2m WSPR?

Yesterday I received an email about 2m WSPR, to which I replied. It has got me thinking. I've not tried 2m WSPR since I had the big-wheel horizontal omni up, so I ought to have another go. The last time I tried was with Bob G3WKW. The main issue was rig drift, even with a TCXO. As I recall, even after a full day we only managed 1 spot! We are about 140km apart. It will need a long test. I guess I can check the frequency by using GB3VHF.

MLS selling ICOM IC7300s from today

Southgate News reports that MLS are selling IC7300 transceivers from today. It looks a nice radio but I think it is selling for too much. My opinion, others may disagree.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/ic_7300_announcement.htm .

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Today I had to visit the doctor for my check-up. Blood pressure and chest were fine and my PSA levels were lower than in December and "no action is required".

Overall, I still feel wobbly on my feet, thin liquids are hard work, my voice is poor and I still feel not as I was. Any improvements are hard to see. I guess this is how it is going to be now and I'd better learn to adapt.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs March 24th 2016

Solar flux is 86 today and sunspot number just 14 (K=2). 10m propagation  is again expected to remain "poor". I QSYed from MF to 10m about 30 minutes ago, more in hope than expectation!

UPDATE 1252z:  10m never to amaze me! I was expecting nothing today and see that 4X1RF (3519km) has already spotted my 2W 10m WSPR 10 times already. It certainly shows that 10m is open far more often than casual SSB or CW use would suggest. Some of 4X1RF's 10m spots have been remarkably strong too.

UPDATE 1356z:  The spots from Israel seemed to stop after lunch. I am now beginning to wonder if the 10m band will open to S.America. Anything, it seems, is possible!

UPDATE 1626z:  No more spots on 10m since lunch.

QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Firstly, reminder about Thursday QRP Rendez-Vous at 9.00 UTC on 14060 +/-  QRM,  QRL,  keep  RIT for xtal op's. All comments send to "mr72" e-mail, please.

Welcome all QRP operators to annually April QRP Marathon "Look In the Horizon". See details on web page - www.club72.su

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
 

Time to QSY to 630m (472kHz) WSPR

Apart from 4X1RF (3519km) there been no DX on 10m WSPR here today. It is time to QSY I think to 630m. It will take a few minutes to swap bands and do a re-sync to internet time, if need be. 630m never fails on RX and TX.

UPDATE 2002z:  I have now moved to MF for the evening and night and within the first few minutes copied stations in Germany and Norway on 630m WSPR RX.  Signals are not yet strong.  Nobody has yet spotted my 5mW ERP signal. It is some time since I used the external preamp on RX. A slightly deaf FT817 on 472kHz seems to be no handicap.

More from OFCOM

OFCOM, yet again, adding so much value. They really must need help - said with a great degree of sarcasm.

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/amendment-regulations-2015/statement/?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=amendment-regulations-2015-statement

Riverside walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning we did a walk from Mildenhall to the village of Barton Mills and back to Mildenhall along the River Lark.  It was classic kingfisher country, although we saw none. Instead lots of mute swans, mallards and Canada Geese. A delightful walk and probably my longest walk since my stroke a few years ago (4km).

Mildenhall is better known for its US airbase, which is closing. I am not sorry as I found this base very threatening. Mildenhall is actually a very pleasant Suffolk town with some fine buildings, church and museum. Barton Mills is a delightful village too.

10m WSPR DX

4X1RF (3519km) surprised me by spotting my 2W 10m WSPR many times today. G4CUI (172km) has also spotted me on 10m WSPR. Not too bad for a band many would choose to ignore as a dead loss.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed March 23rd 2016

Solar flux is 87 and sunspot number a very low 13 (K=4). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" and I really am not expecting much on 10m WSPR today. I've been on 10m WSPR for about 15 minutes but no spots, well not yet anyway. 10m is always a band of surprises so who knows what the day will bring? I hopeful of some Gs, maybe some short-skip and just maybe some South Americans, but the latter are unlikely.

Packhorse Inn - NOT amateur radio

We ate lunch with our son (pity the other one wasn't there too) at the Packhorse Inn in Moulton near Newmarket. The food was very good and it was very busy, which is always a good sign. This is our third visit. This medieval packhorse bridge is just a few metres away.

QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR

At about 1846z I moved from 10m down to 630m WSPR for the evening and night. It is getting a bit late in the season for new MF stations, but I remain ever hopeful. At some point I really must count all the spots with 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR this DX season. As you will recall, I am only using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I have managed to hear stations all over western Europe with this "antenna".  It has reached Norway and Germany on TX.

Before too long I shall  move to 6m WSPR as activity on MF will drop off and the Es season will  really be with us on 6m. In previous years I have got to Israel, 4X1RF (3519km), several times on 6m WSPR with just 1W ERP to an omni vertical antenna. Mind you, 6m is more of a daytime band, so I will have to think about a band at night - maybe 40m.

I may try an E-field probe on 136 and 472kHz next season. These are tiny, but effective, RX antennas if carefully positioned in the garden. I suppose I could even do several bands scanning on RX. My old work colleague Bob G3WKW has used a Raspberry-Pi as a 10mW WSPR TX beacon switching across several bands. He has achieved some remarkable results - all credit to him.

UPDATE 1918z:  G4GIR (53km) is a newcomer on 472kHz WSPR - well he's new to me, I think. We just exchanged spots. Also in the RX log already is LA8AV (1035km) in JO59cs. I do like 472kHz WSPR - even with my set-up I seem to get very decent results. It is a great pity more don't join in the fun. As I have said many many times, if I can get out OK then anyone can! My "antenna" proves you do NOT need lots of wire in the air and a ground the size of a football pitch. No, a very small system works. The transverter I use was homebrew and is shown in the latest edition of the RSGB book "LF Today". It is also on my website at http://www.g3xbm.co.uk . This is very simple and several versions have been built. No, before you ask, I do NOT do a PCB for this. It has an output of 10-15W although my measured ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" is very low. To a half decent antenna just think what you could achieve!

WSPR on 472kHz already this evening

10m short-skip

EA1FAQ (1249km) spotted me on 10m WSPR at lunchtime. A few hours later I noticed the shack PC had closed the WSPR program and shut down, presumably to install updates. I did a time resync and restarted the WSPR program about 1 hour ago. I have no idea when the PC shut down, but there have been no more 10m WSPR spots.

Our rear garden - NOT amateur radio

This was our rear garden taken this morning. In a few weeks time all the blossom will be out. In the distance, in our neighbour's garden, is an apple and plum orchard.

More on the IC7300

See http://yo9irf.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/icom-ic-7300-review.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

YO9IRF takes a look at the IC7300. MLS is offering this for sale but at a price over £1000, which may interest "early adopters", but is much higher than most are prepared to pay, I believe. Expect the price to drop soon. Even with  the dollar and yen exchange rates, I think a much lower price should be expected and demanded.

£799 would seem a fair price to me. Don't forget that early radios are often riddled with bugs that later get sorted. This is the first time the transceiver will have been mass produced so it is quite likely this will occur, although not inevitable. Personally, I can wait.

I found this via Amateur Radio Weekly at AmateurRadio.com. Always a good source of data.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues March 22nd 2016

Solar flux 89 today. Sunspot number is 25 (K=2) and the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" today. Yesterday, with similar conditions, my 2W 10m WSPR was spotted many times in Brazil and Israel. There was also some short-skip in the early morning on 10m.

UPDATE 1035z:  No spots on 10m WSPR here as yet.

That balloon again!

The Bristol balloon is now over North Africa, having been all around the globe.

See http://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=0&qm=All&f=UBSEDS14&q=UBSEDS14

Frog (or is it a toad?) - NOT amateur radio

For the first time since last summer we saw this fellow in the garden. I think it is a frog rather than a toad, but I am no expert. Last year we saw these most times we were in the garden. This one was about 10cm long, maybe less. We have no ponds in the garden so I don't know where it comes from.

Hambay - free ads to sell amateur gear

Southgate News reports there is a new site (from April 2016) with free ads to sell amateur gear. It is linked here in good faith. Not having ever used this site caveat emptor, buyer beware.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/new_uk_amateur_radio_free_ads_site.htm .

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

After early losses, the UK share index has climbed a bit and is in positive territory (just) as I write this.

Early Es on 10m?

