FTSE recovery? - NOT amateur radio

At the moment the FTSE 100 share index has recovered about 2%, although some think a fall to 5200-5300 could happen. It certainly feels "wobbly".  If I was a betting man, I would expect heavy falls, but I am not a betting man. The markets don't like the slowdown in China, the general gloom around prospects in the world economy, and the rapidly falling oil price.

At some point, not too far away, the whole economy of the world has to change with a realisation that fairness is important and that resources are limited. Growth as a mantra for years will no longer be the watchword. Unabated growth and consumerism cannot be the way. We have finite resources and a finite world. Numerous surveys have shown that more money does not make us happier, in fact the opposite.

QSYed to 10m WSPR

As of a few minutes ago, I have now moved to 10m WSPR (TX 2W 20%, RX 80%) probably for the rest of the day. We have visitors due for lunch, so it is unlikely I can be in the shack for JT65 and JT9-1 2-way QSOs. I can monitor WSPR elsewhere in the house and pop into the shack if anything is amiss.

UPDATE 1156z:   So far this morning only G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted on 10m WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri Jan 22nd 2016

Solar flux is 103 and the sunspot number is 56 (K=3). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" today.

40m WSPR overnight

Although I spotted and was spotted in South America overnight, there were no USA stations logged on 40m WSPR overnight. Plenty of Europeans though. At the moment, I am still on 40m WSPR, but will soon QSY to 10m WSPR.

QSYed to 40m WSPR

I have gone QRT on 10m WSPR and am now on 40m WSPR 2W TX 20%, RX 80%. It may take a few minutes for things to settle.

UPDATE 2010z:   I see I am being spotted on 40m in middle Europe.

10m open to the USA again

W1VR (6965km) was spotted this afternoon on 10m WSPR. This is the third time this month I have found 10m open to the USA. This time next year will be much harder as the sunspots fall.

UPDATE 1948z:  The intercontinental DX seems to have ended, but G4CUI (172km) is coming through again on 10m WSPR. I think it will soon be time to QSY probably to 40m WSPR.

Brazil (again) on 10m WSPR

Despite the forecast of "poor" 10m conditions, I see that I was spotted in Brazil again on 10m. KD0VWO (7412km) who is monitoring in N.E.Brazil spotted me at 1334z. He is located in GI95rg square.

472kHz WSPR last night

Yesterday evening and night I was again on 472kHz (630m) WSPR. There were no surprises with the same stations spotted and spotting me.

This evening, I may go on 40m WSPR again.

Until I get a better antenna I think no new stations are going to spot me, or be spotted, on MF.

Sepura shares (SEPU) - NOT amateur radio

Shares in my old company have fallen  a bit yesterday and this morning. They design and make TETRA and DMR radios, mainly where security is important.

Now may be a good time to buy? These days I have no connections with the company having long ago retired. In uncertain market conditions shares in a company involved in public safety may be a good bet?

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Jan 21st 2016

Solar flux is 101 and sunspot number 59 (K=5). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor". These were the early spots:

DF1KZ still has problems knowing where he is! It should be EA8/DF1KZ or DF1KZ with a corrected QTH locator!!

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR

For the last 15 minutes or so, I have been on 472kHz WSPR with 5mW ERP, looking for others 80% of the time. DK7FC (669km) and G8HUH (250km) have been spotted and G0VQH (15km) has spotted me. The night is young still. I intend to stay on overnight.

RA3APW on 10m WSPR

Among the stations copied on 10m WSPR today was the 100mW beacon of old work colleague RA3APW who lives in Moscow.  Karen is really "into" amateur radio.

His homepage is at http://www.qsl.net/ra3apw/ra3apw/ .

Decent results on 10m WSPR

As I write this it is 1400z and results so far on 10m have exceeded expectations. This is the log so far today on 10m WSPR:

DF1KZ is either in the Canaries using the wrong callsign again or he is in Germany using the wrong QTH  locator. Either way, something is in need of attention! I am also puzzled by the large drift seen on most 10m WSPR stations today. I don't think the drift is at my end. Could it be moving clouds of Es or F2 layers?

