Sunspots - Sunday March 9th

 Solar flux is 148 and the SSN 90. A=21 and K=5.

RX noise

An increasing issue especially in built-up areas is noise on receive. Increasingly, people are using switched mode PSUs with, for example, TVs. Also, there are inverters with solar panels. The result of all this is the noise floor, especially on the lower HF bands is going up and up. 

One solution is to use a separate antenna for receive and transmit. One approach is a low dipole for RX and a vertical on TX as in this video. Vertical antennas can pick up lots of local noise.

Anglesey Abbey walk - NOT amateur radio

 

My wife made this collage of our walk earlier this week.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My QDX at 2W has been on FT8 since breakfast.

Stations spotting me at 1030z

UPDATE 1050z: So far today, 21 stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 1147z:  43 stations have spotted me and 187 stations have been spotted here.

UPDATE 2325z: 168 stations have spotted me today on 10m QRP FT8. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Saturday March 8th

 Solar flux is 148 and the SSN 109. A=20 and K=4.

15m QRPP FT8 (Friday)

As I was having no luck with 63mW 10m FT8, I QSYed to 15m at 1658z, where I have been spotted by 1 station in Estonia so far .

UPDATE 2140z:  7 stations spotted my 63mW 15m FT8. QRT now.

Landwade earlier this week - NOT amateur radio

Earlier this week we did a walk around Landwade in the spring sunshine. 

Landwade is not far from Newmarket, the home of horseracing.

Daffodils - NOT amateur radio

There were a couple of new patches of daffodils at Anglesey Abbey yesterday that looked stunning in the spring sunshine.

Better late than never

Just submitted my entry into the 2m activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB.  In all, 6 stations were worked with my 10W and omni antenna in 45 minutes before my poor voice screamed,"stop". I usually come way down, but it is good to try!

10m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My QDX at 2W (or less) was turned on at 0858z. There are 5 diodes dropping the supply volts.

UPDATE 0911z:  Although I have received 27 stations from across the planet but not one of me. Is something wrong or am I being clobbered by a stronger station?

Stations spotting my
2W 10m FT8 at 1222z

UPDATE 1117z:  So far, spotted by 32 stations and 202 stations spotted here.

UPDATE 1222z:  52 stations have spotted my 2W 10m FT8 today. For fun, I may add the 15dB RF attenuator soon.

UPDATE 1228z: 15dB attenuator added so the power out is now 63mW.

UPDATE 1550z:  Although I am still getting plenty of spots of other stations on 10m FT8 RX even with the 15dB pad in the antenna line, I have received no spots at all on TX. This may be because I am being clobbered by a co-channel station or just that I am too weak.

Sunspots - Friday March 7th

 Solar flux is 150 and the SSN 139. A=7 and K=2.

Cambridge Busker - NOT amateur radio

In Cambridge, you often see buskers, attracted by the tourists. Mostly, they have guitars and violins are far rarer. This one was outside a large bookstore.

Buskers do no harm and are part of the Cambridge "scene" making the city vibrant, especially in nice weather.

King's College, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Most often, you see photos of the world famous King's College Chapel. This is the view looking towards the Porter's Lodge and King's Parade. 

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 After breakfast I returned to 10m FT8 QRP using the QDX at 2W again.

Stations spotting my
10m QRP FT8
today at 1326z

UPDATE 2245z:  So far, 156 stations have spotted me and 860 stations have been spotted. Now QRT. Furthermost was a spot in Indonesia. 

Grandson - NOT amateur radio

 

This was our grandson yesterday at a meal in Cambridge.

Sunspots - Thursday March 6th

 Solar flux is 157 and the SSN 147. A=13 and K=1.

Cambridge Bridge Street - NOT amateur radio

This is Bridge Street, Cambridge. There are lots of places to eat along here. 

Magdalene College that houses the library of Samuel Pepys is over the bridge over the River Cam about 300m from here.

See https://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/ .

10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

After breakfast my plan is to go on 10m FT8 with my QDX at 2W.

UPDATE 2025z:  67 stations have spotted my 2W and I have spotted 637.QRT now.

Fungus - NOT amateur radio

 This was seen on our walk on Monday.

Sunspots - Wednesday March 5th

 Solar flux is 160 and the SSN 134. A=11 and K=3.

Which SDR is best for you?

 This Australian video goes through some of the SDRs that you could buy.

Nearby village - NOT amateur radio

 This is the nearby village of Dalham.

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My QDX at about 2W has been on 10m FT8  since just after breakfast.

Stations spotting my 2W 
10m FT8 QRP today

UPDATE 1950z:  So far today my QRP has been spotted by 161 stations and I have spotted 1070 stations here. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Tuesday March 4th

 Solar flux is 145 and the SSN 99. A=5 and K=2.

