6m MSK144 RX (Saturday)

Overnight I am monitoring 50.280MHz MSK144, hoping to catch some MS pings in the Leonid meteor shower. I think this is the most used frequency for this mode in Europe.

UPDATE 2100z:  No spots.

Inclusivity - NOT amateur radio

In a modern society everyone deserves an equal chance irrespective of race, colour, ethnicity, sexuality or disability. Who they are simply does not matter.

However, have you noticed that nearly every advert on TV now tries really hard to be seen as "inclusive" by including anyone who might be considered "outside"? Perhaps the person is obese, black, disabled or whatever. How often have you noticed someone mentions, in passing, about their husband or wife (of the same sex) on TV?

Now, I am not saying this is wrong, far from it, yet in many ways society has become less tolerant.

I hope that we can all be "inclusive" without becoming total prudes.

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

 

So far this morning 6 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1426z: 25 stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today. Some USA stations are now spotting me.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

This is Ely Cathedral from the nearby meadow.

Near Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

Ely is unusual in having a park with delightful views of the cathedral nearby. This is about 300m from the cathedral and is a delightful walk.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

For some unknown reason my QMX+ initialised this morning, so I am on 6m QRP FT8 again. So far, I have been spotted by 5 English stations, although I see some better equipped stations are working India on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1408z: Spotted by 30 stations today with the furthermost 4X1UF (3513km).

UPDATE 1745z:  32 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 today.

Spectrumview audio spectrum analyser

When I got my iPhone SE about a year ago, I was quite surprised to see that an app was still available for Spectrumview from Oxford Scientific. 

This is available in iOS but I don't think it is available for Android. Many years ago it was useful for VLF and lightbeam work when I needed an audio spectrum analyser. It was also going to be used at 137kHz until I blew up my beacon earlier this year! By changing the sample rate you can adjust the time shown on the screen.

It is the best audio spectrum analyser I found. It is a free app.

Sunspots - Saturday November 16th

Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 71.   A=13 and K=2. 

Sepura SCL3 - NOT amateur radio

In my professional life before I retired in 2008 I worked for Sepura as a design manager. In those days we led the way in TETRA radios. 

These days it seems emergency services are migrating to 4G/5G services and Sepura is producing a hand portable to allow this migration. It has a TETRA module.

QMX+

When working, this is a great radio covering up to 6m, with SSB promised in a software update. 

Most times it boots up fine, but not always. 

I get a screen that is dim with the top line as shown in the photo. Without unplugging it, I cannot turn it off. It is as if it is not initialised.

In most ways it is a really good QRP radio, but I find this annoying. I hope it is corrected in a later software release as well as the QMX+ USB port not being recognised with Windows 10 without several reboots of the QMX+.

FT710 Field

 One well known UK dealer is selling the Yaesu FT710 Field for £814.99 after the Yaesu cashback.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

This is called "The Ship of the Fens". It is on top of a hill and can be seen for miles, much like Chartres in France. 

The photo shows the view from the Almonry that has been serving meals since the 1200s.

Ely, Bishop’s Palace - NOT amateur radio

During WW2 my dad was a Pathfinder flying night raids in Lancaster bombers over Germany. 

Before joining flying crew he had to have his appendix removed here. It is now part of the Kings School.

I am sure he hated war.

10m 500mW WSPR ( Friday)

My QRP beacon was turned on about 0910z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1538z:  Lots of spots today including many from "across the pond". So far today,  17 stations have spotted me.

Sunspots - Friday November 15th

Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 96. A=11 and K=2.

Roses - NOT amateur radio

 

My wife loves her flowers and these do cheer up dreary November days! These roses certainly fit the bill.

Kierkegaard quote - NOT amateur radio

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards” ~ Kierkegaard

This is a famous quote that rings true with me. When you reflect on things you see them in a fresh light.

10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at breakfast time. So far, I have been spotted by 12 stations, I think by F2 propagation. 

6m QRP FT8 again (Thursday)

 Once again, I am trying 6m as the F2 propagation sometimes goes this high. So far (at 0920z) spotted by 14 English stations.

UPDATE 1333z:  43 stations have spotted my QRP 6m FT8 today. Nobody outside Europe has spotted me today.

UPDATE 1712z:  53 spots of me today on 6m QRP FT8.

Black Friday "deals" - NOT amateur radio

One large PC manufacturer just told me by email that they were doing Black Friday deals early and that there were some amazing bargains.So, I took a look.

