Goldfinches - NOT amateur radio

These small birds seem to be the most common small bird around here. They can often be seen or heard nearby. They happen to be very colourful too. At a guess, they are the most colourful garden bird in the UK.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/goldfinch/ .

4m activity contest (UKAC)

Unless I have my dates mixed up, the RSGB organised 4m activity contest is this Thursday evening. Last month I forgot! It starts at 1900z (8pm UK clock time).

So far, I have been disappointed by activity levels on 4m, so I hope it is better  for the UKAC. Maybe more people pop up in the Es season. I live in hope.

Assuming I remember (must put alarm on, HI) I shall give it a go.

Norwich Market - NOT amateur radio

This was Norwich Market on Monday. They had interesting mushrooms and tomatoes on sale. 

Wednesday plans

My current plan is to go on 10m WSPR QRP TX and 8m QRP FT8. I am hoping the Es improves!! 

Devon lunch 2016 - NOT amateur radio

This was our lunch in 2016. Ivor Dewdney made the best pasties. I think they survived the pandemic. I can taste them now! 

What is reality? - NOT amateur radio

Several times in the last few months I have had very vivid dreams. These dreams were so vivid that I managed to confuse dreams and reality. The latest was of a hedge trimmer. In the dream, I could not remember getting it. Yesterday afternoon I looked in the garage to try to find it! Of course, it was not there.

Sporadic-E (Es)

So far, this has been a disappointing Es season. Things hopefully will change, but 8m has been very disappointing so far. By now, I was hoping for openings most days. 

UPDATE 1732z:  At the moment there seems to be a good Es opening in Eastern Europe. See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ for G7IZU's excellent website.

Sunspots - Wednesday May 17th 2023

Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 106. A=8 and K=1.

Distant Konik ponies - NOT amateur radio

We saw these in the distance on our a walk to Wicken Fen at the weekend. They are used to keep the grass short, naturally.

Cow parsley - NOT amateur radio

This field in Burwell is full of cow parsley at those time of year. 

Eddystone EC10 receivers

From time to time these still appear on auction sits like eBay, commanding ridiculous prices. As a young person these were highly coveted. In reality they were unbelievably poor. These days a low cost SDR dongle offers far superior performance for far less than the 1968 new price!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/eddystone-ec10 .

Keeping an eye on Es in Europe

Following Hugh's (HC02) suggestion, I am now looking at this map of 8m Es in Europe.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/8m-40mhz-spot-band/

On the same site is this map showing live Es data for other bands. I get the feeling 8m Es could be promising later.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0820z. 

UPDATE 0924z:   So far just local spots.

UPDATE 1326z:  3 unique spots so far with the furthermost being deep in the Indian Ocean.

UPDATE 1903z:   7 unique spots today. I do not think there was any Es today.

UPDATE 2040z:  QRT.

Royal Gloucester Bell - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to the exhibition at Norwich Castle Museum of the Royal Gloucester ship. This is the ship's bell. 

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

As I was not on the air yesterday, I intend to go on 8m FT8 later. As the 10m antenna is available I will be on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW too. 

UPDATE 0927z:  Gear turned on about 0820z. No spots on RX or TX.

UPDATE 2044z:   QRT. It is now some days since I have had any spots on 8m FT8. Es seems to have been poor so far this season.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 16th 2023

Solar flux is 135 and the SSN 103. A=6 and K=1.  Numbers look back to normal.

No amateur radio today

Today we went on the train to Norwich where we met my wife's brother and his wife. We treated them to high tea as it was their 50th wedding anniversary. We also went to Norwich Castle to see a special exhibition on HMS Gloucester which sank off the Norfolk coast in the 1600s. 

So, no amateur radio today!! It is a tough life, but someone had to eat it 😉😋

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. It was a Facebook memory from a few days ago. 

12 years ago on 137 kHz

 

This was my 50uW LF signal 12 years ago. 

Sunspots - Monday May 15th 2023

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 109. A=8 and K=1.

Leaving 8m?

Never thought I would say this, but I am seriously thinking of quitting 8m. 

I thought this would be the year when lots of stations would come on 8m. This could either be at very low power under ISM rules without a licence or by gaining temporary permission from a national authority, perhaps for the Es season or until the next solar peak has passed. At the moment (I may be wrong) it looks like just the old faces are active with few new people.

This next week is critical. Unless I see many more coming on to 8m TX, I think my experiment has to close for now, sadly. My only "new" thing will be working more stations or getting FT8 reports.

If I leave 8m, I shall concentrate on 10m FT8 QRP.  I may also try FT8 on 4m during the Es season.

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At about 1300z I QSYed to 10m FT8 with 2.5W. 8m seemed hopeless. My QRP has been spotted by a local and I have spotted 3 stations so far. 

