Rotten - NOT amateur radio

We saw this chair at Anglesey Abbey yesterday. Looks like it has been out too long! 

10m WSPR QRP TX (Wednesday)

Again, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF TX WSPR beacon.  Yesterday I was spotted by 7 stations including 2 in the USA.

UPDATE 1342z:  5 stations have spotted me today on 10m WSPR.

The table shows the stations spotting me on 10m WSPR on Tuesday.

8m tests (Wednesday)

 After a period on TX (2 local spots) , I am now on 8m FT8 RX only on 40.680 MHz USB dial.

UPDATE 1345z: A brief FT8 TX period just now resulted in 2 local spots. Now RX only on 40,680 MHz USB dial FT8. No spots.

Decision made!

After thinking hard, I have decided to make a G3XBM PDF projects scrapbook that will be free to download from my website. 

As I make changes to the book these can simply be made. As I make no money I cannot imagine any copyright issues, which could be a problem with a printed version that is charged for. Some of my designs have appeared in magazines across the world in many languages. 

My aim has always been to collect my ideas for other people and never for commercial gain. 

The scrapbook will be linked from my main website.

I hope to complete the book by the end of May.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/book

Sunspots - Wednesday April 13th 2022

Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 23. A=12 and K=3.

PI4 versus FT8?

Until today, I did not realise that PSKreporter supported PI4, which is a mode used by some beacons. What I do not know is the sensitivity of PI4 versus FT8. If anyone knows, please tell me.

That projects book

Several people have suggested that I do a book of all my projects. I started it, but have not got too far! It is a lot of hard work, but might be a good idea. What do you think? 

Looking back, I have done several projects and it might be a "good thing" to have them all together. These cover VLF to light (1 kHz to 481 THz) plus some antennas.

Someone in the comments suggested a PDF version, which is not a bad idea. Maybe I should consider this? 

I am not really after money for this, so maybe I should do it and add it as a free download from my website? If anyone wants to give a charity donation, they would be free to do so. If they just want the PDF book, that is their choice.

Hopefully, Practical Wireless, RadCom and QST (maybe others too?) could give the link.

Tenbox

Many years ago, before my stroke, I intended to build a simple 10m phone transceiver aimed at local contacts only. What I had in mind was a 10m version of my 6m Sixbox and 2m Fredbox. 

It used a super-regen RX with isolating pre-amp to avoid radiation, so would not be suitable for DX work. Having said that, it had no problems receiving USA AM stations in the car with just a base loaded whip. 

My idea was to build a rig that could be used when 10m is dead, such as at night or in poor solar years. 10m is a great band and very little used when not "open". 

It is ideal for local contacts as antennas are small especially when compared with 160m. CB antennas work well. 

In my mind was something like the old Heathkit Benton Harbour Lunchboxes (remember those?), but far smaller and on a single simple PCB.

Sadly my stroke got in the way and the project was not completed.  It would be great if someone else completed this project. There may well be better solutions these days.

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

10m WSPR QRP TX (Tuesday)

At the moment, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. So far today, just local spots. 

UPDATE 1052z:  Still just local spots. 

Clunch - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows a house in our village that is having its plaster removed to reveal the clunch beneath. Clunch is a kind of chalk commonly used as a building material locally. 

8m tests (Tuesday)

This morning I am doing MSK144 tests with Paul G9PUV nearby Brighton. I am copying him, but he is not copying me. 

UPDATE 0801z:  Sadly he did not copy me. At times he was very strong, presumably by random MS bursts. I guess with his much higher power they were long enough for me to decode Paul. Being much weaker, it would need a very long burst for me to be decoded at his end. We tried. I am sure with a proper MS shower or Es backscatter, we have a chance. Currently FT8 RX on 8m on 40.680 MHz USB dial.

UPDATE 1314z:  No FT8 spots.  I see both S50B and ZS6WAB are monitoring. I think I have a very modest station, so my "experiment" is really to see how 8m does with a QRP station and small wire antenna.

UPDATE 1345z: Now on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX again. 2 local spots so far. I have still to have a 2-way exchange of reports on 8m.

UPDATE 1530z:   For about the last hour, I have been on 8m 40.680 MHz FT8 RX. No spots. I must see if I can see the Irish beacon EI1KNH near Dublin on 40.013 MHz sending FT8 for part of its cycle. I may just be possible to copy this beacon by tropo, but I expect it will be strong on MS pings just as the old Rosemarkie beacon GB3RMK was on 6m. Even with my poor 6m antenna it peaked on random MS pings every few minutes.

UPDATE 1652z:  The EI1KNH 8m beacon is not copyable by tropo.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 12th 2022

Solar flux is 99 and the SSN 24.  A=13 and K=1.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

Once again, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. 5 unique stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1955z:  12 unique stations spotted me today. Quite a good day really.

8m tests (Monday)

 After a brief period on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX (1 local spot), I am RX only on 8m FT8.  So far, nobody spotted today.

