. Many have been waiting for years and years for a decent successor to the FT817. It never came.

There can be several reasons:

• Yaesu is of the view there is too little profit as the competition is now high.
• They are working on a successor.
• They are thinking (...zzz), but have not decided what to do.

In my view, there is a market gagging for a decent product. Yaesu has the skills to make a good product. They have shown this with the FT710. 

We are on the downward slope (probably) of the solar cycle. This really is their last chance.

Yaesu - wake up!!

10m QRPP WSPR (Sunday)

Yes, I know - don't say it!! Yet again I am trying 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR.  Conditions are probably not good enough.

UPDATE 2030z:  No spots all day. I tried!

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

This morning, I am on QRP 6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. One QSO with G0PQO (90km).

UPDATE 1132z:   9 English stations have spotted me this morning.

UPDATE 1444z:   13 English stations have spotted me. No DX noticed here today.

Best QRP 630m WSPR session

 

39 stations spotted me including Norway and Finland.

Sunspots - Sunday February 18th

 Solar flux is 170 and the SSN 100.  A=4 and K=2.

SpectrumView app -137kHz QRSS3?

Many years ago I downloaded this free app on my Apple Touch. I see it is available for the iPhone too, so I have downloaded it. It is a spectrum analyser for audio frequencies and you can record up to about 150 seconds of audio on a spectrogram depending on the settings. 

I was thinking of trying this on QRSS3 with my 137kHz beacon locally. It would take the audio from the FT817 and produce an audio spectrogram. I am not quite sure how I shall do this yet.

 

The app is created by Oxford Wave Research Ltd. It is a most useful app and highly rated. I last used an earlier version in 2013, so I have to re-learn it and see any changes made. 

I was quite surprised to still find it, wondering if the company had long gone. The app is still free.

See the Apple app store for details.

It is not available as an Android app as far as I can tell.

Weekend treat - NOT amateur radio

At the weekends, I have a cooked breakfast as shown in the photo.

10m QRPP WSPR (Saturday)

 My 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR beacon is on again, but no spots this morning.

UPDATE 1815z:   No spots all day.

What are these? - NOT amateur radio

We saw these at Hare Park, Chippenham, near Cambridge. They are wooden, not stone, objects. They are about 3m from the tree. If they are part of the tree roots, they are odd.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

The last day and overnight was the best this season with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 24 stations spotted me including 3 spots by OH1LSQ (1733km). Earlier it was 29 spots!

Sunspots - Saturday February 17th

 Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 97. A=4 and K=0.

630m QRP WSPR (Friday)

Today, I am sticking with 10mW ERP 630m WSPR. Surprisngly, 5 English stations have spotted me in just the last hour.

UPDATE 2140z:  17 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE  2148z:  22 stations have spotted me with the furthermost a station in Germany.

500uW 10m WSPR (Friday)

 Yet again, I am trying my luck with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR. In the last week, just 2 spots!

UPDATE 1137z: I guess the moral is don't give up! I was just about to give up with 500uW when I was spotted by OH6BG (1718km). So, I shall stick with 500uW 10m WSPR for the rest of the day.

UPDATE 1602z:  No further spots.

Proud granddad - NOT amateur radio

Earlier in the week, we visited nearby Anglesey Abbey with one of our granddaughters. The snowdrops are a picture, but they are now past their best. Next it will be daffodils.

Metal plate photo - NOT amateur radio

When clearing my mum’s home after she died some years ago, we came across this hand tinted metal plate that I had never seen before. It probably dates from the 1800s and may show one of my ancestors.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

This was my best night this season with 27 stations spotting my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode “antenna” in the ground in the last day. No great DX but a good session.

Sunspots- Friday February 16th

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 151. A=4 and K=0.

Gaza-Israel conflict - NOT amateur radio

Whilst I fully understand the feelings of disbelief over the events of October 7th, I am dismayed by Israel's response in Gaza and the West Bank.

As an outsider, it is hard to think Israel's actions are not war crimes.  Countless innocent women and children have been killed or maimed and made homeless. Tell me, surely this will make many people hate Israel for decades to come?

In my view, the only fair and enduring peace has to be based on justice for all and mutual recognition. I have friends who are Jewish and friends who are Muslim.

Peace..... for the sake of ordinary people, please.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna has been on 6m FT8 for a couple of hours. So far, 4 spots of me by English stations.

UPDATE 1725z:  Still just 4 stations spotting me. QSYing to 630m QRP WSPR soon.

Anglesey Abbey earlier - NOT amateur radio

 

This was Anglesey Abbey (about 6km from home) earlier. Today is very mild.

Lavenham - NOT amateur radio

Lavenham is a wool village in East Anglia. It got very rich centuries ago on the back of the wool trade. It probably has one of the best collections of timber framed buildings in England.

500uW 10m WSPR (Thursday)

Although no spots (yet) today, I am again trying out 10m WSPR with just 500uW (0.5mW) with my beacon with the PA off. 

In some places the MUF exceeded 51MHz yesterday. See https://prop.kc2g.com/ .

UPDATE 1715z:  No spots of me today. I have the feeling I am not going be successful on 10m WSPR microwatts today.

Very near? - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned before, we live right next door to a fully restored 200 year old windmill. 

Just occasionally the sails turn, but they do not bother us ever.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was on overnight. 27 stations have spotted me in the last day.

Sunspots - Thursday February 15th

 Solar flux is 184 and the SSN 123. A=7 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is on and will be on overnight.

At 2204z,  17 stations have spotted me with the furthermost LA1TN (1305km).

70cm FT8 activity contest (Wednesday)

This evening is the 70cm FT8 activity contest. The map shows the stations spotted by 2036z. On TX (2.5W), I worked one local and was called by another station but we were unable to complete. This is with a 2m big-wheel omni antenna and no beams.

As far as I know, conditions are normal. It amazes me how well 70cm FT8 works.

With my brother - NOT amateur radio

This was me with my brother in 2017 outside our home. You can see "our" windmill next door in the background.

My hair did not last long! - NOT amateur radio

My wife came across this photo of me today. It shows me at a junior school sports day, in 1959 I think. My hair was hardly there as a baby and had gone in my early 20s.

70cm SSB/CW activity contest yesterday

Yesterday was the UKAC SSB/CW activity contest organised by the RSGB. I did not stop on for long - even less than usual. 2 stations were worked, but I soon gave up. The FT8 contest seems much more popular.

500uW 10m WSPR again

My 10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR beacon is on again. No spots yet, although 2 DX stations have spotted me with this miniscule power in the last few days.

UPDATE 2115z:  No spots today.

Bracket fungus - NOT amateur radio

We saw this on Monday on a log at Hare Park, Chippenham, near Cambridge.  It is called a bracket fungus and is about 20cm across. It looks like a flat disc.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was on again overnight. 21 stations spotted me (see table).

In the last 2 weeks on 630m QRP WSPR, 48 stations have spotted me with the furthermost LA1TN (1305km). It works!!

Sunspots - Wednesday February 14th

Solar flux is 195 and the SSN 122.  A=10 and K=1.