Despite the "poor" forecast for 10m today, it is yet again saying, "Keep at it. I am a band that will always surprise you".

UPDATE 1518z:  Although no international DX seen since lunchtime, G4CUI (172km) has recently been spotted on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1730z:  G4CUI (172km), running 5W, has now been spotted 4 times so far today.  This suggests that 10-20W of JT9-1 would span this GDX at almost any time.

Overnight on 40m WSPR

It was quite a surprise to be spotted in South America so often, and even more so the various 40m WSPR spots by stations in the USA. My best DX on 40m was a spot by KD6RF (7575km).  I have now moved to 10m WSPR for the day.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Jan 20th 2016

Solar flux is 97 today and sunspot number 55 (K=4). 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" again. I am not expecting conditions on 10m to be much good today, but in the past I have had a surprise.

UPDATE 1020z:  Although I am still on 40m WSPR, I shall be moving to 10m WSPR shortly.

Safari - NOT amateur radio

For no apparent reason, the Safari browser on my iPod Touch 4g has stopped displaying the graph of visitors to the various blogs I do. They appear fine in Firefox on the laptop. This has only recently happened. I used to check visits to the blogs when in bed, but am unable to do so now. I tried a complete reboot, but still the same. It is as if blogger.com has changed something. Anyone else had a similar issue?

QSY to 40m

In a few minutes I am going to QSY to 40m WSPR for a change from 10m WSPR. On this band, the antenna is very low, but I may leave the rig running overnight to find out what is possible. I shall be TXing at 2W for 20% of the time and on RX looking for others for 80% of the time. It may be a little while before things stabilise.

I shall be monitoring WSPRnet on a different PC in the lounge, with periodic visits to the shack to check all is well.

UPDATE 1924z:   I had to install Windows Updates on the shack PC, but I've been on 40m WSPR for a little while and have been spotted in Germany and Holland so far at 2W.   Even though the antenna is low on 40m, it gets out.
UPDATE 1938z:  These were the results in the first 30 minutes on 40m WSPR.

UPDATE 2135z:  So far this evening my best DX is FY5KE (7117km) in South America who has spotted my 2W on 40m WSPR 4 times. This is despite my antenna being very low for 40m. The reports were very good too. I have also spotted him on 40m WSPR this evening.

UPDATE 2300z:   Now W4MO (7272km) is spotting me on 40m WSPR.  Despite my antenna being very low for 40m, it has already reached 3 continents this evening.

UPDATE 2315z:   FY5KE (7117km) has spotted my 2W to a very low antenna on 40m WSPR 14 times so far this evening on 40m WSPR.

Good advice - NOT amateur radio

I found this on Facebook earlier.  Personally, I think it is good advice. I think it originated in the USA judging by the style.

Following Graham's link below, here is an earlier version (added 1918z):

RSPB Garden Bird Count - NOT amateur radio

The annual UK RSPB bird count is any hour in the last weekend of January. I have been doing this for years. You just choose a spot and count the maximum number of each species seen in the hour. It can be surprising. When done, I submit results to the RSPB online. It is always a great pleasure and you do not need to be an expert birder to do this. Each year, the RSPB get a great deal of data.  Some years I see very little. Some years I have seen up to 11 different species.

Most times you will see quite common birds, but occasionally you may see something unusual. It is the number of the ordinary birds seen that tells the real story.  If you can, grab a coffee and sit down, look out the window, and count the birds in your garden or park.  I am sure, like me, you will enjoy it.

See https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdwatch .

Back on 10m WSPR

Just a few minutes ago I QSYed from 630m to 10m WSPR and re-synced the clock. Currently I am running 2W TX 20% and on RX looking for others 80% of the time.

UPDATE 1150z:  Overnight and this morning on 630m there were no surprises with the same stations spotting me and being spotted. Tonight, I might give another band a try for a change. LA3JJ (993km) did spot me on 472kHz (630m) overnight though. I was still using just 5mW ERP and the earth-electrode "antenna". He must have a quiet location!

UPDATE 1200z:  No spots on 10m as yet.