Each to their own

It has always been my view that we each enjoy amateur radio in the way we want to. Nobody has to impose our own views on anyone.

However, nothing stops me having a view! A large UK dealer is selling a new Flex SDR radio at £5599.99 plus delivery. No doubt purchasers will also want a linear, a tower and an HF beam. I am sure this new radio is  excellent, but it is not for me.

This is not my personal idea of amateur radio. My QDX is about a fiftieth of the size and very inexpensive as a kit. Even built it is not expensive. As I said, each to their own. 

Having said all this I would happily accept one if someone bought me one!  Probably very very unlikely!

By the way what does this mean please?

"Economical SO2R Solution: Support (OTRSP) in One Radio"

10m QRP FT8 ( Monday)

My QDX (at about 2W) was turned on at about 0745z.

Stations spotting my
10m QRP FT8 today

UPDATE 1335z:  107 stations have spotted my QRP and I have spotted 615 here on 10m FT8 RX.

First grass cut- NOT amateur radio

 

This weekend I cut my grass for the first time this year. At first the blades are set high. They will gradually be set lower.

Spring light - NOT amateur radio

We have moved from meteorological winter into spring. It is good to see signs of new life emerging and birds signing for mates.

I guess it is the light we notice. The sun is higher in the sky and everything looks brighter. I expect painters notice this.

Oscar 124

This is an FM satellite announced by AMSAT-EA.  It has an upload on 2m and download on 70cm. In all my time I have only had one QSO via a satellite. This must have been in the 1980s as it was (I think) a 10m uplink and 15m downlink at a time around solar minimum. I cannot remember the satellite.

See https://www.amsat-ea.org/ .

Perhaps this should be my new challenge - work a few stations via satellites?

See also https://launch.amsat.org/ .

Sunspots - Monday March 3rd

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 139.  A=6 and K=1.

Antenna farm

 Really, I don’t go for big antennas. This is my current “antenna farm“ with the windmill in the background.

A just peace - NOT amateur radio

Enduring peace is clearly the aim of both the USA and Ukraine.  Ukraine is worried about Russia taking a pause, regrouping and attacking again. They do not trust Russia and at the moment it appears the USA does trust them. At the same time Russia is paranoid about being attacked!  

I hope this can be overcome, so this needless war ends and everyone feels secure.

Cambridge Botanic Garden - NOT amateur radio

My wife made this collage of the orchids seen yesterday.

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 After breakfast I intend to turn on my QDX transceiver running about 2-3W on 10m.

UPDATE 1005z:  15 stations have spotted me (I guess by F2 as most are in eastern Europe) and 133 stations have been spotted around the world on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1012z:  If all you are really after is digital modes on the HF bands then the tiny QDX is really all you need. It really is amazing at about the same size as a pack of cards! See https://qrp-labs.com/qdx. .

UPDATE 1642z:  53 spots of my QRP and 791 stations spotted here on 10m FT8 RX today. The map shows the stations spotted here today on 10m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted on 10m
FT8 today with the QDX

UPDATE 2027z:  53 stations have spotted my QRP FT8 and I have spotted 1054. QRT.

VK3YE videos

VK3YE produces many good videos. This is just one of these. To me, he embodies all that is good about amateur radio.

FT891 100W transceiver

This is probably the best value "old" technology transceiver made by Yaesu. It has a detachable head that adds flexibility when fitting it into a car. 

If you don't want to buy a Chinese radio, it is probably one of the lowest cost new HF/6m 100W radios on the market.

Sunspots - Sunday March 2nd

 Solar flux is 145 and the SSN 105. A =19 and K=1.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens - NOT amateur radio

As today was sunny and dry we went to the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

At the moment I am back on 10m FT8 with my tiny QDX transceiver. It gives 3.8W with a 12V PSU, but I have several diodes in the power lead  so I reckon the power is 2-3W. The photo shows how really tiny the QDX is. Think of a pack of cards.

UPDATE 1027z:  6 spots of me. Pretty sure conditions are more disturbed. On 10m FT8  RX, 70 stations spotted.

UPDATE 2048z:  93 spots of my 10m QRP FT8 today. Now QRT.

What next? - NOT amateur radio

Probably most have seen the very public spat between Presidents Trump and Zelensky . 

Clearly the USA 🇺🇸 wants to stand proud in the world with trade on a fair playing field with other nations around the world. The majority in the USA voted for President Trump. 

What I fail to understand is why the President is falling out with so many in other countries. Surely if you want world peace you don’t want public rows with your allies!

We all want to see the world is a fairer, more peaceful, place.

I wonder what Russia and China make of it?

I have amended the posting in the light of the comment - quite correct. Thank you for putting me right!