Festive postbox

Although I am not sure how or when this started, quite often now we see UK postboxes with knitted tops for certain occasions.

The photo shows the postbox near our co-op shop looking very festive.

Winter solstice

Today is the shortest day .  

Even though the mornings get a bit darker later for a few weeks, the evenings are already starting to get darker slightly later. By the end of January it is really noticeable. 

It’s odd how we adapt, but I do prefer nights getting darker later.

Sunspots - Sunday December 21st

 Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 74. A=6 and K=4.

PSKreporter NOT the RBN!

In the latest SPRAT (205) Chris Page (page 38) reported my QRPP FT8 experiments as using the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) whereas for FT8 I use PSKreporter.  

For FT8 this is ideal.

First daffodils

 This morning on our walk at Anglesey Abbey we saw our first daffodils and snowdrops this winter. Positive signs.

Anglesey Abbey this morning

 

This is about 4 miles from us in the car.

10m 5W FT8 (Saturday)

 My gear was turned on at about 1140z.

UPDATE 1440z:  So far, spotted by 101 stations.  See map.

UPDATE 1757z:    243 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1900z:  QRT.

137kHz E-Field probe

At 137kHz I have only dabbled, but I was surprised and delighted at the performance of this little EFP RX antenna. It was mag-mounted on the car yet copied my low uW ERP beacon on the far side of Cambridge at 24km. At this point I stopped!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/137khz-efp-rx-antenna .

All quiet

 

In the summer this beach in S.Devon is busy whereas at this time of year it’s quiet. 

We can trace our family history continuously continuously back to the mid 1500s in these parts .

Sunspots - Saturday December 20th

 Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 33. A=6 and K=0.

VLF upconverter

There is a VLF upconverter on the DXexplorer website. On Christmas Eve there is a special transmission from the historic alternator 17.2kHz  CW transmitter SAQ in Sweden.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexanderson_alternator .

See also https://alexander.n.se/en/

Please note, this converter is fine for a peek "down there", but amateur signals usually are weak and need very high stability, very accurate frequencies and very narrow bandwidths. Details of my own VLF experiments are on my main website.

Hand delivery

We deliver local Christmas cards by hand. We were going to do it yesterday, but the rain was horrendous so we did it today instead in the cold winter sunshine.

Confused?

 Although a certain American would call it fake news, I can attest that the climate is warming.

House sparrows have been nest building in the loft above our bed for the last week and it is December !!

Snowy Wisconsin USA

 Many years ago some of our old neighbours relocated to the USA. They now live in Wisconsin and love it.

Millionaire homes?

 

In the 1800s these were probably poor hovels whereas nowadays they are chocolate box  cottages probably costing millions. This is the village of Dalham not far from where we live.

6m 5W FT8 yesterday

 Although I was only spotted in the British Isles one was in southern Eire at 580km. Not bad for 5W and an omn vertical!

10m 5W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 0710z. 

UPDATE 1037z:  Spotted by 133 stations with the furthest Hong Kong.  

UPDATE 1750z:  Spotted by 720 stations. See map. World-wide at 5W.

Adsense crappery

Yesterday I was supposed to have had five times the number of visits to this blog than the day before. Today I have supposed to have more visits than two days ago already without any posts! Perhaps they just make it up as it bears no resemblance to reality 🥴. 

Sunspots - Friday December 19th

 Solar flux is 116 and the SSN 87. A=17 and K=2.

Nearby Anglesey Abbey

We go for walks in nearby Anglesey Abbey most months. This is a photo of the main house. 

The property is owned by the National Trust.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

My gear was turned on at about 1442z.

UPDATE 1501z:   5 stations have spotted me. All in England and not too far away.

10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1440z.

UPDATE 1643z:  4 stations spotting me so far.

Sunspots - Thursday December 18th

 Solar flux is 119 and the SSN 68.  A=18 and K=3.

Day off radio

 As we had a funeral on the other side of the country (my wife’s brother) I was not on the radio today.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 17th

 Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 81. A=12 and K=2.

Times Radio and Ukraine

 Most days I watch Times Radio on YouTube about Ukraine It is usually informative.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0945z.

UPDATE 1312z:  7 stations have spotted me. These look like F2.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear has been on since about 0945z.

UPDATE 1155z:  So far, 9 stations have spotted me including EI and GI. See map.

QDX-M

Hans at QRP Labs makes some excellent kit. 

As mentioned yesterday, I am having issues with my built (by QRP Labs) QDX-M rig. Today is my last day trying to eliminate "finger trouble" issues. I really hope I am doing something stupid and I have a "Eureka" moment and I can say how stupid I was. If not, I shall have no choice but to return it, sadly.

As stated yesterday, I am open to things to try with my Windows 10 PC. If you have any ideas, please let  me know! At the back of my mind is "it must be me", but I cannot see anything wrong.