As far as I can see, these "bargains" are as high as they have ever been.

I expect if I looked very hard I might find an old model that is a bit less expensive, so they can clear the shelves for 2025 models.

What me a cynic? Surely not !! 😃

The moral? Treat Black Friday "deals" with caution. Some amazing bargains are definitely not.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 14th

 Solar flux is 150 and the SSN 109. A=7 and K=3.

SSTV from the International Space Station (ISS)

 During this week is a chance to get slow scan TV from the ISS. This video may help. SSTV is not something I have done seriously.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

A few weeks the trees were mostly in leaf. Now most leaves have fallen. It all seems to have happened very quickly. The photo shows a close in our village yesterday.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My QRP FT8  has been on for a while after breakfast. 6 English stations have spotted me. One VU was spotted at the end of a QSO.

UPDATE 1438z:  36 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 (mostly English) with the furthermost spotted by VU2MSA (8178km). Obviously F2 to India is reaching 6m.

UPDATE 1940z: 41 stations have spotted me today.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)

18 stations have spotted me so far this morning at 1008z on 10m QRP WSPR TX. Most look like F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1730z:  82 stations have spotted me with the furthermost F61695 (9729km) in the Indian Ocean. 

Sunspots - Wednesday November 13th

 Solar flux is 172 and the SSN 116. A=5 and K=2.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

 This evening is the November 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB. I go on briefly with my 10W SSB and the 2m omni big-wheel.

UPDATE 2019z:  2 stations worked, then I gave up! Furthermost was G4CLA (105km).

2012 memory

This dates from 2012!! It was first posted on Facebook back then.

King's in the sun - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows King's College from across the Backs in the sunshine yesterday in the autumn colours.

All quiet on the Yaesu front

Some months ago Yaesu announced the FTX-1F which was hailed as the successor to the FT817/818 range and a competitor to the ICOM IC-705. Since then I have heard  ..... nothing!  Even on the rumour mill, it has been deadly quiet. 

Is there any information out there?

At the right price (below £1000)  and with the right features, it could be a serious player. 

In my time I have owned very many Yaesu products. They have all been very good and very reliable, although I have the feeling Yaesu lost its way and market leadership in recent years. 

The Yen is extremely competitive against the US dollar and UK pound at the moment.

Maybe, just maybe, they will get it right this time. I do hope so.

YouTube videos

There is an enormous quantity of stuff on YouTube. Whether your interest is amateur radio or something else, a quick search is almost sure to throw up something. The video attached is just an example. 

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 0950z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1242z:  29 stations have spotted me today with the furthermost WD4DLG (6287km) .

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My FT8 gear was turned on at about 0950z. So far spotted by 4 English stations at 0953z.

UPDATE 1425z:  22 stations have spotted my QRP 6m FT8 today. 

UPDATE 1741z:   24 stations have spotted me today. See map.

More Cambridge in the sun - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the path up to King's College, Cambridge yesterday. It looks far more autumnal. At least the sun was shining!

PI4 versus FT8

Most beacons use PI4 whereas I would have expected them to use FT8. 

Does PI4 confer some advantages? Maybe better sensitivity? In my view, unless there is something about PI4 I don't know about, I would prefer beacons to use FT8 or at least have an FT8 sequence.

Just imagine if the IBP project beacons used FT8 on each band! One could leave a monitor on all day and see what comes through. 

This would be extremely valuable in the solar quiet years on the higher bands. 

I could see someone producing an IBP RX perhaps band switching to see which bands are open?

Sunspots - Tuesday November 12th

 Solar flux is 182 and the SSN 138. A=10 and K=2.

Cambridge in the sun - NOT amateur radio

We have had "anticyclonic gloom" for what seems like forever. We have seen hardly any sun until today. This was the River Cam outside King's College, Cambridge.

10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)

13 spots of my QRP beacon today.  See table. 

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

 

57 stations have spotted me today, including several "across the pond". 

Bare - NOT amateur radio

I always think of November as the worst month of the year. It is often dull and dark, the trees lose their leaves and it really is "the pits".  At least in January nights are getting a bit lighter and there are the signs of new life.

Take, for example, the horse chestnut trees in the churchyard shown in the photo. A few weeks ago the leaves were there. 

Now there are very few revealing the rook's nests. I look forward to these being repaired in the early spring and the first buds.