10m FT8 RX (Monday)

My gear was turned on at 0855z. At 1010z 139 stations spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1411z:  507 stations from all over the planet spotted.

Sunspots - Monday November 1st 2021

Solar flux is 103 and the SSN 83.  A=20 and K=3.

Halloween party - NOT amateur radio

 

As our grandchildren had to go home just after lunch, we had a Halloween party last night. 

160m FT8 RX (Sunday)

This evening and overnight I hope to be on 160m FT8 RX. After a very brief TX period, I am RX only. On TX I was spotted by 1 station in Scotland and I have spotted 5 stations with the furthermost SP7MOC (1400km).

UPDATE 1925z:   79 stations spotted with the furthermost RM9X (3186km).

UPDATE 2100z:  159 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX so far today. Furthermost is 7P8RU (9486km) in Lesotho.

CQWW SSB contest

I had a peep on 10m SSB and there was plenty of activity as the photo shows. Without trying I worked VP9I which may be a new country with my 10W SSB on 10m. It is certainly a new country in the 21st century.  After 5 minutes I had had enough!! 

10m FT8 RX (Sunday)

My gear was turned at about 1105z. So far (at 1113z) 44 stations already spotted. I am amazed how many in such a short time.

UPDATE 1655z:  Now QRT on 10m FT8 RX and surprised to spot 474 unique stations today on FT8 on the weekend of the CQWW SSB contest.

Christ's College, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

Christ's College, Cambridge this Friday. 

Sunspots - Sunday October 31st 2021

 Solar flux is 107 and the SSN 76.  A=10 and K=3.

Wicked times - NOT amateur radio

All our grandchildren love Halloween with the dressing up, the silly party games and the food. As they go home tomorrow, we are having the party tonight instead.

East Anglian skies - NOT amateur radio

We have few hills in the part of UK, but we get some great skies as this photo taken by my son on his phone shows.

CQWW contest and 10m

This afternoon I went on 10m SSB expecting it to be filled with CQWW contest stations. I copied none, so I QSYed to 20m. There were plenty. This morning I tried 10m SSB and there were a few stations on. It was not exactly busy.

Today on 10m FT8 RX I have spotted 310 stations from all over including 3 USA stations in the last 30 minutes. OK, it may just be conditions and the band may be very busy later.  I hope this isn't a sign of the times in the hobby with stations coming on FT8 just to work DX and then going to sleep again until their software alerts them to a new country!

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

 

This was 4 years ago. 

10m FT8 RX (Saturday)

My gear has been on for about about an hour. 155 stations spotted so far with the furthermost VK4CAG (16445km).

UPDATE 1052z:  197 stations spotted today.

UPDATE 2137z:  QRT. In all, 339 stations spotted today.

Help please

Some months ago I changed my main G3XBM website to New Google Sites, but I cannot see how to insert a box with html code. This is probably easy but I can't see how to do it. If you know, please tell me! 

My idea is to add live amateur radio news. 

I can probably do it by embedding a page, but some browsers do not like embedding.

Sunspots - Saturday October 30th 2021

 Solar flux is 108 and the SSN 82.  A=3 and K=2.

University of the 3rd age (Cambridge) - NOT amateur radio

Friday is the day I go into Cambridge for my U3AC lecture. I go every Friday. Sadly, today there were rain showers, that I managed to dodge.

The photo shows Cambridge in autumn. 

10m FT8 RX (Friday)

 My gear was turned on about 0830z. So far, 7 stations already spotted with the furthermost R7IW (3463km)

UPDATE 2020z: Now QRT.  In all, 124 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

Reminder: CQWW SSB contest this weekend

All weekend is the CQWW SSB contest. Activity is usually very high. I have never submitted a log, but enjoy going on for a while to work a few new countries and states. Because of my voice, I shall be unable to be on for long.

See www.cqww.com

40m QRP by DL1DN

 Jay W5OLF kindly sent me the link to this video for a QRP transceiver based on my rig linked yesterday. 

TEP opening from South Africa to Europe on 8m

Several stations in southern Europe have reported copying the South African 8m beacon recently.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/10/tep-opening-on-40-mhz-between-south.

Sunspots - Friday October 29th 2021

 Solar flux is 112 and the SSN 96.  A=3 and K=1.

The future of the hobby

It is hard to generalise, but amateur radio is changing. Years ago, to talk to people around the world meant an expensive phone call or getting an amateur licence and building your own gear. Today, many of us just buy a main transceiver and few build their own gear. We are (nearly) all guilty. I know I am. 