Tuesday plans

 Later, I expect to try 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8. Later I may try 10m QRP FT8.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 16th

 Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 73. A=6 and K=2.

10m FT8 TX (Monday)

Just before tea I QSYed to 10m FT8  using my ready built 10m QDX-M. 

Although the TX works fine, I cannot work out what is wrong with the RX which appears to be totally deaf. Using Windows 10, I have (I think) exhausted everything I can try. The audio is not muted, the USB lead has been replaced, I have re-installed the drivers, the port has been correctly selected. I have tried starting the device again in case the PC is not recognising the device on RX. At the back of my mind is a hope that I will find something and it will spring in to life. Sadly, nothing tried has worked. 

Hans makes some splendid kit so I am reluctant to send it back until I am utterly convinced I am not doing something stupid, but I am at a loss. If I cannot find something tomorrow it will (reluctantly) be returned. 

If you have any suggestions of things I can try, please let me know.

Nearly

We always enjoy amaryllis plants growing at this time of year. 

One of ours is almost in flower and should be out at Christmas.

Bondi beach shootings

In my view everyone whether Jew, Muslim, Christian or otherwise has equal value.

Whilst everyone involved in the massacre at Bondi Beach deserves a lot of love and sympathy, I think President Netanyaho of Israel needs to answer some difficult questions. 

We all agree that the October 7th massacre of innocent people in Israel was evil and totally wrong, 

However I think the killing of nearly 60000 people in Gaza (including women and children) was evil too and the flattening of houses? Also, he should ask himself if the exclusion of the press from Gaza was wise?

What happened in Bondi was wrong and evil. 

Why can't we all live in peace, respecting every one of our fellow people on this planet?

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 1030z.

UPDATE 1541z:  5 stations spotting me with several "across the pond".

6m 5W FT8 (Monday)

 My gear was turned on at about 1030z.  

UPDATE 1119z:  So far, spotted by just 2 English stations, probably just normal tropo.

Philosophical question

Does anyone know of a philosophical experiment that proves there is a life beyond ourselves? We experience everything using our senses. Everything we experience is as we experience it.  We "think" things exist beyond ourselves. Can we prove it?

Monday plans

 Later I expect to try 6m 4W FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR. That is if I dont change my mind!

Sunspots - Monday December 15th

 Solar flux is 119 and the SSN 78. A=7 and K=1.

Shetland sun

 

One of my friends on 365.org lives in the Shetland Isles and posts some interesting photos.

8m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 At about 1345z I switched to 8m FT8 RX on 40.680 MHz.

UPDATE 2023z:  No spots.

Online QSL card

Yesterday I received an QSL card online from a station in Italy. I have still to check my log, but will confirm the contact if the details are correct. 

Previously, I have had online QSL cards missing vital data like time, so I could not respond. As far as I can tell, this one included all the details.

These days I rarely send out real QSL cards by post.

6m 4W FT8 (Sunday)

 My 4W FT8 is on.

UPDATE  0910z:  9 stations have spotted me this morning (see map). I am unsure of the propagation mechanism but 4W FT8 and an omni V2000 vertical antenna seem to be enough.

UPDATE 2200z:  39 stations have spotted me. See map. Is this Es? Now QRT.

Christmas comes early?

Retailers have had a hard time lately. 

Is it me or did Christmas come early this year? I am sure this was to make sure profits were maximised. 

To me, the Christmas season starts no earlier than December 1st. Some shops were having Christmas goods as early as September. It seems Christmas has morphed into a commercial business.

Sadly, I am glad these days when all the hype is over.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0700z.

UPDATE 0855z:  3 spots by YO3IVV (2078km).

UPDATE 2025z:  7 stations spotted me today. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday December 14th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 76. A=14 and K=2.

6m failure!!

 Just for fun I let my IC705 on FT8 during the Geminids meteor shower, but copied not a single station!  Late last night a few stations spotted my 4W FT8 but I don’t think this was MS. One was in Germany. Oh well, I tried, ho ho. I know MSK144 would have been a better choice but wanted to see if anyone was copiable on FT8.

6m 4W FT8 (Saturday)

 My 4W 6m FT8 was turned in at about 2030z.

UPDATE 2036z:  So far, 4 English stations have spotted me.  No great DX.

6m FT8 in the Geminid MS shower?

For MS most people (I think) use MSK144. I am tempted to leave my 6m FT8 on RX overnight to see what happens. I am wondering if I might copy some people on 6m MS on FT8?  In a big shower I would expect some bursts to be quite long, more so on 6m than 2m.

In my experience MS signals can be quite strong, but quite brief.

1W 10m FT8 (Saturday)

My gear was turned on at about 1200z.

UPDATE  2018z:  So far 246 stations have spotted me. See map. QRT soon.