Sunspots - Friday September 17th 2021

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0.  A=3 and K=2. 

Foxton (near Cambridge) rally on Sunday ON

The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally on Sunday September 19th is on as far as I know. Please contact organisers before any long trips. 

Tapas - NOT amateur radio

As we were not too hungry this evening, we shared some tapas in Brighton. It was very good. 

Echolink

 Being away from home, a do not have access to "conventional" amateur radio. This phone does have Echolink, but I feel disenclined to use it. It works as I have used it before. To me this is not the same. 

Seen on a park bench - NOT amateur radio

This plaque was on the back of a park bench in Brighton earlier. So true. 

Sunspots - Thursday September 16th 2021

 Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 0.  A=6 and K=1. 

Mid September??? - NOT amateur radio

Pinch me. Well I suppose mid September is almost Christmas if you are out to make money. Seen in a Brighton hotel today. 

Personally I think all Christmas things should only come out in December. 

Oscar 100 update

Every few weeks I try to give an update on activity levels on Oscar 100 using the on-line SDR at Goonhilly Down in Cornwall. The last time I checked was at 2045z in Western Europe evening mid week. Activity levels on the, narrowband transponder remain low. 

If you are in the UK you will understand - NOT amateur radio

 

This was on Facebook earlier. 

Sunspots - Wednesday September 15th 2021

 Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 13. A=6 and K=2. 

Brighton Pier - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the view east from Brighton Pier. 

Crab lunch

 

A year ago we were in Cromer in North Norfolk. We had an excellent crab meal for less than £10 each. The cafe was very clean. We were very impressed. 

2m BITX

Steve G1KQH informs me there is a 2m version of the famous BITX transceiver from India coming. I have no idea about kits or prices. 

Hobby Store

 Recently I searched for Schottky diodes and ever since I have had targeted adverts for these!! One is hobby-store.co.uk that seems to sell some useful stuff. 

Vegan friendly shoes - NOT

Brighton is the UK seaside place that never sleeps. It is also the place where anything goes. The photo shows a shop selling vegan and vegetarian footwear. 

Sunspots - Tuesday September 14th 2021

 Solar flux is 83 and the SSN 32.  A=9 and K=2. 

Brighton Pavilion - NOT amateur radio

 This is a photo of Brighton Pavilion earlier today. 

VLF Earth-mode blog

 Some years ago I enjoyed experimenting with utilities assisted earth-mode at VLF and was amazed by the range I could achieve with 5W. These results were put into a blog that is accessible via my main G3XBM website. 

Sunspots - Monday September 13th 2021

 Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 47.  A=6 and K=1. 

Operating patterns

 It would appear I am a creature of habit! 

I seem to go on 10m FT8 RX most of the day with a few minutes of QRP TX early on. Occasionally my QRP is spotted. More often than not, it isn't!

Just when it gets dark, I QSY to 630m WSPR RX for the evening. If I can fix my transverter I hope to TX again this winter as there seems to be fewer people TXing, but plenty RXing.

472kHz WSPR RX

At 1814z, I QSYed from 10m FT8 RX to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX. So far, nobody spotted. I am using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1943z:  Still no spots.

Facebook memories from 6 years ago - NOT amateur radio

How time flies! This was 6 years ago and feels like yesterday. 

Crystal set DXing

One of my aims was to make a crystal set that covered VLF  to VHF. This would probably have had to been several RXs in one box or at least the RF parts separate.

Crystal sets can be great fun. They are simple to make and need no power. On HF, some remarkable distances can be heard with patience. 

These days there are far fewer English language broadcast stations on HF. Many are now internet only. Despite this, the challenge remains. My crystal set DXing website may give you some ideas.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/crystal-set-dxing .

Web SDR RXs

A reminder that there are lots of web SDR RXs on the air, so you can see what shape the bands are in in other places. If you have a high local noise level, these are also useful.

See http://www.websdr.org/ .

10m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

As usual, after a few minutes on 2.5W TX, I am RX only on 10m FT8. No QSOs. Nobody spotted me on TX and just MU0WLV (374km) on 10m FT8 RX. This latter could be aircraft reflection. 

UPDATE 1345z:  6 stations spotted today so far. Very little Es evident.

Last evening on 472kHz WSPR RX

The map shows the stations spotted last evening on 472kHz WSPR RX. 

Little Morton Hall - NOT amateur radio

This is a centuries old country house in Cheshire that we visited some years ago. 

Sunspots - Sunday September 12th 2021

Solar flux is 92 and the SSN 93.  A=7 and K=2.

472kHz WSPR RX

Since about 1805z I have been on 472kHz WSPR RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 4 spots so far this evening.

UPDATE 1946z:  Swapped to the Wellgood active loop RX antenna to compare against the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.  The active loop is only 1m across and just stuck to the shack window.

UPDATE 2103z: After an hour on the active loop without spots, I have gone back to the earth-electrode "antenna" and immediately spotted G8HUH (250km) and 2 French stations. My conclusion is the ground-electrode "antenna" is somewhat better. By how much is not clear. With the active loop optimised in position and direction I think the difference might be smaller.

