70cm UKAC

Well, I probably have the very worst set-up for this contest: 5W SSB, RG58 (lossy) coax and a 2m halo!! Add to that that speaking is very hard and that I was only on for about 10 minutes and you can see why I never win!

QSYed to 630m WSPR

At 1900z, I QSYed to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20% TX). 10m WSPR was really not very good.

10m WSPR (2W, 20% TX)

For a change, I decided to go on 10m WSPR transceive today. I am using 2W (instead of 0.5W) and looking for others 80% of the time on RX.

UPDATE 1514z:  No WSPR spots given or received on 10m all day so far. Dire.

UPDATE  1824z: Although no-one spotted me, I spotted DL and OM. Best DX was OM1AI (1269km).

Fewer Christmas cards? - NOT amateur radio

In the last few years postage costs have rocketed in the UK. Also, people keep in touch by email and social media far more than in the past. Postcards used to be sent to/by lots of people on holiday, but there are far fewer these days.

It is early days, but I am expecting far fewer Christmas cards this year. Some people have died, some find postage costs too high and some decide to give to charity instead. If it wasn't for my wife, I expect we'd send out far fewer cards!

One thing I have wondered - why not reduce the cost of second class postage stamps in the UK in early December? This would encourage more people to post Christmas cards. Overall, it might help with PO revenue. The PO could sell 2nd class special Christmas stamps at, say, 35p each in the lead-up to Christmas. They could even stipulate these are only to be used on Christmas cards.

630m WSPR overnight

Overnight I was again on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20% TX). In all, I was spotted by 7 unique stations with PA0RDT (243km) my best DX. I spotted 10 uniques.

For a change I am now on 10m WSPR (2W, 20% TX).

Sunspots - Tuesday December 12th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number 11. A=3 and K=2.

East Cambs net 144.575MHz FM

At 2000z, I went on the 2m FM net in East Cambridgeshire on 144.575MHz. Others are always most welcome to join in. Discussions rarely go on beyond 2030z.

6m FT8

For about 30 minutes, I have been on 6m FT8 RX again. As yet, nothing spotted.

UPDATE 1100z: OK2BRD (1289km) spotted. Not sure of the propagation mode.

UPDATE 1900z: 7 stations in 6 countries today on 6m FT8. Soon be time to QSY to 630m WSPR.

UPDATE 1932z: G4BMM (123km) copied. I suspect this is aircraft reflection from planes in the London, Heathrow stack.

UPDATE 2220z: Best DX today on 6m FT8 RX was IT9CHU (2045km).

Evenings soon getting lighter - NOT amateur radio

Although the days still get shorter until early January, the evenings start to get very slowly lighter again from next weekend here. I think this depends on many factors. It is one hour lighter by the end of January.

Snow - NOT amateur radio

We still have a bit of snow on the ground, but it remains very cold. Already there are signs we are in for a colder winter than we have had for some years. Already we have had many more frosts than last winter and it is still 2 weeks to Christmas.

630m OPERA RX last night

LA3EQ (769km) was the best DX on 630m OPERA RX last night. No transatlantic DX copied here. I have now QSYed to 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Monday December 11th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number 11.  A=3 and K=3.

uBitx kit

A useful resource for the uBitx kit is http://miscdotgeek.com/

477kHz OPERA RX

I decided to give 477kHz OPERA RX another go this evening and overnight. Nothing yet spotted. Because the FT817 is used in split mode I need to set up another memory which sets the TX frequency to 477kHz too via the transverter. With my brain as it is, this is less easy than it once was.

UPDATE 2110z: Just G6AVK (78km) spotted so far on 477kHz OPERA this evening. The best place to look for spots seems to be http://spots.microwavers.es/index.php .

UPDATE 2125z: Now G0NDB (259km) has been spotted twice.

HF vertical antenna

Somewhere, I have a Sandpiper vertical made some years ago. I think it is an X80. It is hardly used. It has been up briefly years ago. As I recall, it acted like a Rybacov antenna and was a vertical fed via a un-un so it provided a reasonable match on several HF bands. HF vertical antennas can pick up noise from nearby things more easily than horizontal antennas, but it might allow me access to several bands, so I might be able to WSPR on several bands sequentially. It probably won't be erected until the spring.

Snow - NOT amateur radio

Today we had our first "proper" snow since 2013. Snow is quite rare here these days due to our warming world. Someone explain this to President Trump in words of one syllable. Silly me, this is all a Chinese hoax.

It has been snowing all morning although I suspect it will soon go. It could turn to ice. Nice as it lasted.

6m FT8

For a change, I am on 6m FT8 RX today. Really I am hoping for G stations and any EUs would be a bonus.

UPDATE 1350z: Nothing at all spotted so far on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1546z: One Belgian station spotted on 6m FT8 - ON8DM (237km). Aircraft?

UPDATE 1815z: Quite a few central and eastern Europeans spotted on 6m FT8.