UPDATE 1542z:   As there was a little bit (I think) of 10m Es, I have gone QRT on 10m and QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 ever hopeful. Several spots on RX and on TX (2.5W) 3 spots including a couple of Italians.

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we walked to Wicken Fen passing this boat.

BBC Weather - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, the cloud was meant to burn back to reveal the sun and light clouds according to the BBC weather app. It was cloudy all day. 

Today (according to the BBC), the cloud should have again burnt back to reveal the sun by now. Of course, it is still cloudy. 

Sorry, but as a forecast it is hopeless!! 

OK the UK weather is complicated, I know, but if you are unable to make an accurate forecast, just don't bother and I shall just look out of the window.

BBC =  better by cod (i.e. with a wet fish).

UPDATE 1046z:  Sun has appeared!

10m WSPR TX with 500mW

At 0630z my QRP 10m TX beacon was turned on.

UPDATE 1040z:  No spots. 

UPDATE 1633z:   On 10m QRP WSPR again, but just spots by local G4KPX (14km).

UPDATE 1905z:   DX today (actually the ONLY station spotting me!) was G4KPX (14km). All in all, a really awful day. Tomorrow has to be better!

UPDATE 2045z: QRT.

8m early start

At 0629z my QRP 8m FT8 was turned on. This is far earlier than normal.

UPDATE 1047z:  No spots.  It is now days since I have copied anyone or anyone has copied me on 8m FT8!  By now, I was expecting daily, good, Es. Conditions have been disturbed, but I was hoping for better. At the moment, 2023 is less promising than 2022. I shall stick with it a bit longer.

UPDATE 1150z:  Still no spots. Unless I get some spots by 1300z, I propose to QSY to 10m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1540z:  As there was (I think) a bit of Es on 10m, I have gone back on 8m FT8 QRP, ever hopeful. No spots.

UPDATE 1625z:  Disappointed. Been on 8m FT8 much of the day, but with no success on RX or TX. I shall stick with it until dark, but seriously poor. What disappoints me most is the apparent lack of interest by Gs to, what could be, a really interesting part of the spectrum. Unless things seriously improve, I suspect I can learn little more. I was hoping for lots of interest this spring/summer. It would appear people prefer talking about fish tanks on 40m with commercial rigs than real research👎👎

UPDATE 2050z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday May 14th 2023

  Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 134.  A=11 and K=3.

How do they do it?

Banggood is selling a handheld SSB transceiver covering 40, 20, 15 and 10m for just £95.93.  

I have no idea how they do this for this price and I have no idea of how well it works. I have never heard of this before.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

This is probably not a great idea!  

At about 2000z, I decided to QSY to 50.313 MHz QRP FT8 using my vertical omni V2000 antenna. On RX there were signs of a weak signal, but nobody was decoded and nobody has spotted me. 

I shall turn things off when I go to bed. I was hoping to reach a few locals.

UPDATE 2007z:  No spots. QRT .

BBC weather - NOT amateur radio

BBC weather rant time. 

Today the BBC was saying the clouds would burn back and we would have sunshine and light cloud as they are saying right now!!! 😉 It has been full cloud all day. I know BBC weather is a joke, but I object to my money being wasted on super-computers when looking out the window is free and just as good!! 

Rant over. I feel better 😁😉

Swallows: more? - NOT amateur radio

 

This year, I have already seen more swallows than all of last year. Perhaps I have been lucky.

First cuckoo - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we walked to Wicken Fen. We saw several bird species including stonechat, wheatears, swallows and swifts. We heard reed warblers and cuckoos. We saw highland cattle, and konik ponies in the distance.

See https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cambridgeshire/wicken-fen-national-nature-reserve .

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My 8m FT8 was turned on at 1145z. I am on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1950 Hz, TX in first period).

UPDATE 1900z:   No spots all day.

Mills on the air weekend

This weekend expect quite a few special stations operating from windmills and watermills. Our local club (CDARC) is operating from Fulbourn windmill near Cambridge as GB2FM. 

See https://fulbournwindmill.org.uk/

Our own windmill next door has free entry all weekend.

See https://burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 1145z.

UPDATE 1545z:   No spots.

UPDATE 1634z:  No sure if it is just that propagation has at last been possible or they have just come on, but my 10m signal is being received in the Canary Islands.

UPDATE 1814z: 4 unique stations have spotted me including 2 by Es.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

 The plan is to walk to nearby Wicken Fen, have a snack and a drink and walk back. Will we see any Konik ponies, swallows or even a kingfisher?

Saturday plans

 8m QRP FT8 later (40.680 (TX first, DF about 1950 Hz)) and QRP 10m WSPR TX with the 500mW beacon.  All later, after a walk.