UPDATE 2118z:  More spots, suggesting the earth-electrode is several dB better than the active loop in its present configuration.

UPDATE 2218: 7 unique stations spotted this evening. The latest is EI0CF (602km).

UPDATE 2240z:  QRT. 

Facebook memory today

This photo shows a FB memory from 9 years ago. It later occurred to me that you the same idea would work on FT8 RX so the FT8R was born. See my main website at www.g3xbm.co.uk. 

10m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

After a brief period on TX (2.5W) I have been on 10m FT8 RX since. Just 1 spot on QRP TX and 1 station spotted on RX.

UPDATE 0941z:  14 stations spotted on RX today so far with the furthermost in Ghana 9G5FI (5189km). 

UPDATE 1732z:  36 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost CX6VM (10767km) in South America.

472kHz RX last evening

 Last evening I was on 472kHz WSPR RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In all, 7 unique stations were spotted. I shall repeat this this evening with the active antenna. 

Sunspots - Saturday September 11th 2021

 Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 99. A=8 and K=1.

472kHz (630m) WSPR RX

Since about 1930z, I have been on 472kHz RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far, 3 unique stations spotted with the furthermost EI0CF (602km). I am just using the earth-electrode straight into the FT817ND with no attempt at matching.

UPDATE 2020z:  6 unique stations spotted with the furthermost SM6NOC (1056km).

OFCOM Communications Monthly updated

Every month, OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" with the latest numbers it holds. 

See the OFCOM website for the latest details.

10m FT8 QRP (Friday)

As usual, I am on 10m FT8. After a few minutes with 2.5W TX (no spots), I am RX only. It is now 0856z and so far, just 2 spots.

UPDATE 0942z:  3 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2003z:  28 stations spotted with 4 in South America.

Rally news

As far as I know these rallies are ON this Sunday. As usual, please check with the organisers before setting out.

• Caister Lifeboat Rally
• Exeter Radio and Electronics Rally

Salcombe sunrise - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows where I was brought up as a child, at sunrise yesterday. 

Sunspots - Friday September 10th 2021

 Solar flux is 100 and the SSN an incredible 124.  A=6 and K=1.

472kHz (630m) WSPR TX activity levels lower?

 Maybe people are using different modes or it is still too early in the season, but the impression I have is there are plenty of monitors on WSPR RX, but fewer people on TX. Usually I am on QRP WSPR TX, but am not yet.

Amazon algorithms - NOT amateur radio

It is obvious that when Amazon recommends purchases, it looks at your past buying history. Having just bought something, why would you buy it again?  When I get an email with recommendations it is usually binned with other rubbish.

10m FT8 QRP

 It is now 0740z. I have been on 10m FT8 (QRP) for about 10m. I briefly was on TX with 2.5W. So far, no spots received or given.

UPDATE 0836z: 3 spots received from other stations. 2 look like Es. This re-enforces, to me, that there is still Es about, but there is far less and it is more sporadic. In these situations FT8 (and probably FT4) can be useful. Signals have certainly been strong so the shorter duration of FT4 might catch more, even shorter, openings? I have never tried FT4.

UPDATE 1722z:  20 stations spotted.  IS0AWZ was spotted at an incredible +18dB S/N.

UPDATE 1816z: 21 stations spotted with the furthermost  PY2XB (9599km) in Brazil.

UPDATE 2015z: Loads of South American stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX this evening. In all, 57 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. You get the feeling 10m is becoming a serious DX band again after a few relatively quiet years.

Preserved railways - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we have a number of preserved railways run by volunteers. The photo shows the North Norfolk Railway between Holt and Sheringham 10 years ago. 

Schottky diodes

Spooky! 

The other day I mentioned Schottky diodes in a post. Today I notice the adverts on Amazon are for Schottky diodes from one of the suppliers I visited! Obviously targeted ads. 

472kHz (630m) WSPR RX last evening

Just 2 unique stations spotted on RX last evening, both in Germany. Disappointing. 

UPDATE 0730z: Doh!! It helps if you connect the correct antenna! The above were with the 10m antenna connected by mistake! I shall try again this evening to see how I get on - this time with the correct antenna!

Granddaughter - NOT amateur radio

This was my older granddaughter playing the ukulele. 

She was playing ABBA songs. 

Sunspots - Thursday September 9th 2021

 Solar flux is 100 and the SSN 87.  A=14 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR RX

This evening I am on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It is now 0755z and I have been on for about 15 minutes, but nothing yet spotted.

UPDATE 21020z: So far, just DC0DX (467km) spotted several times At the moment he was the same strength (roughly) as on the active loop. Does this mean they are similar in gain?

Choir closing - NOT amateur radio

After 60 years, my wife's choir has closed. Last night they had a fairwell evening that had been postponed. It brought together choirs from various village colleges to sing a major choral work in a famous venue with world class soloists. It will leave a gap. 

137kHz transverter

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of my transverter for 137kHz. It was 10 years ago and was copied in Holland.