14 Sept 2023
Lunch yesterday - NOT amateur radio
13 Sept 2023
HF conditions
Now is an excellent time to try HF radio. Sunspots are expected to peak soon, although conditions could be good for several years. In the past I have had excellent results with simple CW QRP rigs although I can recommend the QDX which is a 5W digital only transceiver that is very small and very inexpensive. Expect worldwide results with simple antennas. Mine covers 20 - 10m.
More Montenegro - NOT amateur radio
After a good breakfast we went to Porto Montenegro (Tivat) and then up a torturous mountain road with 25 hairpin bends and some spectacular views. We had a simple lunch in the country with local ham and cheese.
12 Sept 2023
Encouraging people
One of the blog readers has made some very good points with regard to Oscar 100. His view is that I should be encouraging people rather than making disparaging remarks. In many ways he is quite right and my comments are wrong.
People are just people - NOT amateur radio
It is very easy to judge people. Whether they are English, American, Russian or from New Guinea or anywhere, people are just people. We all share the same humanity. In the end most want just to live in peace.
11 Sept 2023
Budva Montenegro - NOT amateur radio
After a short rest, we went for a walk around the old town in Budva.
10 Sept 2023
Oscar 100 disappointment
In my view Oscar 100 has been a failure with usage far below expectations.
My theory is that many have become zombie "black box" appliance operators who struggle to tell the difference between a resistor and transistor. Getting active on Oscar 100 is just too hard for most.
Amateur radio is meant to be about self training and research. Does the growing cycle of carrots count? 😁
It is not helped by the big markets of Japan and the USA being outside its coverage.
It is my view, stated many many times before (sorry for the broken record) that amateur radio as we know it will be gone in 20 years as most people grow very old and no longer buy gear. I know of one local who bought a new rig and cannot operate it as there are too many adjustments!
9 Sept 2023
Last night of the proms - NOT amateur radio
In the UK calendar the last night of the proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London is pretty important. It is an occasion when lots of very English music is performed and the audience (mainly young flag waving people) goes mad.
Knowing that we got wealthy on the back of the evil slave trade makes me uneasy. On the one hand I want to just enjoy the music. On the other hand, I am bothered.
It is with mixed feelings I enjoy it.
In the end we have to work for a fairer, more just, world. We cannot deny the past. It happened. What we can all do is make a better future.
Old church vessels - NOT amateur radio
Optical communication in daylight
My mind turned to QRSS beaconing. For this to be possible it would be necessary to divert the beam when the QRSS was not on. One possibility would be to have a loudspeaker with a mirrored sheet (kitchen foil?) over it with a tone keyed. It would also be necessary to have a receiver that was optimised for daylight. I have no idea how good this would be.
I guess the same idea could be used for speech. The mirror would be deformed as speech was said. I seem to recall there was a 19th century patent for this called the Photophone. For speech I guess one could simply speak against the metal foil mirror.
I would imagine an optimised system could be used for over-the-horizon (NLOS) tests. Sadly, my health these days means I can only dream about this. It may already have been tried.
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)
My QRP 10m WSPR beacon has been on most of the morning. So far at 1125z, 4 unique spots of me. Most look like F2.
UPDATE 2103z: Now QRT. Altogether, spotted by 9 stations.
8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
UPDATE 1236z: No further spots.
UPDATE 2050z: QRT. A better day on 8m than I was expecting.
Utter frustration - NOT amateur radio
Twice when out this week I have not been able to make people understand what I say because of my poor voice since my 2013 stroke. My wife is used to me and even she struggles.
It is for this reason I do not join in casual conversations. Some can understand me, but clearly what comes out of my mouth is not what I want. Frustration!
8 Sept 2023
EI7GL blog
This blog has not been updated since June 10th sadly. I do not know why, but I for one miss it.
Late, late, show? - NOT amateur radio
At first I heard what sounded like swifts screaming, but saw nothing. Later, at the bus stop, I again heard screaming overhead again. Then I saw them. Quite unmistakable with their scythe like wings.
It was probably a very late brood that had just left the nest. I saw 2, but there were probably more. My wife also saw 2.
Swifts normally migrate by mid August. These are the latest I have ever seen in the UK. They may be the latest ever seen in the whole county this year.
10m 500mW WSPR TX
There would appear to be no Es on 10m today. All these look like F2 propagation. My beacon has been on since breakfast.