Faith or lack of it - NOT amateur radio

Rational thinking tells me "this is it" and all religions are just Man's attempt to come to terms with a finite existence. There are many religions in the world and their adherents are often firm believers in their particular faith. All the recent evidence in my life says we are not born for an eternal life. Before we were born we knew nothing. Were we happy? Arguably, yes, as we were unaware of anything.

And yet....

Perhaps all religions hint at something. Maybe there is more? The only certainty seems to be that we all die and not one of us really knows what then happens. Does our consciousness somehow live on? Who knows.  What underlying thing sets our moral compass? What makes us follow certain paths and tells us what is right and what is wrong? If this is all there is why do we not follow a path of pleasure for ourselves at the expense of others?

630m WSPR last night

My 10mW ERP was spotted by a new Norwegian (for me) - LA9NKA (930km). In all, I was spotted by 6 unique stations. I spotted 9 unique stations in the last 12 hours.

Sunspots - Sunday December 10th 2017

Solar flux has risen a bit to 71. Sunspot number is 11.  A=10 and K=1.

630m WSPR

As usual, I have QSYed to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20% TX) for the evening and overnight. So far I have spotted 2 unique stations and I have been spotted by 5 uniques. My best spot was by G8HUH (250km).

UPDATE 2216z: The best DX on RX this evening is EA4GHB (1300km).

uBitx - multiband HF kit

Steve G1KQH has brought to my attention a multi-band version of the Bitx from India.  Most bits are SMA and on the board already. The kits sell for $109 ($129 after Christmas), which is excellent value. If you get a chance, read Steve's blog at http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/ .

See http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/

10W moonbounce

Amateur Radio Weekly relays that a UK Foundation Licence holder using 10W has had a successful QSO "off the moon".

See https://www.essexham.co.uk/news/essex-eme-success.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

4m (70MHz) next year?

Although I have "dabbled" with 4m in the distant past, I have not really tried the band seriously. As I am looking for a new challenge for 2018, my mind is drifting towards the 4m band. There are now lots of EU countries on the band which should be in reach by Es in the summer. As I recall, 4m is pretty effective for inter-G QSOs too, so 5-50W to a 4m halo should prove quite effective. 4m WSPR should be very effective. We'll see!

10m FT8

As of  about 10 minutes ago, I went QRT on 630m WSPR and QSYed to 10m FT8 RX. 2E0XXO (120km) already spotted. Not long after OZ1LXJ (806km) was spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1210z: 8 stations in 7 EU countries spotted so far on 10m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1746z: 12 stations in 9 EU countries spotted so far.

630m WSPR overnight

Last night and overnight I was on 630m WSPR again (10mW ERP, 20% TX). In all, I was spotted by 9 unique stations in 2 countries with best DX PA0O (440km).

On RX I spotted 15 uniques with best DX EA5DOM (1525km).

Light - NOT amateur radio

This was the light on our table at lunch at "The Merry Monk" in Isleham, UK yesterday.

Sunspots - Saturday December 9th 2017

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 11. A=10 and K=1.

Return to 630m WSPR

A few minutes ago I returned to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%). So far 4 unique spots of me even though the crystal in the transverter is still drifting. It usually takes about 20 minutes before the drift is zero Hertz.

Merry Monk Cheese - NOT amateur radio

As we have several birthdays about now, we went with friends for lunch at "The Merry Monk" a Michelin recommended restaurant nearby. The photo shows my cheese course.

BREXIT latest - NOT amateur radio

As many may remember I voted "remain" in the UK referendum over whether, or not, we should leave the EU. There is much wrong with the EU, but, on balance, I thought remaining was the lesser of two evils. Overall, the UK narrowly voted to leave the EU. 

Presently, the UK and EU are negotiating on the separation deal. There are tough negotiations ahead. At least the first set of hurdles appear to be behind us.

It is in the interest of both the EU and UK to reach an outcome that is good for all. Personally, I think we would have voted "remain" had the EU recognised how important (to the UK) was the control of our immigration and made some concessions in this regard for the UK. They did not, and the EU will suffer as the UK leaves - fewer rich nations to pay the bills of the EU.

It would not surprise me if the EU falls apart in the next 20 years. There are already cracks. The UK has always wanted trade, but placed less importance on security and a federal Europe. Perhaps the UK leaving the EU "club" was inevitable?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42277040 .

Freight train - NOT amateur radio

On our way to the garden centre to buy a Christmas tree, we had to stop for this freight train. Having to stop here at this level crossing is very rare.

New VHF/UHF log periodic

If you have plenty of money, you may want to consider the new log-periodic from InnovAntennas at just under £200. Personally, I think this is expensive, although others may disagree. Each to their own. I know they have to recover development and manufacturing costs, but just under £200 for some aluminium?

