Sunspots Tuesday October 22nd

  Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 168. A=5 and K=2.

10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)

My QRP 10m WSPR beacon is on and so far 3 stations have copied me. I suspect these were by F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1040z:   14 spots of me with the furthermost a station in Asiatic Russia, RA0SX (5904km).

UPDATE 1358z: Spotted by 51 stations so far today on 500mW 10m WSPR. See table.

UPDATE 1935z:   Spotted by 66 stations today.

8m QSO success (Monday)

After trying for a long time without success, I have had an 8m QRP FT8 QSO with G4FKI (60km). I am not sure if he has changed polarisation. 

UPDATE 1025z: EI3KF (574km) has spotted my QRP 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1222z:  Quite a good day with three 8m QRP FT8 QSOs and Southern Africa and the Middle East spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1243z:  Spotted across the Atlantic again on 8m QRP FT8 this time by VO1SIX (3933km).

UPDATE 1625z: My 8m QRP FT8 was spotted by 15 stations today, with many "across the pond". See map. Now QRT on 8m.  Pretty sure this is my best day on 8m. Remember this is just 2.5W FT8 to a low wire dipole.

With my brother - NOT amateur radio

As we get older, I think the norm is we feel closer to our siblings if we have them. I guess it is the reality that we or them will no longer be around for ever. It is also true for friends and partners.

My brother is nearly 80 and is currently in good health. This photo was taken last month in the ruins of the old abbey at Bury St Edmunds. Perhaps it is a reminder that nothing is forever?

Leaves still on the trees - NOT amateur radio

 Yesterday we were on the edge of the first named storm this autumn in the UK. Winds were stronger in NW Scotland.

I was surprised not to see far more leaves on the grass rather than on the trees. Presumably the leaves that remain (about half) are the ones that still remain more green. As autumn progresses most of these will change colour and fall as they have done for millions of years. 

It is always nice to look forward to new life busting out in spring. Winter first! 😞

Monday plans

Later, I think I shall go on 10m QRP WSPR and either 8m or 6m QRP FT8. 

Linux - NOT amateur radio

 As you will be aware, I am not a PC nerd. Compared with many, I am pretty ignorant. 

However, I have watched a few YouTube videos about making a Linux distro so might have a go at putting one on a CF to boot my PC into Linux to try it. If I do it, it will be after lunch. 

Any recommendations on type? I am told Mint is good for beginners like me.

Cottage - NOT amateur radio

 This is in a village not far from us. Traditionally cottages were pink as they used animal blood to colour the whitewash. I expect these days they buy the paint from a DIYshop!

Sunspots- Monday October 21st

 Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 113. A=5 and K=1.

Testcard F - NOT amateur radio

Many in the UK will recall this iconic testcard from the early days of colour TV. 

Excellent HF to eastern Europe

 Conditions to Eastern Europe seem good at the moment.

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

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 On the "old" PC I seem to be getting less out on 8m FT8 from the FT817ND despite a low SWR and the power slider on WSJT-X being at maximum. So the output is probably 2W or less to the dipole. 

Despite this, it is being spotted by EA8DJR (2994km) in the Canary Is. I called him, but he failed to hear me. I suspect this is F2 rather than Es propagation. With me he is very strong. I was quite surprised to spot him on 40.680 MHz FT8 this morning.

UPDATE 1002z:  He called and we worked. EA8JF (2832km) has also spotted me on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1013z:  Now also spotted strongly by EA8RH (3029km). F2 (I guess) is good on 8m this morning.

UPDATE 1038z:  With stations in Italy and Spain being granted amateur radio access to the 8m band activity seems to have increased. I just wish more PTTs would see the value.

UPDATE 1206z:   G4KFI (60km) spotted. I think my QRP is too weak for him to spot me. I think we are cross polarised, so on inter-G this is probably very important.

UPDATE 1243z:  UW8SM (1751km) spotted. I think this station is genuine.

UPDATE 1255z:  4 stations have spotted me today. See map.

UPDATE 1424z:   Spotted in Denmark on QRP 8m FT8 earlier. As conditions seem quite good, I wonder if I shall be spotted "across the pond" on 8m QRP FT8 today? UPDATE MONDAY:  No.