Having a chat? - NOT amateur radio
8m QRP FT8 (Friday)
Just local G4WSZ (12km) spotting my 2.5W FT8, which has been on since before breakfast. At this time of year, my only real hope of DX spots is by aircraft reflection I guess
7 Sept 2023
European Es
As mentioned before, the Es "season" in Europe is now over. There will be occasional openings, but these will be far less common than some months ago. For example, I have been on all day on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW TX beacon with just 1 spot that might have been Es. For a 2 minute TX period it is very unlikely to be MS. It could be F2 backscatter I suppose.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ . A glance at this site shows the general absence of big, widespread, Es openings now. I guess FT8 would be better at catching brief openings as the TX period is far shorter.
Quote - NOT amateur radio
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book! "
Groucho Marx.
Seen in The Knowledge earlier. The Knowledge comes as a free email newsletter daily. I find it very good and unbiased.
Rally this Sunday
The following rally has been notified to me. I recommend checking the data is checked before travelling.
Sunday September 10th - Caister Lifeboat Radio Rally, Caister on Sea, NR30 5DJ. Contact m1bfi@outlook.com .
10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on at breakfast. So far, spotted by G4KPX (14km) and by 2 stations in the Canary Is, presumably by F2.
Another website - NOT amateur radio
Another website I have created is www.burwellhistory.org. They were in need of a website.
8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
My FT8 2.5W gear was turned on around breakfast time. The only spot of me is from local G4WSZ (12km).
Oscar 100 activity
Every few weeks I try to give an update on activity levels on Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite. The last time I looked was on European breakfast time on a weekday. Activity was pathetic.
Thursday plans
Although the Es season is over now, and chances of my 2.5W QRP FT8 8m signal being spotted in Europe have greatly diminished, I still intend to try, but using the second time period in the hope of spotting some UK and Eire stations.
Assuming I go on 8m, I shall be on 10m WSPR TX with the 500mW W5OLF beacon
6 Sept 2023
Moulin Rouge - NOT amateur radio
It was an impressive production with some very clever scenery. We get about 2.5 hours in London before the theatre. This is enough time to visit a few sights and get a meal.
10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)
Just F2 spots from the Canary Is, although I was unable to turn my 500mW until this evening.
8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
As we went to London with our theatre group, I was only on this evening. Spots by G4WSZ (12km) only.
5 Sept 2023
2m activity contest UKAC
With my 10W pep and big wheel omni antenna, I managed 9 QSOs in about 45 minutes before I had to go QRT. Best DX heard was an OZ in JO46 square.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Tuesday)
My 500mW 10m beacon was turned on at about 0855z. No spots yet.
UPDATE 2048z: Spotted by 4 stations (see table). Now QRT.
8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
My 8m 2.5W FT8 was turned on at about 0855z. So far (not exactly unexpectedly!) no spots.
UPDATE 1005z: Local G4WSZ (12km) has spotted me. No further spots today.
UPDATE 2044z: No further spots. QRT now.
European Es
At the moment this looks poor. See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
UPDATE 1642z: Conditions are still dire.
8m yesterday
Yesterday was surprisingly good for me on 8m. In the end I was spotted by 4 stations including Poland that I was not expecting. Days of wall to wall Es have ended but clearly openings still occur, assuming it was Es!!
4 Sept 2023
Sunflower - NOT amateur radio
At the weekend my wife bought some cut sunflowers. This is one of them.
Media and stories - NOT amateur radio
OK, I can only speak of what happens in the UK, but similar probably happens in many countries.
Have you noticed how the media grabs a story and sticks with it for days on end?
The latest is RAAC concrete in schools. In the UK this lightweight concrete was used as a cheap material in schools and other public buildings. It was used extensively after WW2. It has been found to have a life of 30 years if poorly maintained and buildings can be vulnerable if water seeps into the concrete. Before this, something else was the focus of the media. Things that were once in our focus just drop out of the news.
I am worried that the media sets the agenda.
Back in the late 1960s we were told that the Vietcong were evil and those defending South Vietnam were heroes defending democracy from evil communists. Now, no-one is perfect, but we were fed a line. With the luxury of history we can now see through to the truth.
What would be good is neutral, unbiased, news. The best I have found is "The Knowledge" which is a free email, daily, newsletter.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)
When I am on 8m FT8 I can use the 500mW W5OLF WSPR TX beacon on a different antenna on 10m. So far just local G4KPX (14km) and OZ7IT (853km) spotting me.
Just been spotted in the Canary Is. I suspect this is F2 propagation.
UPDATE 1859z: 9 spots of me today (see table).
8m QRP FT8 (Monday)
My 2.5W to the dipole has been on since before breakfast. So far just a spot by a local G4WSZ/S (12km).
UPDATE 1614z: No further spots.
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