European Es (Thursday)

At the moment, Es in Europe looks promising. Time will tell.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ . 

All change - NOT amateur radio

 

We change our bedding plants for the spring and summer. 

These were planted yesterday. I hope they grow and thrive.

6m 10mW FT8 (Thursday)

Once again, I am on 6m FT8 with 10mW and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, no spots.

UPDATE 1220z: 8 spots so far.

UPDATE 1705z: 20 spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today (see map).

UPDATE 1713z:  23 stations have spotted me today.

Greenpeace and a multinational oil giant - NOT amateur radio

This morning, I received a WhatsApp message from a friend urging me to sign a petition. 

Sadly, these days I get very paranoid about links thinking the link could be a virus or bot being installed. If you are unsure of a link never, ever click it. Check that it is genuine by some other way if in any doubt. Often scammers try to work on your better nature trying to oblige a friend. A common one is "are you in this video?".

In this case I think it was genuine about a multi-billion pound profit multinational oil giant suing Greenpeace. Deep state gone mad again.

See https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/ .

Sunspots - Thursday May 23rd

 Solar flux is 196 and the SSN 120. A=4 and K=1.

QMX+ plunge taken

This 5W multi-band, multi-mode transceiver has been ordered, assembled and cased. 

QRP Labs make some fantastic kit and I look forward to using it.

In the past, I would have enjoyed building it. Sadly, those days have passed and my fine motor skills are just not up to it any more.

See https://www.qrp-labs.com/qmxp.html .

Our back garden - NOT amateur radio

Spring is a great time of year. Blossom briefly appears, leaves have a fresh green appearance and everything is new. Spring soon goes and the fresh green turns to a tired green.

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR (Wednesday)

My beacon has been on all day. No spots all day.

If I had good results on 6m FT8 with 10mW, I would have expected some Es spots with 500uW on 10m WSPR. Perhaps the 13dB difference takes signals into the noise floor?

That famous plaque - NOT amateur radio

This famous plaque is outside the Eagle pub in Bene't Street  Cambridge. Within about 100m many world changing events took place. Rutherford split the atom, the form of DNA was understood, to name just two. The plaque was re-created recently to acknowledge the contribution of others.

6m 10mW FT8 (Wednesday)

My 10mW 6m FT8 was on overnight.  To my great surprise stations in Norway and Finland spotted me in the middle of the night. To be spotted at all at this time is remarkable, but with just a few milliwatts took me totally by surprise.

UPDATE 1046z: Spotted in Poland with my 10mW 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1424z: Spotted by 31 stations when I was using 10mW 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1555z:  Spotted by 46 stations (see map).

UPDATE  2116z:  My 10mW 6m FT8 spotted by 47 stations. Even with my 15dB attenuator right next to the rig, 109 stations were still copied on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots- Wednesday May 22nd

 Solar flux is 191 and the SSN 146. A=9 and K=0.

Few new radios at Hamvention 2024?

Apart from the hint about the ICOM X60, I have not heard rumours of new radios on the horizon from the likes of Yaesu and Kenwood. If my thoughts are correct (I hope I am wrong!) both these are having thoughts of getting out of the amateur radio market. 

Personally, it is my view that Yaesu has lost its way.  Nearly a quarter of a century after the launch of the FT817 the world is still waiting!! Personally I think they have, sadly, missed the boat again.

Going on and on!! - NOT amateur radio

Poinsettia plants are often thought of as Christmas flowers but my wife has one that has got new buds and goes on and on!!

Seen in Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

It’s good to see Jewish students supporting the innocent people caught up in the war following the horrific events of October 7th. This was outside King’s.

10m 500uW WSPR (Tuesday)

 Once again, my 500uW 10m WSPR is turned on although I am not too hopeful.

UPDATE 1410z:  No spots today.

The pattern seems to be that 500uW is not quite enough for most people most of the time. I guess many have a background noise floor that has to be exceeded. It is also possible there are fewer people on WSPR these days. I would have expected ŧo see far more WSPR spots by Es.

6m 10mW FT8 (Tuesday)

Once again, I am on 6m with 10mW FT8. Unless things improve, I am not too hopeful.