UPDATE 1800z:  CX3DMP (11112km) spotted as well as stations in the Canary Is, Italy Ukraine, UK and Slovenia.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 As my 10m antenna is available I am on 10m QRP WSPR with the signal being widely copied

UPDATE 1022z: Spotted by 14 stations. 

UPDATE 1112z: Spotted by 22 stations so far.

UPDATE  1410z: Spotted by 42 stations today.

Map from WSPRrocks by Phil VK7JJ

UPDATE 1633z:  Spotted by 61 stations today on 10m QRP WSPR.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At the moment (Sunday morning) 6m seems wide open to many parts of Europe (Es?) with my 2.5W FT8  to the V2000 omni vertical being spotted by 27 stations across the continent. See map

CQWW contests in 2024?

This was, perhaps, the biggest set of contests in the world. Even without submitting a score, it gave many a chance to work new countries and US states. 

With the demise of CQ magazine, it is not clear what the situation is in 2024. Looking at the website, you could be forgiven for thinking it is still on. However, that information may have been put up ages ago, before the magazine closed. 

This is one of my pet hates - not knowing the date the webpages were updated, but that is a different story.

If anyone can tell me if it is on or off, please let me know.

10m 500mW WSPR yesterday

When I am on 6m, I keep forgetting that the 10m antenna is free and available.  Last evening I remembered so I went on 10m QRP WSPR with my beacon. The spots were as shown in the table.

6m QRP FT8 yesterday

At about 1650z yesterday, I decided to try 6m FT8 with my 2.5W using the "old" PC.  Just G spots from local(ish) stations. Later, stations in Denmark and Sweden spotted me. In all, 15 stations spotted me. See map.

Sunspots- Sunday October 20th

 Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 101. A=23 and K=1.

QDX and QMX+ issues

 With the "other" Windows 10 PC, everything seems to work on RX, but even though the QDX goes to TX there is no RF being sent. Also, I get a "rig control error" going to TX even though the CAT works and it is "seeing" the QDX. As far as I can see, everything is correctly set and I tried a power cycle on the QDX before starting the PC.  It should not be this hard.

Going back to the SignaLink USB and FT817ND I get no issues at all with the "old" PC. For now, I give up.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 My 2.5W 8m FT8 is on again. No spots, although I see far more stations are now monitoring the band.

UPDATE 1513z:  G4FKI (60km) and IZ1DYE (973km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX although nobody has spotted my 2.5W yet. The map shows the stations monitoring 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1609z: PJ4MM (7483km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

Detecting life in outer space - NOT amateur radio

As far as I know SETI, the search for intelligent life in outer space, has been going for about 60 years without success. 

According to a link in Amateur Radio Weekly there may be another technique. If we find intelligent life "out there" it could/should have a profound effect on life on Earth. 

Excuse the journalism in the link!

AI - NOT amateur radio

This morning I had an email inviting me to try Google’s new AI tool called Gemini. 

It makes some mistakes, but in the main it produces amazing text and images based on the information available in seconds.

In coming years it is likely to get even better. Used for good, it a powerful tool. In the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

Peak of solar cycle 25

It looks like we are at the peak of this cycle. We have well exceeded the peak expected.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

RX on 10m
FT8 to 0940z

Don't ask me why but WSPR-X works with my older Windows 10 PC, SignaLink USB and the FT817ND. I have yet to try with the QDX.  

Stations all over the planet are being received and (so far) I have been widely spotted with 2.5W FT8 all over Europe. See map showing the stations spotted by 0940z on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1015z: First DX spot of me today by PU4TNT (9086km).

UPDATE 1135z:  77 stations have spotted me today with 2.5W 10m FT8.

Stations spotting me today
on 10m FT8 with 2.5W

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

Shortly, I hope to go on 10m WSPR with my stand-alone QRP 10m WSPR beacon. I cannot try FT8 again until I sort out my PC. Maybe I should try downloading JTDX and see if that works? 

UPDATE 0947z:   I went on briefly.  No spots.

It’s coming - NOT amateur radio

At the moment most leaves are still on the trees, but they are starting to fall. 

The garden looks far more autumnal with it looking “soggy “.

What’s this?

Whilst rummaging through drawers in my shack trying to find a power supply for an unused PC, I came across this TX. I have no recollection of making it, but it looks like an OXO QRP CW transmitter. It must date from the 1990s or early 2000s. 