See http://www.innovantennas.com/antennas-a-accesories/on-line-shop/view/productdetails/virtuemart_product_id/469/virtuemart_category_id/75.html

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium

10m FT8 RX

Yesterday, I stopped on 630m all day. Today, for the daytime, I am again on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1126z: Still no 10m FT8 spots here today.

UPDATE 1745z: IZ2DMV (982km) in N.Italy spotted as well as one G.

Sunspots - Friday December 8th 2017

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number 11. A=10 and K=2.

630m WSPR continues to amaze me

Last night, I was again on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%). Yet again LA2XPA/2 (1310km) copied my signal twice. One report was -19dB S/N. Given a quiet noise floor this implies he could have copied me even if I was running less than 1mW ERP. And all this with my totally poor antenna!

On RX, all over western Europe copied again, including 2 EAs.

If you think 630m is hard, please, think again.

Visit by old work colleague

Today an old work colleague called in. He has been retired for about a year now.  It was good to see him. I think the last time we met was just around the time he retired. He was a very good "natural" engineer. I am sure he is greatly missed.

He is very much into tracking amateur balloons.

MSF closedown

This appeared on the RSGB LF reflector today:

"The MSF 60 kHz time and frequency signal broadcast from Anthorn
Radio Station will be shut down on Thursday 14 December from 10:00 to 14:00 UTC."

Coffee - NOT amateur radio

If time permits, I buy a coffee and bread roll at Pret a Manger in Cambridge on the way to my weekly lectures on Samuel Pepys. At £1.59 total this is excellent value.

I hate having to queue for coffee as it is being prepared. If you want this fine, but Pret always has low cost filter coffee on tap. The latter is fine for me.

Southgate News 10m Report

This confuses me.

Many of the reporters are in W, PY, VK etc so I have no idea from this report what is being worked or heard from the UK. As a simple list of DX on the band it is meaningless.

If this was a list of what was being heard or worked from the UK, it would be far more useful. I know my 10m setup is not the best, but reading this report, you might think there is more there than in reality. Certainly on 10m FT8 lately it has been dire. Most days I monitor 10m.

See http://southgatearc.org/bands/10metres/2017/december/dec-07.htm#.Wikilkx2v4g

OFCOM and fixed wireless spectrum

OFCOM today published a paper following its consultation.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/108594/Fixed-Wireless-Spectrum-Strategy.pdf

630m WSPR last night and this morning

At the moment, I am still on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%). Last night I was spotted by 14 unique stations using my "compromise" vertical with LA2XPA/2 (1310km) as the best DX and I copied 14 uniques.

UPDATE 1352z: I decided to stay on 630m WSPR all day. At times, G0VQH has been getting me very strongly.

Sunspots - Thursday December 7th 2017

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 13.  A=16 and K=3.

472kHz WSPR last night

EA5DOM (1525km) was spotted 18 times last night using the earth-electrode antenna, even though the direction was not optimised. On TX, with less than 10mW ERP WSPR. I was spotted by 9 unique stations (all G). Overall, I think the compromise vertical is slightly better than the earth-electrode "antenna" on 472kHz, although the earth-electrode "antenna" is surprisingly effective.

On 472kHz it was hard to see a noise peak around breakfast time with the earth-electrode "antenna". I guess it is back to the compromise vertical on 472kHz tonight to see if this is the same. My theory is this is an E-field antenna, whereas the earth-electrode "antenna" is more like an H-field antenna.

A few years ago the external noise on 472kHz was very low (less than S2). Nowadays it is S7.

Car Tax - NOT amateur radio

Through the post today I received a car-tax reminder. I went online and completed the form. It was very easy. As my car is a recent clean diesel, 12 months cost me nothing! They even send you an email to confirm you've paid - in my case nothing at all!

The fuel averages 60 miles per gallon, even motoring locally. Diesels get a bad press, but recent ones are pretty good. These days I guess we do less than 8000 miles a year- probably 5000 miles a year?

10m FT8 RX

Although I have been active since breakfast, nothing yet spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1410z: 4 stations in 3 EU countries spotted so far on 10m FT8 today. Best DX is 9A7JCY (1426km).

UPDATE 1615z: No further 10m spots, so time to QSY to 630m WSPR.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 6th 2017

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number remains zero. A=29 and K=4.

472kHz WSPR

This evening and overnight I am on 472kHz WSPR using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground to see how it compares with the compromise Marconi. The latter is very poor being just the coax outer to my 2m big-wheel. It is only 4m at the highest point and much if the run is just 0.5m above ground.

OFCOM monthly report

Every month, OFCOM do a monthly report. This is December's.

See http://ofcom.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/i/BAC33FFB2B8DFF022540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

2m activity contest this evening

The monthly 2m UKAC was this evening. 12 contacts made in 45 minutes before my voice screamed stop! If I was able to stay on longer I am sure my 5W to my  big-wheel omni would have allowed me to work a lot more. In all, good fun.