10m WSPR QRP TX (Thursday)

So far today, 28 stations have spotted my 500mW WSPR on 10m. 

UPDATE 1900z: 35 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m QRP today.

Bury St Edmunds Abbey - NOT amateur radio

Most of the old Abbey is in ruins following the sacking by Puritans centuries ago in an act of pure vandalism. Luckily some of the ruins were incorporated into newer buildings. 

Window time sync?

Usually, I sync my PC to Internet time using https://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/ . I am not sure if later versions of Windows 10 or 11 do this Internet time synchronisation automatically and, if so, how often. 

For some reason, I am unable to sync with this time server today, so I have gone on TX anyway on 8m FT8 and 10m WSPR hoping the PC clock is right.

If you know about Windows and sync to Internet time, please let me know.

Rally

The following rally is due this weekend:

Saturday July 9th Houghton Radio Club Free Radio Rally. DH46LJ. I recommend contacting Amanda M6LXK on 07787155745 to confirm details. 

"Saturday 9 Jul - Houghton Radio Club Free Radio Rall : The Dubmire Royal British Legion Club, Britannia Terrace, Fencehouses DH4 6LJ.

Doors open 10am till 3pm. The rally is open to trade, clubs and private sellers/exhibitors. Table space is limited. There is no charge for tables and it is free entry. Donations are welcome to the Royal British Legion Club. Tea and coffees will be available and a licenced bar from 11am. Anyone wishing to book tables please contact Amanda M6LXK by. email: westona84@gmail.com or call: 07787155745."

8m amateur band in the UK?

According to Keith in a previous post, OFCOM is supporting a proposal for a space based radar to measure ice thickness somewhere between 40-50MHz at WRC23.

Personally, I cannot think why this should prevent them allocating just 5 kHz in the ISM band, by NoV only, narrow digital only (no speech), strictly non-interference, to the amateur service in the UK.

Personally, I think OFCOM is totally nuts over this!! Self training? Traceability? T&I licences? Come on!! Get real OFCOM. For serious self training and research we need this. There is a critical shortage of RF engineers in the UK (I know first hand) and both OFCOM and the RSGB could help address this by giving us the chance of self training at 8m.  As it is we have to pay £50 annually to do this.

8m experiment (Thursday)

After breakfast I hope to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial. Yesterday was a good day. 

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

We went to Iceland in 2011 and had a surprise. I was expecting a country that was rugged and barren. Instead it was green and beautiful. There were lupins all over the place. 

Sunspots - Thursday July 7th 2022

 Solar flux is 115 and the SSN 98.  A=5 and K=1.

8m experiment (Wednesday)

Because I was out most of the day, I was unable to be on 8m FT8 until quite late. In all, my QRP 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 QRP was spotted by 5 stations this evening with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km)t. S50B (1220km) and I exchanged reports and locations. Borut was probably stronger than I have ever got him.

10m QRP WSPR TX

Because I was out most of the day, my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was only turned on late this afternoon. Despite this, 26 stations managed to spot me before I went QRT. In all, plenty of Es still about. 

Bury St Edmunds Abbey Gardens - NOT amateur radio

 

This morning in the Abbey Gardens. 

70cm 4 element yagi

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of my 4 element yagi made from a metal coat hanger. It was used out portable in a contest. 

The mast was a PVC pipe trapped in the car door. 

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

Sunspots - Wednesday day July 6th 2022

Solar flux is 115 and the SSN 92. A=4 and K=1.

10m 500mW WSPR TX

My QRP beacon was turned on at 0909z and already there are 11 unique stations spotting me. A great day already.

UPDATE 1148z:  Already spotted by 28 stations on 10m WSPR today. Brilliant Es conditions.

UPDATE 1605z:  35 unique station spots of me today including 11 from John EI7GL.

8m experiment (Tuesday)

My QRP 8m FT8 TX was turned on at 0909z on 40.680 MHz USB dial. Already 2 spots from Iberia. There must Es about.

UPDATE 1144z:  Already spotted by 4 stations on 8m FT8 TX today with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km) and I have spotted 3 stations on 8m FT8 RX in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1325z:   5 stations have spotted me today so far on 8m FT8. Very good. On RX, 4 stations spotted. 

UPDATE 1631z:  Now spotted by 6 stations today on 8m FT8 QRP TX. One of the best days on 8m FT8 TX. Rig currently off cooling.

UPDATE 2113z:  7 spots of me on 8m FT8 QRP TX. 

Sunspot peak better than expected?

The latest forecast I have seen is for the peak of solar cycle 25 to occur in November next year with a peak around 143, which is better than expected.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/. 

EI7GL?

John's blog has not been updated since May 22nd. There is a link to it on this blog as it is interesting and useful. It is one of the really good blogs that I often visit. 

Does anyone have any news? I hope he is OK. 

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/ .

UPDATE 1633z: I have received 11 10m WSPR spots from John today.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 5th 2022

Solar flux is 104 and the SSN 79. A=21 and K=1.

Our house 2014 - NOT amateur radio

 

This photo of our house was taken in 2014. 

10m QRP WSPR

At 1027z, my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on. 

UPDATE 1048z:   No spots of me today so far.

UPDATE 1225z: Just spots by local G4KPX (14km) and OE3XOE (1233km).

OFCOM measures to protect radio astronomy

 OFCOM has announced some measures to protect radio astronomy. See the OFCOM website for details.