UPDATE 1022z:  Someone has just raised a very interesting question. In the ISM bands 40.66-40.70 MHz his calculations suggest 50uW can legally be used into 50 ohms. I think he calculated that anyone in the UK could legally go on 40 MHz TX without a licence as long as they are in the ISM band. On WSPR, it would not surprise me if 50uW could be detected in central Europe in a decent Es opening. Now, I am no legal expert and have not looked in to this, but if correct it means anyone could legally TX on the ISM band without a licence as long as the ERP was less than 50uW. This is worth checking out. I think you can make up your own callsigns to ID yourself in any reports. As I said, I am not a legal expert and you need to check carefully if this is correct.

This from the OFCOM document about ISM:

“industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications (of radio frequency energy): Operation of equipment or appliances designed to generate and use locally radio frequency energy for industrial, scientific, medical, domestic or similar purposes, excluding applications in the field of telecommunications.” 

Maybe the excluding applications in the field of telecommunications is the killer? Mind you, I cannot imagine OFCOM ever policing this!

UPDATE 1341z:  For 8m I just have a low wire dipole which is strung between the support for my 2m big-wheel and the end of my 10m end fed antenna. You may just be able to see it in the photo.

UPDATE 1436z:  About to go on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX.

UPDATE 2039z:  QRT now. S50B and G9PUV both copied earlier on 8m.  Doing a test on Tuesday from 0600z on 40.680 MHz MSK144 with G9PUV.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went on a walk around the village. The collage shows some of the things we saw 

Duxford - NOT amateur radio

In WW2 my dad was a Pathfinder on Lancasters. I had no idea how brave and scared he must have been. Back in 2019 my son and grandson went to the museum at Duxford and went on a Lancaster.

Oscar 100 narrowband activity levels

My most recent peek at activity on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite at a weekend afternoon in Europe found activity levels on the narrowband transponder still low. I am sure people lose interest. 

I can imagine the scenario: those keen enough assemble the dish, feeds, TX and RX and carefully align the dish. They work some DX, tell them all about the gear.....then lose interest. 

Imagine the difference if a "black box" was available from a Japanese manufacturer. Of course, they are looking for volumes and a return on their investment - neither of which is likely. They are also worried that Oscar 100 might suddenly stop working.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/.

Sunspots - Monday April 11th 2022

 Solar flux is 104 and the SSN 13.  A=34 and K=4.

Village Cottage - NOT amateur radio

This cottage is in our village. We have a real mix of old and new houses. 

Steam trains - NOT amateur radio

Back in the late 1950s these were a common sight in my trainspotting days in Devon. 

This photo was on 365project yesterday. 

10m WSPR TX beacon (Sunday)

At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. So far just local spots. 

UPDATE 1412z:  5 stations spotted. Furthermost is TA4/G8SCU (3010km).

UPDATE 2200z:  QRT. 

8m tests continue

At the moment I am on 8m FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial. So far, just 1 local spot of me. Later I shall be just on RX. 

UPDATE 0836z:  RX only now on 8m FT8 on 40.680 MHz USB dial. Nobody spotted. I hope more stations in Europe manage to get 8m permits this Es season.

UPDATE 0941z:  Nobody spotted.

UPDATE 1135z: G9PUV (158km), near Brighton, spotted on 8m FT8 this morning.  At the strength I got him (off the side of the dipole) I don't think he would spot me. Maybe on WSPR?

UPDATE 1507z:  Still on 40.680 MHz (8m) FT8 RX. Just 1 station spotted today so far.

UPDATE 1947z:  QRT soon. One possible first (to be confirmed) is the reception on 8m of an EI station by VP8ADR/40 in the Falkland Islands. It would be good if VP8s could TX on 8m, but I am not sure what the law there says.

Redundant church - NOT amateur radio

A few years ago, I did a blog of the local churches that we visited. It is some years since I updated the blog.  One visited was this one in Cambridge.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk

UPDATE 0948z: Church blog updated!

Sunspots - Sunday April 10th 2022

 Solar flux is 107 and the SSN 37.  A=19 and K=4.

Crazy? - NOT amateur radio

This week, my watchstrap broke. It was cheaper to buy a new Casio digital watch than the wrist strap alone for the old watch! If the battery on the old watch needed replacing, the Casio watch makes even more sense. I am not after a fashion statement and any watch is fine.

I now see I could have bought one £2 less!!

WhatsApp this morning - NOT amateur radio

This was forwarded to me by WhatsApp earlier. 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

 At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF WSPR beacon. So far, spots from 2 stations with the furthermost TA4/G8SCU (3010km).

UPDATE 1343z:   So far today my 500mW beacon has been spotted by 5 different stations, in 4 countries.

8m testing

 At the moment, I am on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX. Just 2 local stations spotting me. I shall be going to FT8 RX shortly.

UPDATE 0901z:   FT8 RX only now on 40.680 MHz USB dial. EI4GNB (-9dB S/N near Dublin)  spotted on 8m FT8 RX. Was this aircraft?

UPDATE 1146z:  No further 8m FT8 RX spots.

Walkie-talkie Building - NOT amateur radio

This skyscraper in London is known as the walkie-talkie building. 

Sunspots - Saturday April 9th 2022

Solar flux is 109 and the SSN 55. A=9 and K=4.