Barely 15 minutes on 10m WSPR and I am exchanging strong WSPR spots with DK1MAX (891km). Is this short-skip Es? Nothing else yet copied and this was a total surprise. I was not expecting spots until much later.

UPDATE 0934z: Now spotting OE6PWD (1232km) on 10m WSPR. Surely this is Es. Perhaps I should try 6mWSPR today?

UPDATE 0954z:  4X1RF (3519km) is now spotting my 2W 10m WSPR. This is early and promising. I suppose this could be double hop Es, although single hop F2 is more probable, I think. HA9EL (1455km) has exchanged 10m WSPR spots and this could mean there is a chance of multi-hop Es.

UPDATE 1334z:  4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 2W 10m WSPR no less than 10 times so far today.

UPDATE 1832z:  Several late spots from Brazil on 10m WSPR.

Pasties - NOT amateur radio

We bought some meat from Waitrose on a "3 for £10" deal, which was good meat at very good prices. As there is some beef left over from the stew at lunch yesterday, the plan is to make some homemade pasties for lunch.  My wife will do the pastry and I'll do the rest. I love pasties!

The pasty is famous in Cornwall. At one time it was a favorite with tin miners with savories at one end and jam at the other - a complete meal in your hand. Some of the best pasties in the world are made by Ivor Dewdney in Plymouth.

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

The image below is NOT on this site and will be removed if linking it is a problem.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Cornish_pasty.jpeg/1024px-Cornish_pasty.jpeg

Sunspots and 10m - Mon March 21st 2016

Solar flux is 88 today. Sunspot number is 25 (K=2) and 10m propagation is, yet again, forecast to be "poor".

I QSYed from MF to 10m WSPR at 0915z. No overnight surprises on 472kHz.

Back on 472kHz WSPR

At about 1925z I QSYed from 10m down to 630m (472kHz) WSPR. I shall be on 472kHz WSPR for the evening and night with 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I am on RX 80% of the time.

UPDATE 1940z:  I see that G0LRD (25km) spotted me strongly on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE  2200z:  It helps to have the "upload spots" box ticked!  I was wondering why WSPRnet had others spotting me but I was, apparently, not spotting anyone. Then the penny dropped. Doh.

QRP Club News

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
See full QRP Rendez-Vous weekly report and "soapbox" on blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Visitors  of  the  week: UA1ADF, UA6BFE, DL4ZBY, G3UD, OE6GWG, DL4AM, RD7K,  DF3QE,  RU3NJC, RV3GM, UA1CEX, UA9MLY, UR0ET, R1CAF, UA1CEG/p, OM6TC,  UX3MC,  OH6NPV, UR7VT, UA1ASB, DF5SF, Z35M/p, G3KJC, YU1WC/p, RX3DIT, VR2/RV3DSA, IZ1ELP, G3VBS, G3VXJ, RA3AL/m, R2FAE, EW1CY, ON6KZ
OE6GWG  and  G3VBS became Honor Frequenters of "rendezvous" -
Thanks for activity!
See you ALL on next "rendezvous" round tables!
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Chinese 40m Pixie Transceivers

Looking in eBay recently I see that a 40m Chinese Pixie can be obtained for just £2.27 including free postage from China. Last year I bought one from a different supplier and it worked first time. I have no idea how they do these and make a profit at this price.

At these prices you cannot go wrong. If it goes wrong you've only wasted the cost of a coffee in a cafe. The amateur kit market is a tough one. If the Chinese can do kits at low, low prices what hope do the likes of the revamped Heathkit have? No, being in the amateur radio kit market is not for the faint-hearted.

Crystals

Often people want to buy crystals, but find these very expensive these days. There are alternative ways of getting specific frequencies these days using synthesiser chips, but some crystal frequencies can still be obtained inexpensively. GQRP club has a good range at reasonable prices (especially crystals for QRP frequencies) but Kanga UK also do a good range.

Return to 10m WSPR

10m WSPR beckoned and I returned at around 1015z. On 40m WSPR I was spotted in the USA late in the night.  Conditions on 40m have been better and it was an uneventful night.

UPDATE 1330z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me 4 times on 10m WSPR so far today. I assume this is single hop F2. No other spots given or received on 10m WSPR so far.

UPDATE 1936z:  Several spots from Brazil on 10m WSPR. Who needs a high sunspot number?