UPDATE 1356z:  Just 2 spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today from Portugal.

European Es

Looking at the maps of Es reports, it would seem, at the moment. that Es is not as good as the last few days. As with all things sporadic E (Es), things can quickly change.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Sunspots - Tuesday May 21st

 Solar flux is 200 and the SSN 124. A=7 and K=1.

Our green - NOT amateur radio

In our quiet part of the village is this delightful green. One of the trees has half its leaves of a different colour.

6m 10mW FT8 (Monday)

Once again I am on 6m FT8 with 10mW and the V2000 vertical omni antenna.  At 1545z, 20 stations (see map) have spotted me with the furthermost EA8/DF4UE (2875km).

It never fails to amaze me how little power is needed with 6m FT8.

10m 500uW WSPR (Monday)

 Although my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR beacon has been on all day, I am surprised to not get any spots. On 6m FT8 I have had lots of spots with 10mW. I shall try a re-sync.

UPDATE 1808z:  No spots all day.

UPDATE 1851z:  OE3GBB (1233km) has spotted my QRPP.

8m experiments

Experiments at 6m (as opposed to 8m) have FAR exceeded what I expected and convinced me that 8m WSPR at 10mW ERP would definitely be spotted by Es. The fact that 10mW FT8 on 6m reached Brazil yesterday was amazing with an omni antenna.

I may try 8m FT8 at 10mW ERP as soon as my 8m antenna is mended. At this rate, it would not surprise me if this spanned Europe as well. Judging by results at 6m, it certainly should. The only difference is the dipole, which is a bit lower in height than the V2000 used on 6m. I would expect this to (maybe) make a few dBs difference.

630m QRP WSPR

For the first time in months I was not on 630m QRP WSPR, when I was at home, last night. Gradually, the number of spots I had received had been dropping off. I shall be back on in the autumn and may try occasionally in the coming months, but not every night.

A new night-time challenge calls! I am still undecided what form this should take.

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

Although I both saw and heard swifts in Ghent, Belgium last week, yesterday was the first time this year I had heard swifts screaming in a feeding party overhead in England. It is too soon to comment on numbers although I spotted 5 overhead. 

Swifts are part of the UK sky in late spring and early summer.

Sunspots- Monday May 20th

 Solar flux is 201 and the SSN 156. A=9 and K=1.

QMX+ transceiver

My thanks to Steve G1KQH for bringing this to my notice. 

QRP Labs have the QMX+ multi-mode 160-6m transceiver on sale. Hans makes some really good kit and I have no doubt that this rig will also be great.

See https://www.qrp-labs.com/qmxp.html .

6m QRPP FT8 (Sunday)

Yesterday I was surprised how well 6m FT8 worked at 10mW, so I am again trying 6m QRPP (10mW) FT8 today. 

How do I work out 10mW?  The rig is set to the lowest power setting (measured 500mW). There is a 15dB pad right at the antenna connection of the radio. My 6m antenna is fed with RG58 coax with a loss of 2dB at 6m. Assume 0dB gain on 6m from the V2000 omni antenna, although it probably has a loss in many directions on 6m!  

So just 10mW to the antenna.

UPDATE 0855z: Already spotted with 10mW pretty well in Sardinia by IS0AWZ (1599km). Really, with good Es not much power at all is needed! Even at 10mW 6m FT8, I probably had 8dB in hand.

UPDATE 1141z:  8 spots of my 10mW 6m FT8. Who needs power?

UPDATE 1726z:  24 stations have spotted my 10mW 6m FT8 to the V2000 omni antenna. The best DX is western Ukraine. I am amazed how little ERP is needed at times on 6m FT8. Judging by the results on 6m FT8 with 10mW, perhaps I should try 10m FT8 with 10mW?

Spots of my 10mW
6m FT8 today

UPDATE 2020z:  I can scarcely believe this!!  My 10mW 6m FT8  has reached Brazil!  In all, I have been spotted by 32 stations today with the furthermost PY1EME (9453km). This is with an omni vertical antenna too!  I guess this was TEP and Es. Truly amazing for a VHF band. The antenna and take-off at PY1EME must help as must the electrically quiet environment. Many of PY1EME's spots were in South America, so I am pretty sure this is genuine.