UPDATE 1240z:  Some evidence of wintertime Es on 10m with DK6UG (633km) spotting me. There is also some F2 around with 10m spots from the Canary Is.

UPDATE 1830z:   EA1KV (1304km) spotted several times, presumably wintertime Es again.

New record number of visits to blog

Yesterday saw a new high in daily visits to this blog. I have no idea why!

As you know, I try to reflect what interests me, what I am doing in our hobby and a few things which are unrelated to amateur radio. I intend to continue in much the same way, hoping you all find something of interest here. Please let me know if you think the blog is missing anything important.

Clearly there is a QRP bias, but my stroke has made me concentrate on what I can do. This year, I want more 2-way QSOs but as I find speech hard (for too long) I will be looking for JT65 and JT9-1 QSOs in the main.  Of course, these will be with just a few watts.  When not in the shack I shall be on WSPR monitoring elsewhere in the house.

As I am slower at spotting errors than I was, please let me know if you see any. I try to correct any I notice but I must miss some.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Jan 19th 2016

Solar flux is 99 today and sunspot number 48 (K=3) and the forecast for 10m propagation continues to be "poor".   I am not expecting great things on 10m today, but I am often surprised.

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR

After most of the day on 10m WSPR, I have now QSYed to 472kHz WSPR for the evening and night.  For some time I have had problems accessing WSPRnet. Again I am TXing with 5mW ERP and on RX for 80% of the time using the earth-electrode "antenna" with no preamp on RX.

10m USA yet again

As well as G8VDQ (93km) earlier by tropo and aircraft this morning, WA4ZZW (6873km) was spotted on 10m mid-afternoon. Both stations were using 5W. I have been on 10m TX (randomised TX frequency) continuously until the last few days since when I've been on RX for 80% of the time.

Yaesu

As a proud owner of Yaesu gear going right back to an FT7 in 1979, I wish them well.  In  recent times, life has been very hard for them, and they seemed to lose their way. Today, they still face a threat from China and many of their radios are struggling to compete on price. I was totally amazed at their stupidity at not bringing an FT817 successor to market as we approached the solar peak.

It is rumoured that an FT817 successor will be announced at Dayton in May this year. Like many around the world, I hope they do. There is (was?) a vast market for this product as the original FT817 is now very very old. To do a successor would be so easy.  Yaesu - get real and release this product before you lose the market. To not put too fine a point on this, I think if you do not, then you risk bankruptcy within 5 years.

My recommendations to Yaesu are:

1. Design in Japan but make in China (but with excellent quality control in place from the start).
2. Launch a successor to the FT817 soon.
3. Look at your product range and rationalise it.

You must survive. This is the real world.

QRP Kits

The kits that were Hendricks are now Pacific Antenna. I have no idea how long ago this change happened. They market a fine range of QRP kits.

See http://www.qrpkits.com/ .

QRP and low sunspot activity

There is some debate over QRP and declining solar activity. Certainly more power helps when conditions are marginal although often if a path is open then a few watts are fine for a QSO. At present, I use 5W maximum and most times 2W yet still seem to get spotted around the world on WSPR and JT 2-way modes. As I have mentioned before, even at the rock bottom of earlier solar cycles I have still worked LU (over 11000km) on QRP SSB on 10m with very modest wire antennas. No, more power may help with a pile-up but even QRP is fine if the band is open. Of course, summertime Es generally needs only QRP. I have worked Es DX on 6m with QRP and a helical whip on the FT817. Es can be great fun.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Jan 18th 2016

Solar flux is 101 today. Sunspot number is 48 (K=0) and the forecast for 10m propagation is "poor" still.  I QSYed to 10m early and am already TXing for 20% of the time at 2W and looking for others on 10m for 80% of the time. Overnight I was on 472kHz (630m) RX with the preamp, but nothing new copied on that band.

UPDATE 0910z:  Not surprisingly, no spots given or received yet on 10m WSPR.  It is still very early.