Sunspots and 10m - Sun March 20th 2016

Solar flux is 89 today and sunspot number is 26 (K=2). 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor" again, although I rarely find this is so!

Quy - NOT amateur radio

Quy, Near Cambridge

Every year they hold the Fenland Country Fair near here. At this time of the year it is very quiet. A few years ago I saw some kingfishers here. Today, a buzzard and a couple of little egrets flew over.

QSYed to 40m WSPR

I have now gone QRT on 10m WSPR and QSYed to 40m WSPR for the evening and overnight period. Plenty of reports (15) of my first transmission. No great DX, but plenty of reports.

Getting ready for summer? - NOT amateur radio

Burwell Cricket Team getting ready for summer?

As we walked past today, it looks like the Burwell cricket team was getting ready for the new season.

Tan House, Burwell, Cambs

The Tan House is the biggest house in the village and was once the home of Francis Pimm who was at one time Foreign Secretary in the government.

Sherwood tests

See http://www.sherweng.com/table.html .

When it comes to comparing radios, the best place to look is the Sherwood Engineering page. Here, the main parameters of each rig are measured so you can see how they compare. This is the page to look.

See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbgHVwNF9W8&feature=youtu.be&list=PLRSwUN4qr1LpSG3CfFHy_L5z917EJYBKd .

So, 10m WSPR surprised me again!

Really, I was expecting very little on 10m today and I go and spot Australia (again) and get spotted many times in Israel. This seems to happen so often!  Even with low sunspot numbers, lowish solar flux and disturbed conditions, 10m, yet again, surprises. No wonder some also call 10m a "magic band" like 6m. This really is a case where WSPR still shows the band is good for real DX.

10m WSPR so far today

UPDATE 1322z:  LU8EX (11208km) has recently been spotted. So far today, 10m has been pretty good.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat March 19th 2016

Solar flux is 91 today. Sunspot number has dropped to 29 (K=4) and 10m propagation is again forecast to remain "poor".  Unless we get a surprise, 10m is not looking good today. Perhaps the best I should expect are Gs?

UPDATE 1022z:  Not surprisingly, no spots on 10m WSPR as yet.

Return to 10m WSPR

After an evening and night on 630m WSPR (no surprises) I returned to 10m WSPR a few minutes ago. As yet, no spots.

Moving to 472kHz WSPR

Well, what a disappointment 10m WSPR has been today.  Just 2 spots from G4CUI (172km) earlier and nothing else all day. I am about to QSY to 472kHz WSPR where even my 5mW ERP gets spotted and I always spot DX.

I shall stay on 472kHz WSPR overnight until breakfast time.

UPDATE 1705z:  I have now moved to 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 1840z:   G4FKK (106km) has spotted me many times so far tonight. As yet, I have not spotted others tonight.

OFCOM added value?

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/mobile-coverage-enhancers/statement/?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mobile-coverage-enhancers-statement.

OFCOM busy again. These people do so much. How do they find the time?

An aging mainly male hobby?

My comment on ours being a hobby mainly of older men has received quite a few comments on amateurradio.com. Not sure of your view, but our hobby will have to change in the coming years or it will fade away. What interested us may not be the same for young people in the 21st century.

There are some ideas here which we should think about.
See http://www.amateurradio.com/hobby-30-years/#comments .

One example from CN8VY:

Roger,
I agree with you 100%.
Ham is missing one after the other all the game-changing opportunities: the wifi-wireless revolution, Drones becoming general consumer goods, solar and alternative energy, the need of a fitter lifestyle (trecking and extreme sports), the global outcry for Solidarity, etc
All the items I have mentioned here are of concern to men, women, kids all over the world. We ham are unable to contribute seriously to them and “surf” the wave and get newbies. Let me make myself clear with one example. If you go to a public park anywhere in North America or Europe, set up a small solar panel or a wind generator, start using a small radio to send GPS data or weather bulletrins, you will get a lot a lot a lot of attention and interest. You will see teens and young active adults come and ask you about the set up. Initially, they don’t care at all about RF. They are attracted by the solar stuff and the resilience to power shortage. This is the good starting point to convert may be 10% of them to ham.

More on that Bristol balloon

Southgate News reports that this balloon has crossed the Pacific Ocean.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/uk_student_balloon_crosses_pacific.htm.