Chocolates - NOT amateur radio

We had a friend stay with us recently. He very kindly bought us some chocolates.

We had a couple last night. They were delicious. 

Sunspots - Saturday May 13th 2023

Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 134.  A=19 and K=2.

XBM80-2 80m ultra-simple rig

This has been on before, I know.

Some years ago, I wanted to see how simple one could make a rig that actually worked. There is no doubt at all that the rig can be made better with more experimentation with values and other things, but I was quite surprised that something this simple worked.

Please do not (ever) be afraid to use my designs as starting points. If you can make something better, great. If it totally fails, just start again! 

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

Cold and wet? - NOT amateur radio

Certainly in this part of the UK it has felt colder and wetter this year. It is already May and it feels wet and cold. 

We did some gardening yesterday, but we could certainly not today. 

We popped to the garden centre to buy some new plants, but my wife came inside from our garden as she was too cold!

8m disappointment

This Es season, I was hoping we would see several new countries appearing on 8m. It would have been good if a few stations had been able to get even temporary access to the band around the solar maximum. 

Also, several countries could legally transmit beacons in the ISM band 40.66-40.70 MHz without a licence. We know from Australia that 5mW of 8m WSPR can go 5000km and many times on 10m just microwatts can cross Europe almost daily. If there were lots of QRRP WSPR beacons on 8m just imagine how useful this could be.  Apart from Greece, with ISM rules, I have yet to see any further activity from new countries.

I am quite surprised and saddened. These next few years could be really interesting on 8m.

New HF handheld?

It is over 20 years ago that Yaesu introduced the revolutionary FT817. Since then, absolutely nobody has introduced another handheld for HF/VHF. The nearest were the IC-705 from ICOM and the Elecraft KX2 and KX3. In the meantime we have seen several VHF/UHF FM and digital handhelds come and go. I guess these attract a better return on investment, although I am surprised.

We are overdue a multimode, multiband true handheld. In my view they could do a handheld covering 10m, 6m (with 4m in Europe), 70cm and maybe 23cm. With the right features, this could be a real winner. 10m will be good for several years and the VHF bands could do with a shot in the arm.

Both ICOM and Yaesu have SDR receivers. Can we expect a new multimode/multiband rig?

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

At about 1045z, my 8m FT8 was turned on on 40.680 MHz (TXing in first period, DF about 1950 Hz). No spots.

UPDATE 1510z:   No spots. So far today, unbelievably quiet on 8m here. It has also been pretty poor on 10m WSPR with just spots from the Canary Islands.

UPDATE 1600z:  Unless things dramatically change (always possible) today has been a disaster on 8m with no spots on RX or TX. I shall leave the gear running for a few more hours "just in case". It looks like 10m and 8m have been affected by disturbed conditions, Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Memo to self, " I must remember 10m WSPR"

Whenever I go on 8m, I forget the 10m antenna is available and that I can go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. Just now I remembered! 

So far, several spots by EA8/DF4UE (2876km).

UPDATE 1822z:  4 unique stations have spotted me today. Two were in Austria and two in the Canary Islands. On PSKreporter one German also spotted me. I am puzzled as I thought everything appeared on WSPRnet. Overall, a pretty miserable day on 10m WSPR.

23cm

This was a band new to me, so a little while back I invested in a transverter from SG Labs in Bulgaria. It is well made and seems to work well. Several people had recommended this 2W transverter.  My idea (when the weather gets better!) is to use it /P from a hill in the RSGB's UKAC activity sessions on 23cm.

Someone very kindly sent me a 3 element yagi, that needs a proper test - thank you so much.

Some people take the band very seriously with high power and big antennas. With these, some incredible distances can be regularly spanned on SSB. As you can tell, I am just "dabbling".  I want to try 23cms without doing much!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/23cm .

Dartmoor ponies - NOT amateur radio

Dartmoor ponies are very famous worldwide. They are wild on the moor and are often seen wandering near the roads. I think this photo was taken in 2012.

Plans for Friday

Later, I expect to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8. The Es has started and every day has seen me spotted across Europe with 2.5W and a low wire dipole.

Sunspots - Friday May 12th 2023

Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 152. A=26 and K=2.

Human consciousness - NOT amateur radio

Time and again I am amazed by the things that had to happen for me to be here on this planet, at this time, in this country. I am the result of generations and generations of ancestors. If just one had not existed I would not exist. 

The number of planets in the universe is huge. Some estimate this as 100 billion billion billion billion  The number of planets with sentient life is probably huge. On the Earth now there are around 8 billion humans. Yet I exist.

Exactly what is human life? What exactly is self awareness? Why am I here now, in this country, on this planet? 

Some would say there is a religious element. Whilst I understand this, to me the explanation is too small and too Earth centred.

We always think of time going from the past into the future? Is this an illusion?