One of my aims today is to get my software defined radio (SDR) installed and working on my shack PC. I have to install drivers and suitable SDR software.
UPDATE 2200z: Did not do the SDR drivers. Maybe tomorrow?
13 Nov 2023
630m QRP WSPR overnight
Overnight, 9 stations spotted my 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground including (again) OH1LSQ (1733km). I am still amazed how few UK TX stations there are on the band.
12 Nov 2023
Current solar conditions
Although I am far from an expert on this sort of thing, I suspect we have now passed the solar maximum in this cycle. Sunspot numbers and solar flux have been lower than past months. Usually, the solar maximum is averaged over several months, so the actual peak cannot be known until we are well over the peak.
Certainly MUFs have been high and my 2.5W 8m FT8 makes it to the USA, Canada or the Caribbean most days. Some amazing DX has been worked on 6m too.
Solar conditions are currently very good on average. As I have mentioned before, solar conditions could be good for several years to come. With FT8 we could well find the higher HF bands are good for some while yet.
630m QRP WSPR (Sunday)
My 10mW ERP 630m WSPR was turned on at about 1615z. So far, at 1645z, spotted by 3 UK stations. Furthermost spots are by G8HUH (250km).
The Middle East - NOT amateur radio
The outcome of the current war is unclear. Israel as a nation has clearly been deeply traumatised by the events of October 7th and wants this never to be repeated. I think most nations would feel the same.
At the same time, children, babies and civilians are being maimed or killed every day. No sane person would think this acceptable "collateral damage".
In my view, the only long term outcome is a mutual acceptance that everyone has right to worship whomsoever they choose and a right to live in peace and harmony with neighbouring states. The present dispute has roots that go back a long way.
Leaves - NOT amateur radio
At first, we have to accept that things are asleep following cycles that have been the same for thousands of years.
Basically I like the seasons.
See https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44400/spring-and-fall . This poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins to me says so very much.
8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on about 1140z. No spots yet today.
UPDATE 1347z: 3 stations have spotted me today including WP4G (6804km) in Puerto Rico, Caribbean. At the moment, I am getting "across the pond" spots almost every day on 8m FT8 despite my 2.5W.
UPDATE 1425z: ZR1ADI (9777km) spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1500z: 4 spots of my 2.5W 8m FT8 today, including 2 in the Caribbean.
10m QRP (and QRPPP) WSPR (Sunday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon PA was turned on at 1140z. At first I was puzzled by a spot at 0900z by EA8/DF4UE (2876km). Then I realised he had copied me with the PA off. My beacon is preprogrammed to say 0.5W, but in reality the power was just microwatts. This accounts for why the report was just -31dB S/N.
The beacon is now at full power of 500mW.
2012 Facebook memory - Lesser Chirpy
This was 11 years ago! I have no idea where this is now. It was a tiny 10m CW transceiver. Many now prefer FT8.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-lesser-chirpy .
630m overnight
11 Nov 2023
630m QRP WSPR (Saturday)
My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 1750z. On the first transmissions, 3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost GM3YXM (425km).
UPDATE 2100z: 9 stations have spotted me this evening (see table). No real DX yet.
Lunch - NOT amateur radio
The photo is a selfie of us all.
Web SDRs
Until recently CDARC (Cambridge Club) had an HF web SDR at the QTH of G4AWP who is moving to York. It has now been relocated. Web SDRs can be very useful for amateurs that have a high noise floor.
8m 2.5W FT8 (Saturday)
My gear was turned on at about 1025z. So far, just local spots by G4WSZ (12km).
UPDATE 1720z: WW1L (4976km) spotted me on 8m QRP FT8. My QRP 8m FT8 signal is spotted "across the pond" quite often this month.
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)
My W5OLF 10m QRP WSPR TX beacon was turned on about 1025z. So far this morning, spotted by 5 stations already.
World peace - NOT amateur radio
At the moment, the world seems to be going through a bad phase, with war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
At one time, I thought people were basically good, but recent events have made me question this. It is as if pure evil is abroad.
It would seem humans are incapable of learning from history. Why are people unable to live in peace with their neighbours? We all share one planet. Wars rarely achieve anything.
Selfie stick - NOT amateur radio
Cambridge is filled with tourists with selfie sticks. Although I basically dislike them, they have their uses. Today, we are out to lunch with one of our sons and his kids, at a local farm cafe, so it will be a chance to capture us all together.
Plans for Saturday
After lunch, I shall probably go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW TX beacon and 40.680 MHz (8m) FT8 with my 2.5W and dipole. F2 is good at the moment, so there is a good chance of being copied (again) in the USA, Canada and in the Caribbean on 8m QRP FT8.
630m QRP WSPR overnight
In all, 13 stations spotted me including a station in Sweden. As usual using 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
UPDATE 1735z: It is amazing to me that there are not more people on 630m WSPR TX. There are quite a few on RX, but very few on TX. I suppose it is the age-old story: it is just too hard! On RX a bought Japanese rig will probably do whereas TX you actually have to make something! As I think I proved, getting on 630m is definitely not hard. See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/630m-472khz-transverter .
10 Nov 2023
Wood wasp? - NOT amateur radio
2m activity contest (Nov 7th)
OFCOM publications
This is just a reminder that every week OFCOM updates the data held on licences and similar. They also have many other publications. See the OFCOM website for details.
