Sunspots - Saturday December 30th 2017

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number zero. A=4 and K=1.

Alibris: yet another "sale" - NOT amateur radio

Alibris, the book seller on line, is having yet another "sale". Hardly a week passes without one. Anyone who buys from them outside a "sale" must be stupid. As a marketing technique they need to see a psychiatrist as few now believe their "sales".

High Power Wireless Power Transmission

According to Southgate News the IARU is taking seriously the threat of RF pollution from this source.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/december/iaru-addresses-new-radio-spectrum-pollution-threat.htm#.WkZwNUx2vIU

Bringing back Martian samples to Earth - NOT amateur radio

Apparently there is a race on between the USA and China to bring back Martian soil samples to Earth.

See http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a14506608/united-states-china-racing-first-sample-from-mars/

Apple: whiter than white? - NOT amateur radio

Apple has admitted slowing down older iPhones saying the reason is aging batteries. As an owner of older iPod Touch devices and my wife has an old wifi-only iPad, this really annoys me. Now, this may be a legitimate move, but many suspect Apple's motives, allegedly. I cannot possibly judge. Based on personal experience I do not like built-in batteries and slowing down older devices. Others may be happy.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42508300 .

Romanian Bots Again? - NOT amateur radio

Blog visits are high again and there are a lot of visits from Romania. Again, I suspect probing bots.

10m FT8

Although I stayed on 10m FT8 RX all night and am still monitoring this morning, nothing yet spotted today.

UPDATE 1136z: GI4ONL (549km) is the best DX so far this morning on 10m FT8 RX. Only UK stations so far spotted.

UPDATE 1640z: At some point my internet connection to the shack was lost. Several near Europeans were spotted, but not uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps. These were probably received by aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2022z: Much to my surprise 10m FT8 RX was full of stations this evening from all over Europe from the Faroes, to Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. I assume this is mid-winter Es. This now makes 3 days in a row. The opening seems to have ended about an hour ago. In the last 30 minutes just a G station spotted. Some of the signals were very strong, supporting mid-winter Es.

Sunspots - Friday December 29th 2017

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number zero. A=5 and K=0.

Bots? - NOT amateur radio

Blog visit numbers are up today and this corresponds with high visit numbers from Romania.  Although I may be wrong, this could be probing by bots looking for vulnerabilities. This is one reason I change passwords regularly. If you are looking for holes, look elsewhere! If you are a genuine visitor from Romania, you are most welcome. Probes of this kind usually take place about once a month.

France - NOT amateur radio

Our "London" grandchildren are in France with mum visiting their French grandparents.

One of the French grandparents made this Michael Jackson outfit, which was an instant hit.

They grow up fast these days!

I think they are there for a week. In the meantime we have the "other" 2 grandchildren and their mum and dad until Saturday.

HF - the forgotten spectrum?

The USA proposals for WRC-19 and WRC-23 have been published. My reading is that many administrations are more interested in the GHz bands than HF.

Perhaps many administrations have given up on HF? Maybe there is too much noise on HF and there is little money to be made from HF. On GHz bands there are plenty of opportunities to sell spectrum.

Broadcasters are abandoning shortwave. This is good news (perhaps) for radio amateurs.

472kHz WSPR

PA0A was copied in Reunion last night. He is always a good signal with me, but Reunion Is a very long way!

Christmas Cards - NOT amateur radio

This year, with the high price now of 2nd class post in the UK, I was expecting far fewer cards in the post.  Numbers are a little down, but we still had quite a few.  Of the ones missing, I expect a few were posted to the wrong address or you can hear the partner saying, "do you know who we forgot this year?". We all forget someone!

Rare snow - NOT amateur radio

Until this winter, we have not seen snow for some years. We have had the odd flurry, but not decent snow that has stayed. Yesterday it snowed (unexpectedly) all morning and there is still snow on the ground this morning.

This is a photo of 2 of our grandchildren in the snow yesterday with their mum.

10m FT8 RX

Yesterday was another good day on 10m FT8, but nothing spotted here today so far on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1048z: SQ9RHS (1323km) has been spotted strongly.

UPDATE 1644z: No further spots since the Polish station this morning. Disappointing.

UPDATE 2027z: I see that I spotted German and Danish stations today on 10m FT8, but these did not upload to PSK Reporter Maps. I must have lost internet connectivity in the shack.

Sunspots - Thursday December 28th 2017

Solar flux is number 71 today and the sunspot 11. A=7 and K=2.