What happens in 20 years' time? Many of us will be old and frail and few of us will be interested in shiny new transceivers. Quite a few manufacturers will decide there is little profit in amateur radio and leave the market. Dealers will go out of business. There will be fewer adverts in magazines. Some magazines will close. The hobby will die.

I really hope I am wrong. It is up to us all to forget what brought us into the hobby, as the magic of radio will no longer be the magnet it once was. Today, talking across the planet is free and easy via the internet by video. We need to understand what "turns young people on" technologically and move with the times.

Grey haired old men waxing lyrical about the past is not the future.

No, I am concerned. Your views?

Ultra-simple 80m transceiver

As mentioned before, there is often a compulsion to get results with the fewest parts. Usually, this involves a compromise, often with the RX. This is the case with this rig. It certainly works, but be careful not to call over a co-channel station.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2

Covid-19 data - NOT amateur radio

There is a lot of misinformation about Covid out there and it is very hard sometimes to know what is true and what is rubbish. My 2 most trusted sources are Dr John Campbell  and Professor Tim Spector of ZOE.

The view is that cases in the UK are still too high, although vaccines and previous infections are now stopping hospitalisations and deaths in most cases. These days the most common symptoms are like those of a cold. Experts think this will become endemic in the West rather than a pandemic.

If you have cold-like symptoms these days it could be Covid, so get tested.

See https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dr+john+campbell

See https://www.youtube.com/c/ZOE-health .

Home grown tomatoes - NOT amateur radio

This year we had 2 tomato bags and these are the tomatoes that were left at the end. I love the smell. Those that stay green will probably be used for chutney. Overall, we probably had at least as many again.  

We also grew runner beans for the first time this year as they have attractive flowers on the way.

10m FT8 RX (Thursday)

My gear was turned on at about 0730z. 2 spots already at 0755z. Furthermost is R9CA (3677km). I guess this is F2.

UPDATE 1036z: So far today on 10m FT8 RX, 47 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1329z: 69 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost 7Q7CT (7955km) in Malawi.

UPDATE 1910z: 126 stations spotted.  As it is dark, I shall go QRT soon.

UPDATE 2113z:  QRT. 126 stations spotted, so no more stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

160m FT8 overnight

A decent quantity of stations spotted on topband FT8 RX in the last day with 300 stations spotted including 6 in the USA, 1 in Caanda and 1 in Greenland. Still using the coax to my 2m big-wheel (10m long?) loaded with a ferrite-rod and a mains ground (see map).

Sunspots - Thursday October 28th 2021

Solar flux is 111 and the SSN 91.  A=3 and K=0. 

160m FT8 RX

As my son managed to sever my earth-electrode "antenna" whilst doing some gardening for us, I am again using the coax to my 2m big-wheel loaded with a ferrite rod "ATU". 

The antenna is under 5m at its highest and the coax only 50cm above ground at it lowest just outside the shack. I am just using the mains ground. The coax is under 10m long.  

So far this evening on 160m FT8 RX 19 stations spotted with the furthermost UA1OLM (2653km).

UPDATE 2002z: 83 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with the furthermost RW4PU (3416km).

UPDATE 2115z:  140 stations spotted so far this evening on 160m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2300z:  Staying on overnight.

OFCOM and 800MHz licences - NOT amateur radio

OFCOM is to allow mobile operators to use higher power in this band for mobile services. See the OFCOM website for details.

My main G3XBM website and video channel

A reminder that my main G3XBM website (less often updated than this blog) has far more details about interests and projects. I also have a video channel on YouTube.

Autumn in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Suddenly it is autumn. A week ago our ornamental cherry tree still looked green. Now the leaves have turned brown and with a gust of wind loads of leaves will fall. Another few weeks and it will be bare until the spring. 

This morning, before returning home my son cut my hair and took a photo of my wife and I with 2 of the grandchildren.

10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

My 10m FT8 RX was turned on about 0900z today. It is now 1025z and, so far,  108 stations have been spotted.

UPDATE 1040z: 140 stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1242z:  224 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1555z:  326 stations spotted today. Once it gets dark expect fewer DX spots.

Butterflies - NOT amateur radio

One of our grandchildren with butterfly stickers on her face yesterday. 

Sunspots - Wednesday October 27th 2021

Solar flux is 109 and the SSN 95 (pretty good). A=5 and K=1. 