PY1EME's 6m antenna

6m FT8 RX spots
- despite the 15dB pad!

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR (Sunday)

 10m Es looks promising and my 500uW 10m WSPR beacon is on.

UPDATE 1457z:  Despite Es being excellent today with 24 spots across Europe in 6m 10mW FT8, I have received no spots at all of my 500uW 10m WSPR. This is 13dB less power, but I was surprised that not a single spot was obtained. This must mean (1) 13dB makes a lot of difference, (2) many more are now on FT8, or (3) the 15 second period of FT8 catches more very brief Es openings than the 120 seconds of WSPR-2. It is probably a bit of all three.

UPDATE 1838z:  GM4WJA (624km) has spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR several times.

Sunspots - Sunday May 19th

Solar flux is 194 and the SSN 166. A=12 and K=1.

End of the road?

Overnight just 2  stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR. It looks like the season is ending as noise levels increase over the spring and summer making the reception of weaker signals much harder. It was fun. 

I shall try again in the autumn. 

A new challenge calls!

630m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on at about 1910. So far, spotted by just G6AVK (78km).

8m FT8 QRPP under ISM rules

My 10mW 6m FT8  tests have already exceeded my expectations. I am very tempted to try 8m FT8 (not WSPR) at 10mW ERP on under ISM rules. Perhaps I should try to mend my 8m dipole tomorrow?

New ICOM HF transceiver?

On John's blog he mentions a new concept radio from ICOM called the X60. This is on show at the Dayton Hamvention this weekend. The main unveiling will be at the Tokyo Ham Fair later this summer.

The Dayton Hamvention is probably the biggest amateur radio show in the world. 

I have not yet heard if Yaesu will announce anything. Personally, I think they are in a total muddle and it would not surprise me if Yaesu and Kenwood leave the amateur radio market within 5 years.

See https://hamvention.org/

Blog numbers - NOT amateur radio

One of the things as a runner of a blog I can see is how many visitors I get each day. Basically these numbers are unreliable!  

Yesterday, for example, the number of supposed visitors tripled within minutes only to go down again later. Today I have already well exceeded the number seen yesterday. 

Basically they are rubbish.

European Es

At the moment, things do not look too great. However, with Es, things can very quickly alter, so I shall stick with 10m and 6m QRPP WSPR in case things change.

6m 10mW WSPR (Saturday)

Once again, I am on 6m with my 10mW WSPR. Although I have been copied locally, I have yet to get any Es spots. 

I am trying to simulate what would happen with ISM powers in the UK on 8m, which is open to all without a licence in the UK. I remain convinced this is enough power on WSPR to allow Es spots from Europe on 8m. 

With FT8, conditions would have to be exceptional to be copied I suspect.

UPDATE 1234z:  My experiment has worked. Quite a few European spots of my 10mW 6m WSPR. Some reports suggest even FT8 might have worked. Starting next week I shall try 6m QRPP FT8 at 10mW. It is my conclusion that 10mW ERP WSPR on 8m (available to all in the UK without a licence) would work under Es conditions.

UPDATE 1548z: I decided to try 6m FT8 at 10mW this afternoon i.e. earlier than planned. Already spotted by 14 stations across Europe (see map). Perhaps the shorter TX period of FT8 catches shorter openings than the 120 seconds of WSPR?

Near where I come from - NOT amateur radio

This photo of some years ago shows where I come from and lived until my early 20s. It is still beautiful and I try to go back to stay with my brother most years. It is a region known as the South Hams.

10m 500uW WSPR (Saturday)

 My QRPP beacon is on again. It was spotted in Germany yesterday, so I remain hopeful.

UPDATE 1712z:  Spotted in 2 countries today.

At Anglesey Abbey yesterday - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows a plant at Anglesey Abbey yesterday.

630m WSPR overnight

4 stations spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR overnight with the furthermost GM3YXM (425km).