Growing up fast - NOT amateur radio

Our elder grandson, growing up all too fast.

The picture was taken a few days ago over Christmas.

IC7300 circuit diagrams

MLS have the IC7300 circuit schematics for download. They also have a sale on.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/userfiles/file/IC-7300_Schematic_Diagram.pdf  .

Mince pie factory - NOT amateur radio

We now have our other 2 grandchildren staying. Here they are busy making mince pies in the kitchen with my wife. I can't wait to taste.

UPDATE 1314z: They tasted very good!

UPDATE 1545z: 26 made. All gone! More tomorrow.

10m FT8

It is very quiet here today compared with yesterday when lots of Europeans were spotted on 1om FT8. So far today nothing!

UPDATE 1515z:  5 unique stations in 4 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1645z: Now 12 uniques in 7 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 so far today. I suspect Es. FT8 certainly concentrates activity. It seems an ideal mode when conditions on 10m are on the slide. Certainly it is the mode to be spotted. Within, say, 2kHz a huge number of stations can be fitted. It works with relatively weak signals of short duration. 28.074MHz is the USB dial frequency for FT8. WSJT-X V1.8 is the software to us, and it is free.

UPDATE 2058z: LU1ECO (11448km) appeared (F2 I assume) this evening.

See https://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html .

Sunspots - Wednesday December 27th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number 14. A=11 and K=3.

Upcoming UK Rally

29 DECEMBER 2017 : YEOVIL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB TABLE TOP RALLY

Sparkford Village Hall, Church Road, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JN. There is free parking at the venue. Doors open 10am to 3pm and entrance is £3. light refreshments are available. Contact Bob on 01963 440 167 or by email to wjh069@gmail.com.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

70cm UKAC results

I appear to have gone up in the results! On 70cm I use a 2m halo, 5W and lossy coax and because my voice is so bad I usually stay on for only a short time. So 94th out of 170 in the AL section is fine, especially as I was not really trying that hard.

Busy period - NOT amateur radio

When you get older you love to see grandchildren, but you do get very tired. Our 4 are still little and on the go all the time. One lot has just left and the next lot are due very soon. Ho hum...

Somalia DXpedition

Southgate News brings news of a DXpedition to Somalia next month.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/december/6o6o-from-somalia.htm#.WkJTfUx2vIU .

10m FT8 RX

Is there Es today? I suspect so as quite a widespread range of Europeans on 10m FT8 RX earlier. Best DX spotted today so far (probably F2) is UD3T (2750km).

UPDATE 1746z: Lots of Europeans on 10m FT8 RX today.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 26th 2017

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number 17.  A=10 and K=3.

Merry Christmas

As this is Christmas Day may I wish all readers a very Happy Christmas and a good 2018. Having just watched Cinderella on TV may I wish everyone "to have courage and be kind". These two things are fine words which we do well to remember, especially when times are hard.

10m FT8 RX

All day, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As it is Christmas, it is perhaps not surprising that nothing has been spotted at all.

UPDATE 2258z:  IW3AUT (1039km) was spotted earlier this evening. Surprise!

Sunspots - Monday December 25th 2017

Solar flux is 76 today. Sunspot number is 22.  A=12 and K=3.

10m FT8 RX

All day I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX. Best DX today so far is DM1FL (495km). Apart from this and a couple of Gs, it has been a quiet day.

UPDATE 1620z: 10m FT8 RX has surprised me. VP8LP (12772km) in the Falkland Is has been spotted after a fairly quiet day. He was strong too.

Panto - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to the panto (Beauty and the Beast) in Ely with our son and family. It was, as always, very good. The leading "lady" was particularly good. Costumes were very of a high standard. Altogether, good fun. I can definitely recommend this.

Sunspots - Sunday December 24th 2017

Solar flux is 76 and sunspot number is 22.  A=5 and K=2.

KW Days

Southgate News reminds us that KW Days are held in early January. At university in the late 1960s we had a KW2000 and later a KW2000A and linear. Probably my first experiences as a transmitting amateur were with these rigs. Looking back, we had some good times and good QSOs. Remember "phone patches" with USA stations?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/december/kw-days.htm#.Wj4lBUx2tMs

10m FT8 RX

Overnight I remained on 10m FT8 RX rather than moving to 630m WSPR. No spots here during that period. Maybe there will be some later.

UPDATE 1426z: Still no 10m FT8 spots here today.