Building a radio

 

This was my grandson in the shack learning to solder and building a radio. He got the hang of soldering very quickly. 

Whether he will have a lifelong hobby only time will tell.

He was thrilled that he could hear signals.

Coffee in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday one of our granddaughters came 3rd out of 20 in a ballet contest. She wanted to demonstrate her moves whilst we enjoyed coffee in the mild October sunshine.

CQ WW DX SSB contest

This weekend is the CQWW DX contest SSB leg. In years gone by, I filled pages in my logbook with QSOs, but since my stroke it has been far harder. This year, 10m should be pretty good after poor conditions for several years. I hope to pop on to work a few stations, although I never submit a contest log. Many times I forget it is on! It runs all weekend and usually the HF bands are buzzing.

See https://www.cqww.com/ .

Cactus Day - NOT amateur radio

Around now in late October we have celebrated Cactus Day with our grandchildren. Don't ask why it is called Cactus Day!! This was lunch time. 

10m FT8 RX (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on at about 1050z.  So far, 115 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1316z:  198 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. 

Ferrite rod loading

On both 630m WSPR and 160m FT8 RX I have had great success using the FT817ND and the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna. Just a mains earth was used in my case. If you cannot use this I expect a simple external ground would do instead.  The tapped ferrite rod is shown. This was used as an ATU. The coax is quite short and the big-wheel about 5m at its highest. At its lowest the coax is about 50cm off the ground. 

On 160m my noise level is S8-9. Despite this I can copy loads on FT8.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 26th 2021

 Solar flux is 101 and the SSN 81.  A=5 and K=1. 

Start them young

With my own sons I totally failed! Maybe I shall succeed with my grandson ? This was him learning to solder earlier. 

10m FT8 RX (Monday)

Since just after breakfast, my 10m RX has been on. 139 stations spotted with the furthermost A41ZZ (5854km). 

UPDATE 1925z: 359 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. Now QRT.

On the bus

Every Friday I go into Cambridge on the bus for my University of the 3rd Age lecture. Most people wear masks. It is busier now. 

Sunspots - Monday October 25th 2021

 Solar flux is 93 and the SSN 46.  A=4 and K=1.

Nanny state? - NOT amateur radio

This morning, my wife went to church. She was also serving coffee. The lady in charge told her that in future she would need 2 references just to serve coffee! This afternoon she told them where to stick these stupid rules!! She is more than happy to help, but refuses to jump through ridiculous hoops.

For almost 40 years she was a teacher. She helped at the church youth group. She helps for 3 hours at another cafe as a volunteer. Never once before has she been asked for references. She feels like she cannot be trusted.

Now, this may be as a result of the law changing, but I think it is plain stupid. I am sure people who create such rules mean well. In some cases such rules make sense such as if one was influencing children. However to serve coffee once a month?

There is a thing called "unintended consequences". For example, we now have to agree to cookies on websites. Most people just say "yes" to get rid of this annoying pop-up. Few read terms and conditions.

I well remember going on a 4 hour course at work on how to lift heavy things. Only in the last 5 minutes were we shown how to! For almost 40 years I had been lifting heavy pieces of test equipment.

In my view, too many are scared of litigation and just hide behind the law. I am sure this course at work was arranged so the boss could tick the box to say we had been trained.

It is high time people said, "no, enough of this stupid nonsense".

BTW, the church has lost a valuable helper until it gets real and stops this stupidity.

Social media - NOT amateur radio

This is a mixed blessing, that some people hate. On balance, I think it is a good thing. 

We can have video chats with old friends on the other side of the Earth or just keep in touch with people. Years ago this would have been by the occasional letter or Christmas card. It was harder to keep in touch. The alternative was an expensive phone call on special occasions. Often we lost contact.

It is all too easy to live in a virtual world and forget about "real" things. There was a great phrase on TV last week that a person was half man and half laptop!! We have to be careful not to fall into this trap.

And so it continues.... - NOT amateur radio

Every day I still get SPAM emails promising me great riches, great sex and, of course, Bitcoins. These all get automatically filtered as SPAM by Google. I usually just check that nothing has gone in by mistake, then I just delete them all.

10m FT8 RX

My gear was turned on at about 0928z. So far today on 10m FT8 RX, 68 stations spotted with the furthermost YB1JQC (11725km) in Indonesia.

UPDATE 1228z:  204 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.