Ely with sibs earlier - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken earlier in Ely and shows my wife with her brothers. Ely Cathedral is in the background, 

2m activity contest (UKAC)

Every month the RSGB organises a 2m activity contest on Tuesday evenings. Last evening, I went on for far shorter than normal (because of the sibling reunion) with 5W and the big-wheel antenna.

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

 

10 years ago we went to Iceland for a holiday. We expected it to be barren, but it was green and beautiful with lots of wild lupins. This was the church at Vik. 

Sibling reunion - NOT amateur radio

Every year for 18 years bar two because of my stroke and Covid-19 we have had a sibling reunion with my wife's brothers and wives. We take it in turns to host. From next year we will meet in hotels as we are getting older! 

OFCOM updates

Every month, OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" which shows the statistics it holds. See the OFCOM website for the July edition.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 7th 2021

 Solar flux is 83 and the SSN 52. A=8 and K=1.

Out pedestrian portable

Before I had a stroke, I quite enjoyed operating pedestrian portable. That is with a rig with a whip antenna on the set, not out portable with large antennas such as SOTA or POTA operations.

When the weather is good (it is raining here at the moment!) it is great fun. Seaside operation with good take-offs can be surprisingly good. If you have high noise levels at home, you can choose quiet places.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/pedestrian-portable .

Wild flowers - NOT amateur radio

The ground next to the path near "our" windmill next door has been left so wild flowers can grow. It looks great.  

It was such a good idea. It encourages bees and looks good. I was amazed how quickly they grew.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

 As the antenna was free, I decided to go on 10m WSPR TX again. Nobody has spotted me yet today.

UPDATE 1026z:  No spots yet today.

UPDATE 1152z:  So far today, spots from 2 stations with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km).

6m FT8 today (Tuesday)

It is much quieter so far today. 

I have been on for about 30 minutes with 2.5W and the V2000, but only 3 stations spotted on RX and 4 stations spotting me on TX. 

Yesterday the FT8 slot at 50.313MHz was busy with plenty of Far East stations on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 0958z:  9 stations have spotted me on TX and I have spotted 12 stations on RX.

UPDATE 1155z:  18 stations have spotted me on TX and 22 stations spotted on RX. No super DX here today.

Homebrew 70cm antenna

This appeared as a FB memory today. It shows the antenna made from an old coat hanger for 70cm 8 years ago. The map shows the contacts with it. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/70cm-4el-yagi  .

Yesterday on 6m FT8

For the first time since 2017, I spotted Japan on 6m. This time it was  FT8 with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.  Last time, with the same antenna, it was JT65.

With a beam at a decent height, I would expect to spot stations some 10dB weaker. I suspect I would copy Japanese stations every year on 6m FT8. 

Nonetheless, I was very pleased to spot Japanese stations on 6m FT8 yesterday with the V2000 omni antenna.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 6th 2021

 Solar flux is 89 and the SSN 43. A=7 and K=2. 

Afghanistan - NOT amateur radio

Why? 

We have been fighting wars in Afghanistan since the first half of the 19th century when Victoria was queen. Countless people have been killed or maimed. 

What will happen now the western troops leave? Most likely it will descend into civil war again and the Taliban will again fight for control. In many ways things will be as bad as when we arrived.

In my view, we should stop interfering. Yes, we wish to support democracy and freedom, but we do not exactly a good track record. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan to name a few. 

We have a great record in soldiers and civilians being killed or maimed and wasting billions. Instead we could spend the money on fighting climate change.

Lightning

Although we may experience a few showers, it is quite warm outside. The thunder risk looks low with most storms over Denmark. 

I think there is some link between thunder activity and Es, although I have not studied it. I think it has something to do with sprites? There must be people who know far more than yours truly! If you know the link, please leave a comment.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/#m=oss;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=0.00;ts=0;y=38.0295;x=8.3248;z=4;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX and 6m FT8 RX. 

The W5OLF beacon is totally self contained (no PC needed) and about the size of a pack of cards. It is on 100%, but randomly changes frequency each slot. In the past it has been spotted in every continent with simple, wire antennas.