Frustration - NOT amateur radio
As already mentioned, every month a group of friends from work meet up in different pubs for a meal and chat. What I did not mention was my frustration. Let me explain.
Usually there are about 6 people there. Sometimes there are fewer and sometimes more. Since my 2013 stroke, I have found speaking much harder. To me, my voice sounds fine. What is clear is that others find it quiet and hard to understand! For this reason, I tend not to engage in casual chitchat.
In the car coming home last night someone mentioned Southampton University. I tried to join by saying that when there many years ago for a Ph.D interview I had lunch with Jocelyn Bell who discovered pulsars. Either because nobody heard me or they were too embarrassed to ask me to repeat myself or speak louder, I got no response. After all this time (10 years) I am very happy to be asked to repeat myself or speak louder. What frustrates me is the silence: did they not hear me at all or could they not understand me?
Some with strokes end up far worse than me.
8m 2.5W FT8 (Friday)
It is now 1132z. I have been on 8m since about 1000z, and spotted by local G4WSZ (12km) and SR4BBX (1217km) so far today.
630m WSPR overnight
In all, 9 stations spotted my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, including my fist spot from EI this season.
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Friday)
My W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon has been on since about 1000z. No spots of me yet today.
UPDATE 1557z: 32 spots of me today on 10m QRP WSPR.
Meal out - NOT amateur radio
Every month a group of old work friends meet up for a drink and meal at a different pub. This was us yesterday. Two are radio amateurs.
9 Nov 2023
630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)
My 10mW ERP was turned on at about 1652z. So far, at 1706z, a couple of spots.
630m QRP WSPR overnight
Another decent night on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
A better day (Thursday) - NOT amateur radio
8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)
My 8m 2.5W FT8 was turned on at about 0905z. Just local G4WSZ (12km) spotting me.
UPDATE 1420z: Lots of Caribbean stations spotting my 2.5W 8m FT8.
UPDATE 1642z: I was called by a CT2 on 8m FT8. Is this station legal? 7 stations have spotted me today on 8m Ft8
10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on at about 0905z. So far, at 0921z, 4 stations have spotted me. All seem to be F2 propagation.
UPDATE 1839z: 52 stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon today.
Oscar 100 - geosynchronous satellite
Every few weeks I try to give an update on activity levels on the narrowband transponder on this satellite. There is also a wideband transponder aimed at ATV including DATV. At one time, probably still on, there was an ATV net on Oscar 100 on Thursdays at 2000z. This is streamed by the BATC.
Although this has encouraged many to try microwaves, I am disappointed more have not tried it. On the face of it, it offers DX with a small fixed antenna, without QSB at any time day or night as long as the satellite may be "seen".
The last time I looked was early evening, European time, on a weekday.
8 Nov 2023
Disappearing people - NOT amateur radio
You have probably experienced this. Suddenly you realise that people you chance across on social media, or other means are not there. You often have no means of finding out if they have got new interests, are seriously ill or even dead.
Two people I have not heard from in while are Jay, W5OLF and Michael AA1TJ. Any news would be appreciated. In the past, both have been very kind to me.
Google gobbledygook - NOT amateur radio
Every few days I seem to get an email from Google Each seems more stupid than the last. Why use 3 words when 20 will do! This is especially true if you can make the reader seem totally daft. The last one is talking about something I do not understand.
Plain English please!
SDR dongle
Many months ago I bought an SDR dongle that plugs in a USB socket on the PC. I have still not tried it out! One of the things I must do in the next few days is try it out! I also have a NanoVNA that I must try.
When you are retired there is always tomorrow....
Autumn - NOT amateur radio
My wife took this photo on the way to the dentist this morning.
OFCOM and microwave 5G frequencies
OFCOM is proposing to make available 26 GHz and 40 GHz frequencies for 5G and other mobile services. It is consulting on this before auctioning frequencies. See the OFCOM website for details.
8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
So far today, at 1205z, just local G4WSZ (12km) spottting me.
UPDATE 1406z: 3 stations spotting my 2.5W 8m FT8 today, including 2 in the Caribbean.
10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon has been on since about 0948z. So far today, spots by 2 stations.
UPDATE 1432z: So far today, 24 stations have spotted me. See map.
7 Nov 2023
2m activity contest (November)
Just taken part in the UKAC 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB. This evening my 10W pep to the omni was in 2 sessions as my son called. I also had to do a reset on the IC-705 as it locked up. With my poor voice and low ERP it is hard work nowadays!
630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)
About 1900z, I went on 630m WSPR with 10mW ERP. So far, spots by G stations.
UPDATE 2137z: 10 stations have spotted me so far this evening including OH1LSQ (1733km).
UPDATE 2222z: 11 stations have spotted me (see map).
DMR access with an Android phone
Some months ago, I found a way of accessing the worldwide DMR network from an Android phone. This needed no dongles, DMR phone, or hotspots. The RX was left on monitoring and stations from across the planet were heard. I joined in a local net.
In the end, DMR left me cold and I have not used it for some time. It was too easy! I think the app was called Droidstar.
UPDATE 1202z: I could not see a similar app for an Apple iPhone.
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