I think they polish it!
24 Oct 2020
Touch me - NOT amateur radio
472kHz WSPR RX
For about 15 minutes (it is now 1918z) I have been on 472kHz WSPR RX using the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1940z: 5 different stations spotted so far this evening. Furthermost was LA8AV (1012km). Next was SM6BGP (994km).
10m FT8 RX (indoor loop)
The sharper, and more efficient, indoor loop in very hard to tune on 10m. My eyesight is not as good and I find it harder to get it spot on tune than I did. At the moment I am using the loop with thinner wire which is less efficient, but easier to peak. In the past, I cut coax cable to tune. Maybe I should consider than again. Once the length is established in does not need to be adjusted as long as I stick with FT8.
Just one station in the Canary Is spotted so far today on the poorer loop on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1610z: The plug was intermittent on the sharper link. Now fixed. Just a single spot of my 2.5W TX from G0VQH (13km). On 10m FT8 RX 77 spots with best DX spotted PU5BOY (9961km).
Things getting worse? - NOT amateur radio
Recently I replaced my electric lawnmower. The battery does not last as long. Our kettle switch is temperamental after 7 years. My wife was going to replace her National Trust bag, but the new one has fewer pockets. My underpants are now thinner. My wife's coat has fewer pockets and is thinner.
Get the picture? We seem to make goods poorer so we are encouraged to throw the old ones away and buy new instead. This is a model of existence that cannot continue.
23 Oct 2020
Old friends - NOT amateur radio
Mending that 472kHz transverter
At the moment, I think the IRF510 PA in my transverter has been damaged. Before I change this, which is no easy task for me these days, I shall connect everything up and check it is not something else! It would be daft to change the PA only to find the problem is still there!
Assuming it is the PA, that is a job for later today. I have taken a photo so that I know what was there and don't forget to connect something. Years ago this would have been trivial for me.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr
UPDATE 1021z: PA changed and still no antenna current! Oscillator running OK, so something else must be wrong. Further investigation needed when I am less exhausted. I guess the first thing to try is running the transverter into a dummy load to check there is output on 472kHz. Another thing I can try is using the FT817ND with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m. This measured some antenna current on the antenna current meter. If this is zero, it gives me some clues. It was so much easier when my brain was not foggy and I had a clear head. The best way I can describe it is like trying to fault-find after drinking 8 pints of beer.
UPDATE 1130z: No antenna current on 160m suggesting something else is amiss.
Wisdom? - NOT amateur radio
This may be an artifact of getting older, or a strange after-effect of my 2013 stroke, but I seem wiser. Often I seem to be able to "read" situations better. Now, this could just be how I see things! Quite often I say to myself phrases like, "you shouldn't have said that" or "you should not have done that". Quite often my hunches turn out to be right.
10m FT8
At about 0805z, I turned on the 10m FT8 QRP gear. At the moment (0845z) I am RX only. I understand that VK6 was worked from the UK on 10m FT8 yesterday. I am still just using 2.5W to the poorer indoor loop.
UPDATE 0901z: Nothing spotted so far today.
UPDATE 1133z: Swapped to the better 10m indoor loop. 27 stations so far spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 2147z: 318 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today on the tiny indoor loop antenna. Now QRT.
22 Oct 2020
With some of the grandchildren - NOT amateur radio
Online BATV Convention (amateur TV)
The BATC convention this Saturday October 24th will be online and on Zoom. What follows is as I received it and may be hard to read on some screens.
Saturday 24 OCTOBER : NOW ONE DAY AND ONLINE ONLY
BATC CONVENTION FOR AMATEUR TV 2020 (CAT 20). BATC CAT 20 will go ahead as an online and on-air event. The interactive parts of the meeting will use Zoom, and all lectures will be streamed on the BATC Streamer with the opportunity for questions. More details at https://forum.batc.org.uk/view
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rall
10m FT8 QRP again
Once again I am on 10m FT8 with the FT817ND and the poorer indoor loop. It is currently 0910z and I am RX only. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1012z: Just spots of 9A6R (1542km) and G0PQO (50km).
UPDATE 1050z: Now on TX at 2.5W. No spots of me yet. 4 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1425z: 1 person spotted me on 10m QRP FT8 TX and I have spotted 11 so far, all in Europe. Now gone back to RX only.