No spots yet at 1037z, although I have only just turned it on.

UPDATE 1137z: Just 4 WSPR 10m spots so far by F4CWN (969km).

UPDATE 1303z: 16 unique stations spotting me today.

UPDATE 1640z: 23 spots of me so far today.

First ever photograph of a person - NOT amateur radio

Photo from Wikipedia Commons

Recently I posted a photo of a man reported to be born in 1746. 

The first ever photo to capture a person is supposed to be a Daguerreotype taken in 1838. This is a street scene and shows a person having his shoes cleaned. This person had no idea he was making history that day! The photo was taken out of a window in Paris. The image here does not do it justice. The man having his shoes cleaned is in the bottom left.

Photography was invented (I believe) in the 1820s. Just imagine if we had had photography centuries earlier. Samuel Pepys would have been busy!

See https://medium.com/thinksheet/the-first-ever-photograph-of-a-person-56ab2142819b .

See also http://www.daguerreobase.org/en/knowledge-base/what-is-a-daguerreotype#:~:text=The%20daguerreotype%20was%20the%20first,on%20a%20silvered%20copper%20plate.&text=The%20daguerreotype%20is%20accurate%2C%20detailed%20and%20sharp.

6m FT8 humming

Quite a few stations are calling the Far East on 6m, suggesting there is propagation from Western Europe to the Far East on 6m. This regularly happens at this time of year. 

It seems linked to noctilucent clouds that form about now, although I am not clear about the mechanism. It looks like E layer propagation, although I think multi-hop Es idea is wrong in my view! There would have to be so many hops and this makes this so improbable. It would not surprise me if we discovered some new E layer mechanism in the next few years. 

There are quite a few incorrect myths about. Never believe all you are told!! Look at facts and make up your own mind.

UPDATE 0908z: 149 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX including 2 in South Korea and 1 in Japan, JA6SBW (9053km) being the furthermost. Although better equipped stations have been spotting and working the Far East, this is the first time I have spotted Japan on 6m since 2017. This is my first time I have spotted Japan on 6m FT8. I think my V2000 vertical omni needs signals to be strong to copy them although at -15dB S/N this station was quite strong here. On TX (2.5W) 37 spots, but no spots from the Far East unsurprisingly!

UPDATE 1112z:  50 spots of my 6m FT8 (2.5W) so far today.

UPDATE 1305z:  92 spots of me so far today on TX. 247 spots on RX plus several QSOs.

UPDATE 1644z:  133 stations have spotted me so far today on TX.  330 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

Poppy - NOT amateur radio

This was on our patio. We have seen several wild poppies this year. This one self-seeded.

Sunspots - Monday July 5th 2021

Solar flux is 91 and the SSN 60.  A=3 and K=1.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

When I am on 6m FT8, I keep forgetting that my 10m antenna is not in use!  So, I am on 6m FT8 (2.5W) and 10m WSPR with the 500mW W5OLF WSPR beacon. Much to my surprise I got 3 spots on my first transmission with the furthermost TF4X (1995km) on 10m WSPR.  I shall leave the 10m WSPR TX running to see what other reports come in.

UPDATE 1242z: Glad I went on! Now being spotted in South America with 500mW.

UPDATE 1337z: Plenty of WSPR spots on 10m today. 

UPDATE 1534z:  Spots today on 10m WSPR by 13 different stations with the furthermost FY5KE (7110km).

UPDATE 1737z:  32 different stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today so far. Did someone say everyone now uses FT8? If so, they are wrong!! I like FT8, but have been blown away by the WSPR spots.

UPDATE 2000z:  My 500mW WSPR on 10m spotted by 42 stations today. See table.

Still 7 - NOT amateur radio

We first saw these cygnets more than a week ago. Good to see there are still 7. This was at Anglesey Abbey. 

6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 omni

As the antenna and coax were faulty, I had not been on 6m for some weeks until just now. The FT8 slot on 6m is filled with Es stations from Europe. I am on TX too. I wonder who I shall work? 

