6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 2.5W 6m FT8 is on again. Furthermost report is from UT9FJ (2277km) in Ukraine. 

UPDATE 1011z: Spotted by 92 stations across Europe today. See map.

European Es (or is it F2?) - Tuesday

It looks like 6m is open to Eastern Europe. Many (or all) of these reports are probably Es, although some could be F2.

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

Cartoon

 This was seen earlier. 

Modern technology - NOT amateur radio

 Modern technology is a two edged sword. 

As we have seen recently in the UK it can incite people to do nasty and violent things. 

At the same time it can bring people closer together across oceans and thereby shrink distances . My son and his family flew to Australia to see relatives and we could track his plane all the way. It allows me to write this blog. We can chat to friends on WhatsApp as if they were next door .

I am not sure if it is a good thing or bad. Probably both. On balance I think it’s basically a good thing. Like AI, I am sure there are some good things and bad.

2m activity contest tonight

With my 10W PEP SSB and big wheel omni antenna I usually try for up to an hour before my voice screams “stop “. My usual best DX is 100-200km.

Not sure if it’s just me but I am finding it harder to work stations . 

This is probably a combination of fewer stations and higher local noise levels for many stations.

UPDATE 2120z:   After 3 QSOs my voice shouted "stop!!", so I stopped.

Sunspots - August 6th

 Solar flux is 247 and the SSN 189. A=10 and K=2.

8m propagation

In my view, the real benefit in an 8m amateur band would come when the F2 MUF goes above 10m. 

With Es, working EU stations occurs commonly at 6m, whereas for the F2 MUF to get to as high as 6m is exceptional. Yes, on N-S paths with TEP the MUF can go much higher, but E-W paths with high MUFs are rare.

So, in my own view, now and the next couple of years are the best for 8m propagation research. 

Whilst Es is fun, it is not what propagation research at 8m is mainly about. In a few years we will be unable to learn so much.

European Es (Monday)

 

At the moment, most of the Es in Europe is in the direction of Scandinavia. Maybe later it will swing further towards central Europe and Spain?

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

10m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on earlier. It looks like there is Es about.

UPDATE 1028z:  Now spotted by 4 stations. I suspect the EA8 and 5B4 are F2 rather than Es.

UPDATE 1830z:  20 stations have spotted me today. See table.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My 6m 2.5W FT8 was turned on earlier. There seems to be encouraging Es about. 

It will probably be worth trying 8m later.

UPDATE 1056z:  37 stations have spotted me this morning. It is possible the EA8 and CT stations are F2 I suppose. It is even possible to see some TEP?

UPDATE 1827z:   69 stations have spotted me on 6m FT8. See map.

UPDATE 2009z:   75 stations have spotted me today on QRP 6m FT8.

Swifts going? - NOT amateur radio

It is odd how one bird fascinates me.  

Swifts are only seen in the UK for a few months to breed before migrating back to central Africa (mainly). They eat and sleep on the wing. We usually see them from May until about now. Often the young start to move south quite soon. 

Their return in the spring is always an important milestone in the year. Often they can be heard screaming. I look up and there they are again. Although numbers are meant to be down as nest sites disappear, at least locally there appears to be more than last year. I hope they have found ways of adapting.

After months seeing few house martins they seem plentiful around "our" windmill for the last few days. I have seen no swifts today. Have they flown south?

See https://rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

Red Kite - NOT amateur radio

This is a success story.  At breakfast, yet again, we saw a red kite flying overhead. 

30 years ago this would have been unheard of. They are now common again, but they nearly went extinct in the UK. They were re-introduced and are now thriving. 

They are unmistakable with their forked tail and slow soaring.  They are often seen near main roads scavenging on road kill. Going to Devon by train about a month ago I counted 4 and I was not really looking.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/red-kite .

Plans for Monday

 At the moment I think I shall go on QRP 6m FT8 and QRP 10m WSPR. If things look promising I may try 8m.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

In my childhood and youth I lived in South Devon shown in the photo. This photo was on before, but I thought it was too good not to share again.

Sunspots - Monday August 5th

 Solar flux is 247 and the SSN 194. A=10 and K=1.

Early mobile

Not sure where this photo originated, but it is supposed to be shortly after WW1.

Helping hand - NOT amateur radio

 

Our grandson trimming one of our hedges earlier today.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

As the 10m antenna is available when I am on 6m, I turned my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon on. So far today, 23 stations have spotted me (see table). 

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 

My QRP 6m FT8 has been on this afternoon.  

So far, 32 stations have spotted me at 1700z. See map.

UPDATE 1939z:   34 spots of me today.

6m F2 “across the pond “?

Steve G1KQH and I remember the 1980s when 6m was open across the Atlantic by F2 and we were wondering if the MUF would go high enough to allow this to occur in this solar peak. 

I can recall hearing lots of USA 🇺🇸 stations on 6m SSB with just a low wire dipole. It was just like 10m. 