UPDATE 2050z: 10 S.American stations spotted. QRT.
Cactus Day - NOT amateur radio
21 Oct 2020
Great grandmother - NOT amateur radio
This is a photo of my great grandmother. It must date from the early 1900s.
Baojie mobile photos inside
A few days ago I was told about a low cost dual band mobile by Steve G1KQH. This Russian site has some internal photos.
See https://www.qrz.ru/catalog/
SAQ (17.2kHz CW) reminder
On October 24th there will be a transmission from the historic SAQ in Sweden. Quite a few test their VLF systems with this. I have a QSL card from them from a transmission several years ago. It is on my shack wall.
10m FT8 RX
At the moment I am on the poorer indoor loop, which is the one used on 20m, 17m and 15m. It sits on the shack windowsill. I reckon it is about 6dB inferior to the dedicated 10m loop made with copper thin bore pipe. Although I think my chances are low, I have left the kit running on 10m FT8 RX "just in case". It would be good to spot something!
UPDATE 0840z: Not surprisingly, nothing spotted.
UPDATE 0855z: Amazingly, EI9JF (488km) spotted.
UPDATE 0821z: Now G0PQO (50km) and G0FWX (160km) also spotted. No real DX yet, but I am pleasantly surprised to spot these stations already on 10m FT8.
UPDATE 1358z: 18 stations have spotted me today on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 2035z: 5 people spotted my 2.5W 10m FT8 to the poorer indoor loop antenna and I have spotted stations in the USA and South America as well as all over Europe.
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Earth-electrode "antennas" in the ground
Quite often I hear people tell me they have no space for LF or MF antennas. Rubbish!
For many years I have used my earth electrode "antenna" on VLF, LF and MF. It won't be as good as a big antenna, but it works remarkably well. Even my wife does not know it is there! Neither do the neighbours.
On 472kHz WSPR I get copied in Norway most nights with less than 10mW ERP with mine.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas
Overnight on 630m WSPR RX
Overnight, I left my 630m WSPR kit running. Many more spots from the stations copied in the evening although no-one new. My conclusion is the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground appears fine. Next job is mending that PA in the transverter. Stations logged in Norway, Poland, Italy and Spain plus many other European nations.
20 Oct 2020
Shoe boxes - NOT amateur radio
630m WSPR RX
There may be 2 issues with my 472kHz (630m) QRPP setup.
As mentioned in the last post, I suspect the IRF510 PA device is damaged. My transverter gives 12W into a 50 ohm load, but the measured ERP is less than 10mW. Despite this, I was able to get to Norway most nights last winter.
There may also be a break in my earth-electrode "antenna".
As a first step, I am on 472kHz WSPR RX overnight. If this works, it probably means the earth-electrode "antenna" is intact. If this is the case, I may be able get on TX again just by mending the PA device. If this fails, I shall replace both the IRF510 and the wire in the garden.
UPDATE 1830z: With F and DL already spotted, initial results are encouraging.
UPDATE 2130z: I think the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is fine, judging by results this evening. I shall leave the RX on overnight, although I have spotted far more than I expected.
Mending 472kHz transverter
Late last winter I think I managed to destroy the PA MOSFET in my 472kHz transverter. I must have had a very poor match for a very long time! Mending this is a job for the weeks ahead. In the past this has been mainly used for WSPR.
Tuesday on 2m FT8 (2.5W and big-wheel omni antenna)
It is now 0750z. About 10 minutes ago, the 2m FT8 gear was turned on. Already 4 stations have spotted me today.
19 Oct 2020
Primroses - NOT amateur radio
About now we plant primroses to give us winter colour in the garden. These were bought from a nursery in the village. They look healthy.
2m FT8 QRP - Monday
At 0822z, my 2m FT8 was turned on. Once again I am using 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. 1 station in Germany spotted on RX and at 0950z, my signal had been spotted by 10 stations in 3 countries with the furthermost being G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall. No QSOs yet.
UPDATE 1250z: 12 stations have spotted me today.
 |
| Stations spotting me to 1550z |
UPDATE 2145z: QRT. In all 25 stations spotted my 2m FT8 QRP. Furtermost was GI6ATZ.
Lesotho - NOT amateur radio
Ten years ago we were in South Africa and went to Lesotho. It was an eye opener.