8m experiment (Monday)

At 1027z, my 8m QRP FT8 was turned on using 40.680 MHz USB dial. My rig is a modified FT817ND and a low wire dipole.

UPDATE 1046z:   No spots today.

UPDATE 1227z:  Still no spots. Currently off whilst rig cools.

UPDATE 1505z :  HC02 (1808km) has spotted me. 1 G spotted here. 

Portable HF

This photo was taken, I believe, in the 1990s. I was operating HF portable from my mother's garden. As I recall it was with my 2m VHF Mizuho portable and 10m QRP transverter. 

481 THz beacon TX

Looking through old photos yesterday, I came across this photo of my optical beacon. I still have it, but it has not been used for a while. 

Sunspots - Monday July 4th 2022

Solar flux is 102 and the SSN 42. A=8 and K=3.

Dartmouth Devon - NOT amateur radio

On Friday I did a tour of the South Hams of Devon by bus. One of the places I went to was Dartmouth shown in the photo. It was a good place to just watch the world go by. 

And to think, with my old age bus pass, all this travel was free.

10m QRP WSPR TX

It is now 0935z. Although I have been on TX for about 20 minutes with my 500mW W5OLF beacon, no spots. I guess Es is a bit more "hit and miss" now that the season is ending.

UPDATE 1110z:  So there is life!   Spots by HB9TMC (905km) has spotted me, but only twice.

UPDATE 1344z:   GM0UDL (659km) also spotting me. I have noticed before that more northerly stations appear more commonly later in the Es season.

8m experiment (Sunday)

On my return from Devon, I am now on 40.680 MHz USB dial QRP FT8 TX. It is now 0931z and, so far, no spots. Apart from when the rig is cooling, I hope to be on 8m FT8 TX again today after a few days break.

UPDATE 1112z:  Still nobody spotting me today and nobody else spotted. Currently off whilst the rig cools.

UPDATE 1342z:  Back on TX again. Still no spots.

UPDATE 1725z:  Just a single spot by HC02 (1808km). To be honest, I was surprised to get even this.

UPDATE 1807z:  9A2Y (1567km) and I exchanged reports and location earlier by 8m FT8. What a surprise when no other spots (apart from HB9 and GM) of me seen all day on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1837z: S51DI (1288km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

VHF NFD

This is one of the major contests. It is on over the weekend. It used to be in September years ago, but it was changed. Often portable stations put on a big effort with high power and big antennas. On my return from Devon I went on, briefly, this morning, but quickly went QRT as my voice was finding it hard work!

Northern Iceland - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows Husavik in northern Iceland some years ago when we visited Iceland. We had a great holiday. 

1990s station

This photo was a Facebook memory. I think the year is sometime in the 1990s. 

Sunspots - Sunday July 3rd 2022

Solar flux is 100 and the SSN 57. A=19 and K=2.

Echolink - SO quiet

My Echolink now works, but I realise why I lost interest. Nobody seems to be on. I tried calling through the most promising repeaters in the UK and overseas before giving up. Nobody answered. 

Famous words - NOT amateur radio

These words are above the entrance to a church in Kingsbridge Devon. Death, the great leveller. 

8m experiment tomorrow

Today, I return home after a few days with my brother. All being well, I hope to be on 8m TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 tomorrow. 

Sunspots - Saturday July 2nd 2022

 Solar flux is 98 and the SSN 39. A=7 and K=4.

Salcombe in the sun - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken this afternoon in Salcombe, Devon. 

Sadly, tomorrow I have to leave. 

Rallies this weekend

 The following rallies have been notified to me. I always recommend contacting the organisers to check it is on and details are correct.

Saturday July 2nd - Laugharne Radio Rally. Contact Matthew 0739 882 5024. 

Sunday July 3rd - Cornish RAC Rally. Contact: Ken Tarry 01209 821073 

Sunday July 3rd - Barford Norfolk Radio Rally. No contact details given. 

OFCOM updates

 As usual, OFCOM has updated the website with the latest data it has. See the OFCOM website. 

Kingsbridge Devon earlier - NOT amateur radio

 This was about 0645z today. Very calm and tide in. 

Solar data

Early each month, I look forward to the updated information on solar data. My favourite site has not yet updated its data when I looked, but usually does so quite quickly.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

Sunspots - Friday July 1st 2022

 Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 40. A=5 and K=2.

Batson Creek - NOT amateur radio

This is Batson Creek in Devon. I passed this on my 6 mile walk today. Although giddy I was well pleased I managed it.  Sadly the tide was out! 

Echolink password

 As I was awake early and in bed awaiting others, I thought I should try Echolink again after a break of well over a year. I am using the app on my phone. It asked for my password that I have forgotten and I cannot see how to reset it. Looks like I shall have to give it a miss. 

Seen on Facebook - NOT amateur radio

 Some will understand. 

Devon walk later - NOT amateur radio

After breakfast, I hope to walk to Salcombe along the back lanes. It should take about 1-2 hours. 

Sunspots - Thursday June 30th 2022

Solar flux is 92 and the SSN 48. A=6 and K=1.

Kingsbridge Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the view looking from the embankment towards the town. Tide out!! 

Devon rain - NOT amateur radio

There is a phrase "come to sunny Devon where it rains 6 days out of 7". Lovely in the sunshine! It was just raining. Sunny earlier. 

8m WSPR DX

 ZP4KPX (S. America) has been spotted in Portugal and the UK on 8m weakly on WSPR. If he gets an official permit someone will contact him for a first 8m 2-way, either from Europe or the USA. No idea about his gear.