1 Dec 2014

OE8APR and Socialhams

Andreas OE8APR has asked me to introduce you to Socialhams. I have no personal experience:

"Introduction to socialhams
Socialhams is a community for ham radio operators. It combines features known from typical social networks with ham radio related ones. To join socialhams all you need is a valid email address and obviously a ham radio callsign. It’s as simple as that!

As registered member of socialhams you can freely meet like-minded people as well as join the Chat, write Blog and Forum posts, start Polls, create Groups and Events. Photos, Videos and Files can be embedded or uploaded to your profile and many other sections too.

The iPhone App, allows you to browse profiles, watch photos and videos, upload photos, send mail, and lots more. All from your iPhone! And if you have an Android-powered device, our Android App lets you use socialhams while on the go, right from your own handset.

You can meet people; chat online; check our top rated, featured items; read about popular topics; wish someone special on his/her birthday; match your interests; and even take advantage of our elaborate people search option.

You will also find unique ham radio related modules:

DX ClusterUse the DX Cluster feature to make that contact or Spot one for the rest of the community! The DXCluster tool allows users to locate and spot other Amateur Radio operators transmitting on specific frequencies to make those rare contacts or find that missing location you’ve been searching for.
This is the world first HTML5 web socket based DXCluster client

Logbook
The socialhams logbook allows you to record those important Amateur Radio contacts. This tool gives members the ability to add, edit, organize and sort their contacts all in one convenient location.

APRS Map
The APRS feature will display the location of any APRS station in the viewable area. This feature also provides each member with the ability to send a message from socialhams to any APRS device with messaging capability.

NCDXF Beacon
The Beacon Map displays the location, status and the current or future action of each NCDXF beacon in the network. By listening for each beacon on each band you can determine which bands are open and to what part of the world.

World clock
The World Clock allows each user to stay up to date with the time on any part of the globe. Users can also keep track of the Grey line as it moves to make use of this unique propagation condition.

Library
Collection of various documents like manuals, schematics, spreadsheets, etc

Elmer’s corner
The Elmer corner allows any socialhams member to create and publish a tutorial or guide for the entire community to use. Become an Elmer today!!

In our Feedback section, you can post your questions, comments, regards, etc. without any restrictions. Of course, you must strictly avoid obscenity, rude language, and abide by terms of socialhams. To cater for a wider ham radio community, all our features are offered in both English as well as German. Additional languages are in preparation.

We steadily improve existing functions as well as develop new interesting ham radio related modules. At the moment we are hardly work on a Geophysics and SOTA module. All our work in process modules can be previewed on our development site http://dev.socialhams.net, additionally all our developments are available as Git repository on http://gitlab.paan-systems.com. We would be happy to find developers that are interested in joining the project.

To enjoy the unique socialhams experience, all you need to do is sign up http://socialhams.net!

Short biography
Name:    Andreas Pachler
Callsign:    OE8APR
Licensed since:    2012
QTH:    Seelach, Carinthia, Austria
Maidenhead:    JN76go
Ham radio related interests:    Digital modes (PSK, WSPR, etc), HF, SOTA, QRP
Hobbies:    mountain hiking, listening to music, programming, electronics
Job:    Industrial automation programmer

Because my dad is an amateur radio operator since I can think of it, it is clear that my interest in ham radio is as old as I am. I always wanted to get a license. I used to work on CB because it was not possible for me to get the license, I was still too young. I have had the chance to get experience with Packet Radio on the user side as well as the sysop side of things.

Some time passed by and my interests changed in puberty. There were so many other interesting things like girls, music festivals, journeys all over the world for my job as industrial automation programmer. But amateur radio never unclasped me and so I decided to get the license in 2012.

After getting my license I have started to build socialhams, it was hard work but I have had really much fun. I am trying to get the project further day by day."


ARRL renewal - no thanks!

Today, I got this email from ARRL. I have no plans to renew my membership, although I am still an RSGB member. It took a week to help me renew access to QST. Their online help was useless and it took a week to get anyone to help me. I was left unimpressed. Sorry, but no thanks.
You asked us to remind you by e-mail when your membership was about to expire. That time is coming.

Our records indicate that your ARRL membership will expire on Feb 28, 2015.

In order to receive uninterrupted delivery of QST, your membership journal, you need to renew 45-50 days prior to your membership expiration date.  I wouldn’t want you to miss an issue, nor any of the other membership benefits and services, such as:

- access to the members-only features of the ARRL Web site
- participation in the ARRL e-mail Forwarding Service (arrl.net)
- answers to your questions on FCC rules and regs
- help with antenna, tower and zoning problems
- participation in DXCC and other ARRL contests and awards
- our outgoing QSL service
- low-cost equipment insurance
- preferred subscription rates for ARRL's technical magazine, QEX

and much more!