UPDATE 1652z:  Just 2E0XXO (120km) spotted today.

Ba humbug - NOT amateur radio

Surely I am not alone in finding Christmas stressful? For little ones it is a magic time, but I find the Christmas period hard work. The media portrays it as a time of unremitting joy, but everything seems more poignant at this time. When there is sadness, it seems 100 times worse.

Guess I need to chill and have another drink...

Sunspots - Saturday December 23rd 2017

Solar flux is 76 today and the sunspot number 18. A=2 and K=3.

Market Day - NOT amateur radio

Market Day in Bury St Edmunds is Wednesday and Saturday. Food is fresh and prices are great. We try to use the market whenever we go there. Fresh veg is always good as the photo shows.

MLS winter sale

One of the big UK dealers is holding a winter sale.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/wintersale.php .

Radio Caroline returns - NOT amateur radio

According to Southgate News, Radio Caroline (once a pirate radio station on a ship) is returning to Medium Wave on an old BBC frequency.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/december/radio-caroline-returns-to-the-airwaves.htm#.Wj0sIUx2tMs

2m UKAC activity contests

Over the whole year I see I am placed 64th out of 205 in the AL section. This is not bad considering the time on the air (usually short because of my voice), 5W and an omni antenna. On 70cms (results next week?) my setup is even worse!

Cyber attacks - NOT amateur radio

From my own limited experience, I know cyber attacks are a real threat.

According to the BBC the UK Foreign Secretary is to warn Russia that the UK will retaliate if the Russians are guilty of cyber attacks that threaten national security. I am sure most governments have a "dirty tricks" department. Some get caught. It is the nature of 21st century warfare.

See www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42450479 .

630m WSPR last night

This was again disappointing.

I spotted just 6 unique stations with best DX LA8AV (1035km) and I was spotted by just 6 unique (all UK) stations with my best DX using 10mW ERP being G8HUH (250km).

Sunspots - Friday December 22nd 2017

Solar flux is 76 today and the sunspot number 18. A=3 and K=1.

10m FT8 RX

As there is a mini Es peak around now, I have returned to 10m FT8 RX. Within a short while of turning on I spotted OZ1LXJ (805km). Promising.

UPDATE 1600z: Not a bad 10m day so far. Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is EC5AC (1576km). So far, 7 unique stations in 5 countries spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1715z: Best 10m FT8 RX DX today is EA9CD (1873km) in North Africa. Es? Now 10 uniques in 8 countries spotted today.

UPDATE 1755z: Now the Falkland Is! VP8LP (12772km) spotted, so there is some F2 about on 10m.  Now 15 uniques, 10 countries and 3 continents today on 10m FT8 RX. 10m dead?

UPDATE 2100z: In the end a PY in Brazil too. Altogether, a good day on 10m FT8 RX.

mcHF clone RS-918

The mcHF-QRP rig clone is being sold by XBS Telecom for 585 euros or less. As this is within the EU, no additional VAT needs to be added, I think. This is a nominal 5W SDR HF rig. If my reading is correct, this includes a 2 year warranty.

You may recall that MLS was going to sell this until it found the Chinese "rip off" had not been agreed with the originator.

See https://www.xbstelecom.eu/shop/en/sdr-100-digital/392-recent-rs-918-ssb-hf-qrp-15w.html

UK Pound versus the Euro - NOT amateur radio

OK, I was wrong!

Some time back, I predicted the Euro would lose value against the UK Pound by the end of the year. It looks like I shall be spectacularly wrong. What a surprise!

Perhaps the best advice is to believe the exact opposite of what I think. As said many times, I am no financial expert.

Reflections - NOT amateur radio

Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property about 4 miles from here, has beautiful grounds at any time of the year. A few days ago it looked very "wintery" as the photo shows.

Late afternoon return to 630m WSPR

On 6m MSK144 RX I spotted stations in G, GW and GM today on 50.280MHz, but I have now returned to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%) for this evening and overnight.

Spots on 630m WSPR received from M0NKA (154km) and G4ETG (44km), even though the transverter crystal is still settling, so my signal still shows some drift.

UPDATE 1630z: Although my QRPP has been spotted by 3 unique stations, I have spotted none so far.

630m WSPR last night

After a promising start yesterday evening, the overnight period was disappointing with no new stations spotting my 10mW ERP and no new stations spotted here. In all, I was spotted by 10 uniques with best DX Norway again - LA3EQ (769km), and I spotted just 6 uniques. 630m was disappointing.