This evening is the 70cm FT8 activity contest organised by the RSGB. I think the contest in Europe starts earlier.
UPDATE 1946z: 29 stations spotted with the most distant EI8KD (518km). See map,
Last week I mentioned solid state batteries.
For years, we have heard a lot of hype about these that promise lower costs, greater range and no rare earths.
It would appear we are now getting closer. I saw this video which compares various approaches.
If I was ICOM develepment now I would be working on a true handheld version of the IC-705. They have the electronics, so just need to re-develop the mechanics. There has never been a decent replacement of the FT817 by Yaesu.
Should such a product come to market, ICOM could make a killing.
See https://yo6dxe.com .
To finish today, I went on 6m 5W FT8 with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.
UPDATE 1904z: Just the usual English spots.
After going QRT on 10m I went to 2m 10mW FT8 using to big-wheel omni antenna. Although barely visible on the grabber at G0LRD (25km) the other side of Cambridge, it was decoded.
If you look on YouTube you could believe anything.
Many of the videos are now created using AI, so the only thing you can be sure of is "this could be incorrect". It is getting harder and harder to tell what is real and what is fake.
Unless you are absolutely sure it is safer to assume everything is fake!
Recently, quite by accident, I found an old letter supposed to have been written by the editor of RSGB RadCom inviting me to write a series of articles. I recall being very flattered at the time and boasting to my family.
Then the boys told me it was an elaborate hoax!! They made a very convincing letter as I was quite taken in!
Most have been useless as the date is shown as 0000.00.00 which must be an error as in this example. I am happy to confirm the contact as long as the details are correct, not otherwise.
I think these are sent out by email when the amateur subscribes.
Today, I am on 10m FT8 with 10mW to see how it goes. The gear was turned on about 0945z.
UPDATE 1020z: No TX spots. It is interesting that I am receiving stations from all over the planet. This implies they could run 15dB less power and still be copied if the attenuator was not there. I guess at 10mW I am more likely to be crushed by a stronger station or be below their noise floor.
UPDATE 1125z: Spots by YL3NF (1567km) and IZ0EWJ (1546km) . Even 10mW FT8 works! I think 5W is far easier, but I shall leave it at 10mW all day.
UPDATE 1420z: Spotted by 7 stations when I was running 10mW FT8 today.
With oil prices falling and increasing sanctions causing China and India to think twice before buying Russian oil (its major export) there is a danger of the Russian economy being in serious trouble.
Most agree that electric cars are not there yet.
Early adopters have to contend with lithium-ion batteries, where lithium is in short supply (and often mined by children), limited range, high prices and long charging times.
If ranges were significantly improved, charging would be needed less often. Also price puts many off currently. One answer that always seems to be "just around the corner" are solid state batteries. These promise greater ranges, lower prices and no rare materials.
These seem nearly there, but not quite. With all the research it is likely this will come, but when?
At the moment I am not sure about Monday. I may try 23cm beacon hunting with my SDR receiver or even lower power on 10m FT8. If there is thunder around I may just stay off the air.
This was originally on terrestrial television, but is now on YouTube. I imagine they avoid some of the censorship this way.
Today, I shall probably not go on the radio. On Sunday I may give 10m FT8 a try with 50mW.
I have just heard that the richest man in the world has just got a salary package that could be worth an extra $1trillion.
When some in the world are starving, I find this obscene. Meanwhile the poor get even poorer.
Some advert for democracy - NOT.
There are quite a few SDRs (software defined radios) connected to the internet often with extensions so you can decode your favourite modes. It is fun to take a listen to these.
I was listening on 10m FT8 via http://sdr.gb0snb.com:8073/ which uses an active loop by George Smart M1GEO called the Wellgood loop. See https://www.george-smart.co.uk/projects/wellgood-loop/ .
A search on Google or similar will produce a list. of webSDRs. Alternatively see https://rsgb.org/main/operating/web-sdr-receiver/.
Not being a politician, I am unclear about the government shutdown in the USA, but it must be costing a lot to the USA economy. I can see this becoming a massive issue.
Without an external attenuator, 500mW FT8 is the lowest power I can run from my IC-705. It was turned on at about 0945z.
UPDATE 1036z: So far, spotted by 83 stations. It is still too easy!! Furthest is RN4WA (3365km).
Every month, despite my poor voice I go on the 2m and 70cm activity contests (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. It may be me, but I am sense there are fewer people taking part.
Perhaps it is me, but maybe the higher local noise floors in urban areas are making it harder for QRP stations. Certainly, I generally work fewer 2m stations, whereas I don't have the same problem on 70cm. in fact I usually work more now on 70cm SSB!
 |
| Where I was spotted with 2m 10W SSB to the big-wheel omni antenna |
My 2m FT8 gear was turned on at about 1820z.
UPDATE 1857z: So far, 11 spots of me with furthest GI6ATZ (479km).
UPDATE 1922z: QRT.
My gear was turned on at about 1145z.
In the end, if you are choosing between these two transceivers, it will be a personal decision based on the way you operate.
Another factor is price with the IC705 considerably less expensive than the FTX-1 in the UK. In this video, both are compared. The IC-705 has more features built in.
Personally, I would not pay the extra for the FTX-1. If it was the same price as the IC-705 it might be a harder decision!
We live in more uncertain times with people seeming more angry than they were, In many nations the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer.
In my view, this widening gap between rich and poor is a pointer towards revolution, when the poor say "enough is enough". Sadly, rich billionaires control most of the media and ways by which people communicate.
I really hope revolution in many nations can be avoided. I hope that those voted into high office look beyond "feathering their own nests" and look to really improve the lot of the common man.
What is happening in the USA is a poor advert for democracy. What is happening in Russia is troubling too.
My gear was turned on at about 1120z.
UPDATE 1634z: 30 stations have spotted me . See map. It seems that almost all times I go on 6m QRP FT8 TX, I get spotted in mainland Europe.
The Pixie is available as a 40m transceiver extremely inexpensively from China. It is a low power transceiver, but the receiver is a real compromise often suffering from overload from broadcast stations and with poor selectivity. These mods by VK3YE 9 years ago make it a bit better.
If you are after a really low cost way of getting into amateur radio, this may be it. There have been several variations of it down the years.
The Pixie and Micro80 are also on my website.