Within a very short time (a few minutes) I had been spotted across Europe by 25 stations and I have spotted 55.

UPDATE 1224z:  120 stations have spotted me and 2 QSOs.  225 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. When open, 6m Es is every bit as good as 10m in my view.

UPDATE 1411z: 235 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. 5T5PA (3791km) in Mauritania, West Africa, remains the best DX spotted on 6m FT8 RX although I see Caribbean and USA stations are being worked. As I said before on this blog, a decent beam antenna at a reasonable height could be worth 10dB over my station, which can be a big difference on some signals. It means signals that I cannot even detect become workable.

UPDATE 1542z: Furthermost spotted today on 6m FT8 is A71AM (5138km)

UPDATE 1744z:  412 stations spotted today on 6m FT8. 

Stations spotted today
on 6m FT8 RX

UPDATE 1922z:  530 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with the furthermost PV8DX (7830km). On 6m TX FT8 (2.5W) I have been spotted by 212 stations with several QSOs around Europe.

238 stations
spotted my 2.5W
6m FT8 TX today 

UPDATE 2122z:  Spotted by 238 stations using 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. The furthermost was a YU on RX in Niger, south of the Sahara (4200km). I was going to go QRT, but 6m is still wide open.

Nice colours - NOT amateur radio

The herbaceous borders at nearby Anglesey Abbey are particularly good at the moment. I love the mix of these colours. 

Sporadic E (Es) and wet string

 At this time of year we get Es in the northern hemisphere. What amazes me is how strong signal can be. This is not always the case, but it is not uncommon to get S9+ signals with low power, even on FM. Es can be particularly effective on 10m and 6m. Often the season goes on into September. Very simple antennas can be effective. Yesterday I was happily decoding FT8 signals with my antenna wire on the ground on 10m. A dipole made of wire is perfectly adequate.

10m FT8 yesterday

Spots of me
on TX 

Now I have an outside antenna for 10m, results are better. 887 stations spotted on RX and 47 spots of my 2.5W and several QSOs. 

Stations spotted on
RX yesterday 

The second map shows the stations spotted here yesterday. 

Sunspots - Sunday July 4th 2021

 Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 81. A=4 and K=1. 

SAQ reminder

 If you want to have a go at receiving SAQ on 17.2kHz CW, a reminder that there are special transmissions of this historic alternator VLF TX today. 

VHF NFD

The RSGB used to hold VHF NFD in September, but it is now this weekend in July. I came on briefly this evening to give a few points away with 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. I might try briefly tomorrow. 

Discount food shop - NOT amateur radio

Recently a new discount food store opened in nearby Newmarket. It is actually a nice shop. 

They will give the other supermarkets a run for their money. The photo shows our purchases there yesterday. 

Northern Iceland - NOT amateur radio

Some years ago we had a great holiday in Iceland. The weather was very good and we were surprised by how green it was. There were lots of wild lupins.

The photo shows northern Iceland. It was one of the nicest places I have ever been to. 

10m FT8 with the external antenna

At 0515z I turned on my 10m FT8 gear with 2.5W and the external antenna. So far today 31 stations have spotted me. 

Sunspots - Saturday July 3rd 2021

 Solar flux is 95 and the SSN 72. A=5 and K=2.

External 10m antenna

Late this afternoon, with the help of G3TFX, I re-erected my Par EF-10/20/40 antenna. It matches fine on 10m and 40m but the match is off on 20m. Since erecting this I have been spotted by 48 stations on 10m FT8 with the furthermost CU6AD (2679km). 

On RX it seems to work from 40m-10m. I have not tried other bands yet.

On 10m FT8 RX 80 stations have been spotted with the furthermost PT2VHF (8874km).

UPDATE 2106z: Copied in the USA (New England) by a couple of stations with the furthermost W1BZJ (5317km).

Switzerland - NOT amateur radio

Switzerland is a beautiful mountainous country as this image that was on 365project earlier shows. 

I have been there a few times for work and holidays. Slovakia, which is very similar, is about half as expensive.