Zoom meetings

In the last few years, we have all got used to Zoom video meetings. 

Speaking personally, I have been very impressed with Zoom meetings. I cannot really drive at night - well I certainly do not like it - and Zoom meetings suit me well. When screens are shared it is like being in the same room.

Every two weeks, the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) arrranges a Zoom talk. Tonight's talk was watched from a campsite in Scotland and a few weeks ago we had someone in Canada watching.  A few months ago he gave the talk!

I hope the CDARC continues with Zoom meetings after they return to meetings in person.

4m and Es

Within a few weeks (certainly in May) we will be back in the sporadic-E (Es) season in the northern hemisphere. 4m is now allocated in several European countries and my transverter is certainly capable of working across Europe on SSB. It is certainly capable of improvement, so do not be afraid to experiment.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/4m-transverter .

10m Tenner QRP CW transceiver

This design is now quite old, but it goes to show that things do not have to be complicated to work. It was derived from my Pipit 15m transceiver.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-tenner-qrp-cw .

Rape seed oil - NOT amateur radio

In recent days the fields of rape are coming in to flower. This is a fairly recent sight suggesting farmers are now planting this more. 

10m WSPR TX beacon

At about 0750z I hope to be on 10m WSPR TX with the W5OLF 500mW beacon. 

UPDATE 0755z:  Now on TX. No spots yet.

8m today

In about 5 minutes (it is now 0748z) I will be on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX. I hope to be on 8m FT8 RX after lunch on the same frequency. 

UPDATE 0758z: Now on 8m FT8 TX.  Just 2 local spots.

UPDATE 1537z: Until now, I have been on 8m FT8 RX all afternoon, but nothing spotted. Back on TX again, but only local spots.

UPDATE 1800z:  Just local spots of me.

UPDATE 1918z:  QRT on 8m.

London colour - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows a very colourful building near the Old Bailey in London. 

Sunspots - Friday April 8th 2022

 Solar flux is 111 and the SSN 61.  A=14 and K=1.

London icons - NOT amateur radio

Some may recognise this clock seen yesterday on our day tour of London escorted by our 14 year old grandson. 

Upcoming Rallies?

The following rallies were notified to me earlier. I have no idea if these are taking place or not, so suggest you check with the organisers to confirm before you travel.

April 9th (Saturday) - 36th QRP Convention, Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3AA.  Contact Rodney on 01935 825791.

April 10th (Sunday) - Lincoln Spring Rally, Market Rasen, Lincs, LN8 3HT.  Contact Steve 07777 699069

Who would have thought 2 years ago we'd still be thinking about Covid-19!

OFCOM has a new head of UK "airwaves" (sic)

Apparently we have a new head of the Spectrum Group at OFCOM. He is supposed to be very experienced. Let us hope he understands RF and not just how to manage.  

His name is Dan Lloyd. See the OFCOM website for details.

10m WSPR TX beacon using 500mW (Thursday)

 At the moment I am on 10m WSPR with the 500mW W5OLF WSPR beacon. It is now 0720z and so far today just local spots. 

UPDATE 0835z:  4 different stations have spotted me with the furthermost TA4/G8SCU (3010km).

UPDATE 1232z:   5 different stations have spotted me.

8m FT8 TX ( Thursday)

Since about 0645z I have been on 8m FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial. So far today just 2 local spots. Paul G9PUV has a much higher ERP than me. 

UPDATE 0839z:  Still just the 2 local spots of me. I have yet to be spotted at any distance on 8m.

UPDATE 1448z:   Now 8m FT8 RX only on 40.680 MHz, hoping to spot Paul G9PUV on the South Coast of the UK.

Sunspots - Thursday April 7th 2022

Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 61.  A=8 and K=4.

10m WSPR yesterday

 Not a bad day in the end with my 500mW being copied over 3000km away and by 6 stations. Not on today.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 6th 2022

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 75.  A=6 and K=2.

10m WSPR QRP (Tuesday)

I still have to sync the time, but I am on 10m WSPR with 500mW from my W5OLF WSPR beacon. It is now 0835z.

UPDATE 0955z:  Just 5 spots from local G4KPX (14km) so far.

8m tests today

As G7PUV on the South Coast has got now his 8m TX permit, I shall try to receive him on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 today. At the moment I am also on 8m FT8 TX (TXing in the first period) on 40.680 MHz. Later, I shall be RX only to give Paul the best chance of being copied up here.

UPDATE 0850z:  2 local spots of me so far this morning. Now RX only on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1346z:   Just switched to 40.680 MHz WSPR TX. Back to FT8 later.

UPDATE 1528z:  Back on FT8 (TXing first) on 40.680 MHz. So far, 3 local spots of me. Thank you.

UPDATE 1650z:  With grateful thanks to local G3TFX, my 8m dipole has now been raised in height. S/N on local signals is considerably better.

UPDATE 2000z:  QRT. Just local spots.

Tree roots - NOT amateur radio

I like the texture of these roots seen on our walk yesterday. 

Sunspots - Tuesday April 5th 2022

 Solar flux is 128 and the SSN 86.  A=11 and K=2.