Climber - NOT amateur radio

Every winter I have grand ideas about replacing this climber but never do. It grows very fast, has no flowers but looks great in the autumn before it looses all its leaves. I cut it right back but always grows back!

B stock “bargains”

One of the biggest UK dealers is advertising B stock at considerable savings. To me, these still look expensive when you look at exchange rates against the Yen and US Dollar.

Sunspots- Saturday October 19th

 Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 132. A=14 and K=4.

Are we beginning to see a slow decline in sunspot numbers?

Is WSPRnet faulty?

Despite syncing to Internet time, I have again got no 10m WSPR spots with my 500mW stand-alone beacon whereas I usually get several. I am wondering if WSPRnet is faulty, not uploading spots, or there is a long delay?  Listening on another radio, it seems to be fine.

UPDATE 1737z:  No, it was a fault with my antenna coax. Since fixing it, 17 stations have spotted me with the furthermost DP0GVN/1 (13685km) in Antarctica. See chart that shows 15 stations.

UPDATE 2115z:  29 stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR.  Now QRT.

Friday plans

We have to go shopping, but I also want to find out if the PC or QDX is the source of my problem with the QDX not being recognised by the PC. As far as I know, everything is done in the correct order. 

It will be interesting to see if I get no problems with the FT817 and SignaLink USB. This has never given me problems in over 20 years . 

Assuming I can find a solution, my plan is to try 10m QRP FT8 later. We'll see!

UPDATE 1153z:  I shall be tackling the QDX and PC after lunch. Wish me luck!

UPDATE 1455z:  No luck. It is as if any external device is not recognised. Just to make sure the USB socket is OK (I think it is) I shall try a CF drive in it. For now, until I can fix this, I am confined to 10m WSPR. Somewhere I have another Windows PC that I must try without updating it just in case it is a Windows Update  that has screwed things.

UPDATE 1540z: I found the older Windows 10 PC. It is on charge. Later I shall give this a try.

Sunspots - Friday October 18th

 Solar flux is 174 and the SSN 146. A=8 and K=2.

Struggling

I deleted lots of WAV files from my PC (WSJT-X saves them all!!) and this allowed me to do a Windows update. 

However, for some reason, after doing a restart on my QDX I can receive OK, it does not TX on FT8. I checked this on my QMX+ and that does not TX either. It seems to recognise the QDX audio and CAT control works on the QMX+.

At the moment I am on 10m QRP WSPR with my stand-alone 500mW WSPR beacon (no spots on this as well!).

I think this must go down as a "bad hair day". In other words it's totally crap. My brain hurts!

UPDATE 1712z:  In desperation, I am doing a full PC reset to factory settings to see if this fixes it. The PC is really only used with WSJT-X.

UPDATE 2151z:  For some reason the PC still refuses to recognise the QDX. Tomorrow I shall try with the SignaLinkUSB and the FT817ND which should work.  With Windows there must be some magic that I am missing to get the PC to “see” the QDX. Apparently it is all to do with the USB port recognising the QDX whereas with Linux there is no issue.

Upcoming rally this weekend

 The following rally has been notified to me. As usual, check details.

Saturday October 19th - Mexborough and District ARS Rally,  Conisborough, DN12 3HJ. Contact madarsrally@gmail.com  .

Amazon algorithms - NOT amateur radio

 After buying things from Amazon, I get bombarded with suggestions of things to buy of very similar items to what I have just bought. As an example, I recently got a new electric razor and I am now getting lots of suggestions for similar electric razors. Having just bought one, a new electric razor is the very last thing I want!

Surely their algorithms could be changed to exclude items similar to ones bought recently? This would not be rocket science.

Sunspots - Thursday October 17th

Solar flux is 168 and the SSN 135. A=15 and K=3.

Sorting out the QDX and PC

 As we are out later, I think working on the QDX and PC will have to wait until Thursday now.

Lunchtime - NOT amateur radio

This lunchtime we met up with old friends. My wife used to teach with the husband in 1972. I did say “old“ friends!!

Plans for Wednesday

 Later this afternoon I hope to sort out my PC and QDX. As you know I had planned to do this earlier in the week, but events overtook this. 

Assuming it all works and there is no thunder (!) I shall try 10m QRP FT8.