Last autumn there were plenty of F2 openings on 8m FT8 "across the pond" by F2 to the USA, Canada and the Caribbean areas.  As I recall these were almost daily.

8m legal amateur radio

At the moment there are about 6 countries that have granted radio amateurs access to the 8m band. Others have granted access by means of some kind of experimental licence. Also, I believe others may access the 8m band using ISM rules, the power being dependent on the administration. Several people have had success with 10mW ERP (the limit in the UK) using licence free ISM rules.

In my view the situation is a total mess, which could be simply rectified if administrations gave limited amateur radio access as follows:

• 40.680 - 40.683 MHz (just 3 kHz).
• Narrow digital only (modes like FT4/8, WSPR and CW)
• 10W ERP maximum.
• By application only.
• Possibly with a 2 year time limit (around sunspot maximum).
• Strictly no interference to other services.

I cannot understand why this should be such a problem. Essentially it would give radio amateurs access to a tiny part of the 8m ISM band for serious research.

In the meantime, it would be good to have a list showing which administrations have granted legal amateur radio access to the band and which have allowed experimental access.  One possible solution would be for EI7GL (John) who has an excellent blog to add this to his 40MHz pages.

In my view OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC have been unbelievable over this.

  

Sunspots - Sunday August 4th

 Solar flux is 245 and the SSN 217. A=10 and K=3.

High sunspot count

 

Apparently the SSN is as high as it was in 2001 according to Space Weather. It may not have peaked yet!

Considering many were expecting this solar cycle to be poor or even non-existent, this is pretty good. The important thing to remember is solar conditions remain good for several years after the peak. Good times will continue.

See https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=03&month=08&year=2024 .

House Martins - NOT amateur radio

Usually, we see very few of these migratory birds. However, today there must have been 20 odd around the windmill next door.

They don't fly south for several months. Perhaps they were young ones?

Swifts usually leave soon, staying a few months only to breed. We saw a few yesterday.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/house-martin . 

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 

24 stations have spotted me with the furthermost ES4RD (1893km).

UPDATE  1904z:  So far today, I have been spotted by 42 stations with the furthermost  OH6CT (2012km).  See map.

10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

Just spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon from G4KPX (14km) so far.

8m FT8 yesterday

 Although nobody spotted my QRP FT8, I spotted 3 stations in Spain and one in Croatia. Not bad with my10m antenna.

Sunspots - Saturday August 3rd

 Solar flux is 247 and the SSN 232. A=9 and K=1.

Practical Wireless in 2013

This was before my stroke in 2013. 

It shows me in the back garden of the old QTH testing a small loop antenna, that worked remarkably well.

Wisdom? - NOT amateur radio

At the age of 75, probably I have mellowed. 

Looking back on my life it is possible to reflect on it. Many mistakes may have been made and paths not taken. In the end it has been far from perfect, but I have had a good innings. It would be good to know what would have happened if other paths had been followed. 

One theory is that every path is indeed taken, but we are only aware of one.

OFCOM and 32GHz

 OFCOM is consulting on fixed links near 32GHz. See the OFCOM website for details. They also publish information on the number of  licences etc.. Again see the OFCOM website for details

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 is on 40.680 MHz.

UPDATE 1953z:  3 stations spotted (2 EAs and 1 9A). No spots of me.

Wednesday's walk - NOT amateur radio

 

This was on our walk at Reach on Wednesday. We went early to avoid the heat.

Nice way to spend a lazy afternoon - NOT amateur radio

 

What could be better?  A punt on the R.Cam in Cambridge and a cold Pimms! This was a punt on the River Cam selling Pimms.

10mW ERP FT8 on 8m

Under UK 🇬🇧 ISM rules I believe anyone may beacon in the 8m ISM band at 10mW ERP without a license or even a callsign!! G8TTI has been doing it with FT8 very successfully. I just wish others would join the fun.

10m FT8 RX

With 10m so good at the moment, may I remind you of my very simple and low cost 10m FT8 RX? 10FT8R is a DSB receiver than works remarkably well. You will not miss much of the action and it could be built for the cost of a few coffees out!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .

Lightning risk

Lightning is an increased risk in the summer months. Although a direct strike is unlikely, close lighting can still do a lot of damage to radio gear. I take no chances disconnecting antennas and mains connectors. Up to now this policy has kept my gear safe from harm.

A useful guide is the realtime lighting map. If lightning is possible locally I disconnect things before the risk is here.

The map is an example showing the lightning last evening at about 2010z.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/#m=oss;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=;ts=0;y=51.7212;x=0.2069;z=8;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

Sunspots - Friday Aug 2nd

 Solar flux is 234 and the SSN 260. A=22 and K=2.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

After failing to receive G0KTN on 8m Q65, I am on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 hoping that someone will spot me.  As there is a possibility of thunder,  I shall disconnect everything later "just in case".

UPDATE 2047z: No spots of me. 

Lundy - NOT amateur radio

Lundy is a small island in the Bristol Channel. As a young teenager I was totally fascinated by it. It is a granite plateau famous for its puffins.