QRP club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

See QRP Rendez-Vous weekly report on the Club 72 blog -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Thanks all for activity and for comments.
This week visitors:
UA1CEX,  UR7VT,  DL1EIG,  UR5EFD,  PA0WDW,  UA1CEG/p,  RV3GM, OH6NPV, UA1ADF, OE6GUG, RU3NJC, OK2LA, UA4NU, DL6UNF, SM5MEK, DF9QV, RA1M/mm, DL7MA,  S57TX,  IK5IIS,  ON4MB,  RN4NAA,  ON6KZ, OM6TC, RW3AA, HA2NK, IV3DGY, RX9CBS, G6HUI
See you all on the next week QRP Rendez-Vous, schedule -
www.club72.su

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

472kHz WSPR

At 1750z I QSYed to MF (5mW ERP TX 20%, RX 80% with no preamp).  As yet, no spots but it is early evening and the crystal in the transverter is probably still settling on TX. On RX the transverter simply passes the signal directly to the FT817.

UPDATE 1815z:  I see local Jenny  G0VQH (15km) was the first spotter on 472kHz WSPR this evening.

UPDATE 1835z:  These are the 472kHz WSPR spots so far this evening.

UPDATE  1935z:  Currently I use WSJT V1.6 for WSPR and JT modes. At 1916z I spotted PA3ABK/2 (306km) for the second time this evening but the spot did not appear on WSPRnet. I checked my clock was synced (it was) and I have internet connectivity. Maybe there is a bug with  V1.6 or WSPRnet was down at the time this would have been uploaded?

UPDATE 2016z:   I am now RX only on 472kHz WSPR with the preamp.

A nice mix on 10m today

This afternoon, there was a nice mix on 10m WSPR. KA3JIJ (6680km) was spotted mid-afternoon by F2 and later G4CUI (172km) was spotted as GDX by tropo and aircraft. No-one spotted me this afternoon.

UPDATE 1745z:  Time to QSY to 472kHz (630m) WSPR for the evening and overnight.

10m - still quiet

Apart from 4X1RF (3519km) earlier this morning, 10m WSPR has been very quiet. I may QSY to JT9-1 on 20m later for some 2-way QSOs. We plan to go out shortly, so this would be later in the afternoon.

Stroke - NOT amateur radio

A nurse who worked in neurology at Addenbrookes hospital today described me as, "a walking miracle", but I'd settle for my old self please!  Although I still feel I'm living "on the edge" each day,  I am thankful to be here, but I wish I had no problems with my voice, swallow, felt less giddy, and got less tired.  My fine motor skills are still far from right.

In many ways I am lucky and I could have been left much worse. Today I have to adapt to the new "me" and hope things still improve, albeit slowly.  Everyone says that I look so well. This, in many ways, makes it worse as they all assume I am well, when I really am not at all well inside. I have mentioned this before, but in some ways a visible form of disability might be easier. At least people would know one is not well.

Imagine you are living in a fog: this is how I have felt for over 2 years. It gets you down, no matter how hard you try. When I drive it takes all my concentration. Life is hard and I wish this on no-one.

Hawkedon - NOT amateur radio

The East Anglian Churches blog has been updated to include Hawkedon, Suffolk. This is a fine old church now in a very rural setting. See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ . I may add more photos later.

UPDATE 1230z:  I have now added photos of the bench ends.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Jan 17th 2016

Solar flux today is 101 and the sunspot number 38 (K=2). 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor". I have been on 10m WSPR at 2W for about 10 minutes and am on 10m WSPR RX 80% of the time.  I was not active on any band overnight. It is still very early, but no spots given or received as yet.

UPDATE 1045z:   I see that I was spotted by 4X1RF (3519km) at -22dB S/N at 1022z. I assume this is single hop F2 on 10m.

Milky Way and Aurora - NOT amateur radio

See https://www.facebook.com/greenpeace.canada/videos/10153577012364961/ .

If you have a Facebook account you may be very impressed by this time-lapse photo. It certainly impressed me!  I am unsure you can see it without a Facebook account.  If not, try the Greenpeace Canada site.

QSYed to 10m WSPR

Rather later than planned, at around 1600z, I have QSYed to 10m WSPR from 20m. I think I left this rather too late. Earlier, I was spotted in the USA on 20m WSPR.  On 10m, I am using the FT817 and more power (2W) and on RX 80% of the time.