It's a snap to renew. Visit http://www.arrl.org/join/WE1A to renew at our Web-Site with a credit card or download a membership application to mail. You can also call us toll-free to join at: 1-888-277-5289 (US Only). International members call (860) 594-0338.  Please renew today.

73,
David Sumner, K1ZZ
Chief Executive Officer

Sunspots - Dec 1st 2014

Sunspot number today is 153 and 10m daytime conditions are "good". 10m should be in recent shape again today. What happened to October and November? Time is flying by.

No 10m WSPR GDX overnight

Although 10m WSPR was running through the night here, no GDX was copied suggesting F-layer back-scatter was probably the GDX mechanism yesterday. First real DX was at 0722z (LZ1OI).

30 Nov 2014

10m WSPR GDX

Today, during the day, a couple of GDX stations have been copied around 170km range, but these are no longer being seen. To me, this suggests I am copying these stations on back-scatter as once good F-layer goes, so does the GDX. Of course, it could be that these stations are no longer on 10m as the DX seems to have now gone.

UPDATE 2212z:    Only real locals spotting me or spotted by me. No GDX seen this evening, supporting to F-layer back-scatter as the most probable means of the GDX spots earlier in the day. I'll leave 10m WSPR running overnight to see if any GDX is copied. This, of course, requires others to be active too and currently there are very few active UK stations.

UPDATE 2252z:  Just re-synced the PC clock to internet time, so the WSPR should be spot on overnight. However, I am not really expecting to see other than locals until breakfast time, but any DX or GDX in the night would be very good. TX is on about 20% and RX (looking for others) about 80%.  Running 500mW, on the FT817 currently, so I can both TX and RX.

Last stateside 10m WSPR spot of my 500mW

WA4WW (6969km) was the last stateside station to spot me today at 1622z, quite early, at -22dB S/N. The last USA station spotted on 10m WSPR here was WB1FIG around 20 minutes later. He was also -22dB S/N. As I mentioned before, more power really does not seem to matter much. What is more important is that the path is open e.g to the USA. What I'm saying is running 5W, 50W or even 100W would make little difference if the path is closed and the MUF was not high enough. Maybe a few minutes?

First 10m stateside reception of my 500mW WSPR

My first report on 10m WSPR today was at 1150z by KE6BID (5295km) who spotted me at -21dB S/N. This station is located west of Boston, -23dB S/N.  New England, USA.   This is early, boding well for the day on 10m.

Apart from the USA, most stations spotting me are in Russia and nearer Asia. G8KNN (local) is also spotting me.

UPDATE 1241z:   Several other stations (the usual suspects!) spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR now in the eastern USA.

UPDATE 1245z:   M0ITF (170km) is being spotted here on 10m WSPR. Good to see some GDX. I did not check the waterfall in time to see if this was pure tropo or maybe aircraft reflections or F-layer backscatter. Nonetheless -19dB S/N was a decent report for 5W on 10m at this distance. In years go by I'd regularly work this sort of range on 10W with 10m SSB, so pure tropo is quite possible.

UPDATE 1450z:   Spotted CX2ABP (11127km) at 1442z on 10m WSPR at -23dB S/N. He was running 5W, so I am probably still too weak to copy at his end in South America.

UPDATE 1630z:   CX2ABP (Montevideo, Uruguay) has now been spotted here 9 times today already at up to -19dB S/N.  He has not copied my 500mW yet.

Sunspot number and 10m conditions - Sunday Nov 30th

Sunspot number today is 156 and 10m daytime conditions are expected to be "good" again.  As yet, my 10m 500mW WSPR has not been spotted at very great distance although the 10m band opened to the USA earlier than yesterday.

GQRP Club and SPRAT

I have many times said that if all radio magazines had to go, then GQRP Club's SPRAT would be the very last to go. This quarterly magazine is low in cost, very high in simple projects to build and the back page always has GQRP Club sales items.

Of ALL the magazines I see, SPRAT is without doubt the best. Back numbers of this excellent magazine are available on a DVD.

This is a little (sized) magazine but it is excellent value. The best in fact.

29 Nov 2014

Last stateside 10m WSPR spots today

W3CSW (5886km) was the last USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR this evening at 1802z. The last 10m WSPR USA station I copied was also W3CSW at 1808z. He was using 10dB more than I was! It seems that 500mW is quite enough usually if the band is open.

G0LRD (25km) - his 50mW is being consistently copied here.
G4IKZ (18km) - is copying me consistently all evening.