18 Oct 2020
Dad's seat - NOT amateur radio
Front garden in autumn - NOT amateur radio
Things seem to have suddenly changed.
2m FT8 Sunday (2.5W and the big-wheel omni)
 |
| Stations spotting my 2.5W 2m FT8 in first 20 minutes |
Since about 0850z, I have been on 2m FT8. Already spotted by a 5 stations of which one gave me an incredible +4dB S/N. This was G8TIC (170km). I suspect this was aircraft reflection. Best DX spot was by DF0MU (475km). The photo shows the stations spotting me in the first 20 minutes.
UPDATE 1218z: 16 spots of my 2m QRP FT8 so far today. It never fails.
 |
| Stations spotting my 2.5W to the big-wheel on 2m FT8 today so far to 1440z |
UPDATE 1440z: 23 stations in 4 countries have spotted me so far today and I have spotted 19 stations and I have had 1 QSO. Who needs high power, towers and big beams? Certainly not me! Just an FT817ND and a simple big-wheel seem enough.
UPDATE 1945z: 2 QSOs, 39 stations spotted on RX and 30 stations in 5 countries have spotted me today on 2m FT8.
 |
| Stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX today |
Senhaix portables
RSGB RadCom had an article on Senhaix dual band portables recently. I think these are Chinese. If the article said this I missed it.
At the price stated, these look quite good value. They are not the cheapest, but I hope the quality control is better. My main worry with Chinese manufactured amateur products is still quality control and guarantees.
As long as the products work, fine. What happens if they fail? My experience with Chinese manufacturers is mixed. Some seem able to answer questions, whereas others cannot understand!
I am sure that the Chinese products will get better and that the Japanese manufacturers will get a real fright. This could happen within the next couple of years.
It would not surprise me if some Japanese companies survive by designing in Japan, but making in China or some other low cost country. It is possible that China goes like Japan did years ago and labour costs make it no longer a low cost country.
The manuals often give you a clue: Chinese English can be pathetic! Ask yourself, if the manual is that poor how do you think they will fix your radio? Would they be interested? Some would say they are so cheap just buy a few and throw away any that fail. I much prefer not to do this.
Last evening on 2m FT8
Last evening I decided to go on 2m FT8. Apart from the first few minutes in which my 2.5W was spotted by 5 stations, I was on RX only spotting 13 stations in 2 countries.
17 Oct 2020
Grandson success - NOT amateur radio
Last of the dahlias? - NOT amateur radio
They have been in bloom for several months.
Tenner 10m QRP Transceiver
New Zealand elections - NOT amateur radio
New Zealand has led the way in fighting Covid-19. Essentially it has been largely free of the pandemic that has crippled much if the world.
They have just had a general election and Jacinda Ardern's (the NZ PM) Labour Party is in line for a massive majority. We may differ over political policies, but we have to agree she did a good job in the fight against Covid-19.
20m FT8 (2.5W and the indoor loop)
A few moments ago I turned on 20m FT8 QRP using 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop. It is 0840z.
Yet again, I had a problem with decoding signals and the waterfall being smeary. After turning WSJT-X and the SignaLink interface off and on, it is now decoding. I am running Windows 10.
No spots of me yet and 4 stations spotted so far today.
UPDATE 1258z: So far today, 3 stations have spotted my QRP 20m FT8 signal. On RX 84 stations have been spotted in 3 continents.
UPDATE 1412z: 5 stations have spotted me so far and I have spotted 108 stations in 4 continents.
UPDATE 1710z: 5 stations have spotted me today on 20m FT8 QRP and I have spotted 157.
RSGB Convention online
Southgate News reports that the RSGB Convention talks are available online.
See http://southgatearc.org/news/2020/october/rsgb-convention-videos-on-youtube.htm#.X4qS7LfTVkw
Fungi - NOT amateur radio
It must be all the rain we have had, but we saw several patches of fungi on our walk yesterday at Anglesey Abbey.
OFCOM and spectrum trading
OFCOM is talking about spectrum trading at 2.6GHz. See the OFCOM website for more information.
16 Oct 2020
WSJT-X oddity
I use a SignaLink USB interface with the FT817ND as I have done for many years. I am using the latest fully released version on FT8. I was not aware of issues with earlier versions.
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