UPDATE 2230z:  I have now gone QRT on all bands.  Only G8VDQ (93km) spotted on 10m WSPR early evening, although I was late getting in 10m today.

Heathkit comeback?

There is a very mixed review of the new Heathkit kit (the GR-150) on http://www.amateurradio.com/ today. Although I admire the attempts to resurrect Heathkit, they have to have excellent quality control, competitive prices and good kits. Selling anything else is not a recipe for success. The amateur kit market is a cut-throat business and second class is not good enough. Heathkit has to be first class or they will fail.

20m WSPR

As I was getting lunch for my XYL and I, I remained on 20m WSPR.  K9AN (6505km) was the first USA station to spot me on 20m today. I may well switch to 10m later. At the moment I am just resting and watching WSPRnet on a laptop in the lounge.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Jan 16th 2016

Solar flux is 104 today and sunspot number 38 (K=1). Forecast for 10m propagation is "poor" again. At present I am on 20m WSPR but will probably move to 10m WSPR later, unless I try for more JT9-1 2-way QSOs on 20m.

QRT on all bands

No more 10m spots since the YL station this afternoon. I have gone QRT on all bands.

10m - magic band!

Many times before I have said 10m, like 6m, is a "magic band" that likes to surprise you. Today was no exception. Little did I expect to both give and receive WSPR spots with South America, but that is what the band turned up today. 4X1RF also spotted me in Israel on 10m. Magic band indeed!

UPDATE 1610z:  I now see that YL2GL (1747km) is being spotted. This is probably wintertime Es.

10m WSPR with FT817

For a change I am on 10m WSPR with the FT817 at 2W (more power) but listening for 80% too. As yet no spots, but I shall be on 10m most of the day.  I am hopeful of some wintertime Es and maybe some inter-G DX too on the band. I think F2 10m DX is unlikely.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri Jan 15th 2016

Solar flux is 104 and sunspot number 36 (K=3) today. 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor".

GM4SLV: John Pumford-Green

For many weeks no-one had heard any news of GM4SLV.  After hearing nothing I rang his home in the Shetlands this evening (fearing the worst) and I was so pleased to hear his voice. John is taking a break from the hobby, but all is well.  So the message is "don't panic Captain Manwaring". He is fine.

Australia on 20m WSPR

As we had visitors, I decided to use the WSJT-X V1.6 on 20m WSPR this afternoon. As well as lots of USA spots, I was spotted in Australia twice. Obviously the low Par antenna does a very credible job on 20m. Best DX was VK3AXF (16850km).

Another JT9-1 2-way QSO

Not long ago I had a 2-way QSO with OK2PDH by 20m JT9-1. There is little doubt that JT9-1 and JT65 are ideal modes for me currently. They don't need much power and QSOs do not require me to use my (poor) voice.

Stroke after-effects

I am still suffering with the after-effects of my stroke 2.5 years ago. I still have a very poor voice and still feel giddy walking. I also still tire easily and my fine-motor skills are not good. Although others tell me I am still improving, improvements are now very slow coming, so it is a case of coming to terms with me as I am now. Things upset me more easily and I seem more emotional. I also wonder about some aspects of my memory.   It seems harder than it was to spot errors in spelling and writing: words that shouted out at me as being wrongly spelt no longer do so. Of course, I am putting all this down to my stroke, but it may be old age creeping up on me!

JT65 20m 2-way QSO

About 45 minutes ago I worked EA1EAS (1335km) on 20m JT65. This was with the Par tri-band antenna running 5W via the ATU. I received a better report than I gave.  I don't think there is much wrong with the Par antenna and wonder if the wet weather has made it go off tune? The ATU easily corrects the mis-match and it certainly works. From PSK reporter I see than I was being copied all across Europe again.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Jan 14th 2016

Solar flux is 103 and sunspot number 26 (K=3) today. 10m propagation is again expected to remain "poor". 10m is not likely to be great today, at least not on F2,  although wintertime Es may liven things up again.