Sunspots - Monday April 8th

 Solar flux is 125 and the SSN 79. A=8 and K=0.

What next?

 As I mentioned in an earlier post today, 630m WSPR seems to have "gone off the boil" and I may try something new over the spring and summer. 

I want to try 8m QRPP WSPR using 10mW and ISM rules (open to anyone in the UK without a licence, possibly in your area of the world too?).  This is mainly a daylight challenge.

Is there a new nighttime challenge? A band that remains good at night. Possibly 160m or 80m using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground? I could try FT8 on these bands perhaps.

10m QRPP WSPR (Sunday)

Today I have high hopes for my 500uW 10m QRPP WSPR. So far, no spots.

Watching for migrants - NOT amateur radio

 In the next few days we usually see the return from Africa of swallows which winter in South Africa. This is a very long way. They have already been seen in Devon. I shall keep scanning the skies .

Also about now we hear chiffchaffs calling. Some stay all year and some migrate.

More signs of spring - NOT amateur radio

 The green near our village is a carpet of buttercups and daisies.

Worst night on 630m QRP WSPR overnight

Last night was the worst I have experienced this season. Just 9 stations spotted me and no real DX.

Should I now move on?  Another week maybe.

Sunspots - Sunday April 7th

 Solar flux is 123 and the SSN 71. A=10 and K=2.

630m QRP WSPR today

 The usual suspects spotting me this evening, 6 so far.

Our village- NOT amateur radio

These were the buttercups on the green outside our post office today.

10m QRPP WSPR (Saturday)

 Amazingly, EA8BFK(2880km) has spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 25 times today to 1717z. Nobody else has spotted me.

Baker at work - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I showed a photo of our grandson making  bread 🍞 . This collage shows the various stages. It tasted very good 

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 A slightly better session with 12 spots of my 10mW ERP but still no real DX. I noticed at one point I was the only UK station active on TX. Yet again it was the same stations - no new stations for some while.

Sunspots- Saturday April 6th

 Solar flux is 121 and the SSN 81. A=12 and K=3.

Busy - NOT amateur radio

At Easter, it can be very busy!   

In the last few days, we have seen all our grandchildren and had 2 staying here. The photo was of our granddaughters yesterday.

Rallies at the weekend

The following have been notified to me. Both are on Sunday and the usual caveats applying.e. check if going a long way first.

• Sunday April 7th - British Vintage Wireless Society (BVWS), Swap meet, Golbourne.  BVWS members only.
• Sunday April 7th - Holsworthy Spring Rally. Holsworthy, Devon. Contact m0omc@m0omc.co.uk .

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 2.5W 6m FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna has been on since mid-morning. 

So far 10 stations including 1 in southern Spain have spotted me.

Bread making - NOT amateur radio

Our grandson is here until Sunday. 

Today, he wanted to make some bread. As I write, it is rising before going in the oven. The photo shows him mid-way through the process.

UPDATE 1540z:  They tasted as good as they looked.

Theory torn up? - more success with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR today

Already today, EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR 24 times, even though A=12 and K=2. It is 1635z. According to my theory, I was not expecting spots today.

This afternoon, I was also spotted by a station in Russsia. I think it is at least 8 stations that have spotted my ultra-QRPP 10m WSPR.

The map shows the spots with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR over the last few days. Who needs high power? 😀 The map is from WSPR Rocks by Phil VK7JJ.

Sunspots - Friday April 5th

 Solar  flux is 114 and the SSN 47.  A=12 and K=2.

Pye PFX - NOT Amateur radio

 At some point in the future I want to add a page to my website all about the PFX. This was the first synthesised portable that Pye Telecom made. After a shaky start it went on to be a very successful product and was used by police forces the world over.

8m WSPR RX (Thursday)

At present, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR hoping to spot a station near Bedford or possibly some ON stations via tropo. No luck. 

UPDATE 1906z:  No spots.

In King's - NOT amateur radio

Our younger son is entitled to a free pass which allows him and two guests entry into the Cambridge University colleges. Here he is with his daughter in the grounds of King's College.

10m 500uW WSPR (Thursday)

Although my QRPP beacon is on, no spots yet.  Conditions look quite promising. 

UPDATE 1430z: Many spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and a station in Greece. 

UPDATE 1904z:  Amazing day! 6 stations have spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR today. See map on WSPR Rocks by VK7JJ. When conditions are good this tiny power is enough.

No 630m overnight

 As I was sleeping at my son's house, I was not on 630m WSPR overnight. This is the first time I have not been TXing on the band for several months. 

I should be TXing on 630m WSPR tonight.

Sunspots - Thursday April 4th

 Solar flux is 112 and the SSN 45.  A=7 and K=1.

Wren library, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Cambridge has some fine buildings. This is the Wren library on the banks of the River Cam.

Spain gets legal amateur access to the 8m band

 The EI7GL blog has announced that Spain is the latest country to gain amateur access to the 8m band. Little by little more countries are seeing the sense in this. The breakthrough will come when CEPT allows all CEPT nations to allocate a small 8m amateur band.

8m decision made - ISM rules!

After thinking hard, I have decided to try 8m WSPR with ISM rules and not apply for a new permit.

Starting in a few weeks I shall be on 40.680MHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP following IR2030 rules. The WSPR offset is about 1500Hz HF.

In the meantime, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR and hope to spot some stations by tropo before the Es season really starts.

500uW 10m WSPR (Wednesday)

Already, my QRPP  10m WSPR has been spotted multiple times (some very strongly) in the Canary Islands. It is quite possible that 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR may reach the USA this afternoon.

UPDATE 1910z:   Amazing.  54 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). One spot of my 500uW (0.5mW) was an incredible -9dB S/N. This implies he would still have copied me with very low microwatts.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

10 stations spotted my 630m WSPR QRP overnight. Slightly better than previous periods, but no real DX.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 3rd

 Solar flux is 113 and the SSN 35. A=8 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

Once again I am on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. So far, 3 stations have spotted me.

2m activity contest (April)

This evening was the 2m section of the 2m activity  contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. As usual I was running 10W pep SSB to my omni big-wheel antenna. I only stopped on about 16 minutes as my voice is poor, but managed to work JO03 square, which is a first this year.

USA man - lost email

A few days ago I received a nice email from someone in the USA about my recent short article in RadCom. Unfortunately this email seems to have gone astray and I cannot find it at the moment.

I would very much like to reply and if you read this blog perhaps you could send it again? This must look so rude of me.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna has been on for a few minutes.

UPDATE 0941z:  Just 1 local spot so far.

UPDATE 1430z:  10 spots of my QRP (all English) so far today.

10m QRPP WSPR

Although the sunspot number is 50, according to my predictions yesterday, I have a chance of DX spots on 10m 500uW WSPR today. Time will tell.

UPDATE 1224z:  No spots.

UPDATE 1932z:  26 spots of me today all from the Canary Is.. My theory seems correct. Some of these spots are very strong suggesting even lower power might well have worked. It is almost like a pipe between us.

Another village cottage - NOT amateur radio

 

As mentioned before, our village has a mix of old and new homes. The one in the photo is pretty old!

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 For the last 2 nights I have only been spotted by 8 stations. Disappointing. I am not sure of the reason. It’s also disappointing that so few UK stations are transmitting on the band.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 2nd

 Solar flux is 125 and the SSN 50. A=10 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 1840z. After the first transmission, I was spotted by 3 stations.