2m FT8 yesterday

Most of the time yesterday evening I was on 2m FT8 RX using the big-wheel omni antenna. At the start I was on TX and was spotted by 5 stations when I was using 2.5W. Most of the time I was on RX. I spotted 23 stations on 2m FT8 RX as the map shows. 

Sunspots - Friday July 2nd 2021

 Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 56. A=7 and K=1. 

Norfolk churches - NOT amateur radio

Whatever your views on religion, we have more churches with round towers in this area than anywhere in the world. The church in the photo is in Norfolk. 

2m FT8

 At the moment, I am on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big wheel antenna. I have been spotted by 5 stations and I have spotted 2 with the furthermost on RX PE1EZU (315km).

UPDATE 2002z: 12 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the furthermost DK1FG (815km).

Rally postponed and new venue

The Dartmoor Radio Rally with a new date (was July 4th) is now at a new venue at the Yelverton War Memorial Hall on August 15th. The postcode is PL20 6AL for those with GPS. 

Admission is £2.50 and Roger on 07854 088882 or email 2e0rph@gmail.com has more details.

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

 

This very kind butterfly kept very still so I could take a photo. 

Usually they fly away just as I am about to shoot! 

The Shetland Isles - NOT amateur radio

Although a distant part of Scotland nowadays, the Shetland Isles once belonged to Norway. There are still strong links with Norway.

There are few trees on Shetland and often gales and poor weather. Summer days are long as are winter nights. 

Occasionally the weather is good as in this photo posted on 365project by a friend today.

Solar data

As far as I know, we do not yet have accurate forecasts for the size of the next solar peak. Forecasts are getting better as we understand more of the mechanisms of the sun.  Many were expecting it to be much the same as the last peak.  Actually, the forecasts vary from almost no peak at all (wrong) to a big peak! 

My money (based on a wet finger!) is much the same as the last peak.

One of the sites I regularly look at is https://www.solen.info/solar/. The last time I looked the data had not yet been updated, although it usually is early in the month. It is probably worth checking over the next few days.

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

I have mentioned before that my wife seems to have a way with orchids. We have had some for many years. 

The trick seems to be not to over-water them. A thimble of water a week seems to be correct.

10m FT8 RX

At 0715z, my 10m FT8 RX gear with the tiny indoor loop was turned on. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1218z:  36 stations spotted on RX this morning. 

UPDATE 1552z: 46 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1738z: 51 stations spotted. Certainly not as good as yesterday.

Sunspots - Thursday July 1st 2021

Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 53. A=14 and K=3.

Cosy - NOT amateur radio

Every year we make a poster to help us remember the year past. We put this in our kitchen so we can enjoy it every day.  Our kitchen is cosy rather than "posh".

10m (my favourite band)

My favourite band is 10m (28MHz). This is getting good again after a few poorer years. Recent licencees may not realise just how good it can be. 

Modes like FT8 may come into their own in solar cycle 25, although just a simple antenna and a few watts of SSB is all that may be needed to work the world. 

On WSPR I have been spotted in every continent (including Antarctica) with 500mW and a low wire antenna on 10m in the last solar cycle.

Don't forget that 10m Es (to about 1500km) is often good from April-September at any point in the solar cycle. 10m can also be useful for local natters.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/10m-operation .

10m FT8 RX

Since before breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop. It is now 0828z and, so far today, 55 stations have been spotted. 

UPDATE 0940z:  105 stations spotted on RX so far.  As well as Es, I think there is some F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1305z: 255 stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1530z: 348 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today (see map).

UPDATE 1810z: 593 spots so far.

UPDATE 1947z:  677 stations spotted.

V2000 vertical omni issues

For several weeks I have had issues with my V2000 omni which I use on 6m, 2m and 70cm. 

G3TFX has been investigating and it looks like the main issue is the coax. The antenna had some moisture in, but this has been removed. I need fresh coax.

In the interim I was hoping to use my VX2 handheld out portable for the Cambridge club net on 145.55MHz FM (2m) this evening. However I cannot find the charger!