Solar flux was 82 and sunspot number 23 (K=1). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" today.
UPDATE 0915z: No 10m spots so far, although this is expected as it is still very early.
UPDATE 0942z: G4CUI (172km), to the west of Sheffield, has been spotted on 10m WSPR. He is often spotted here.
UPDATE 1256z: G4CUI spotted again, but no DX on 10m.
5 Apr 2016
2m UKAC tonight
A reminder that the 2m leg of the RSGB's UK activity contest is tonight at 1900z for 2.5 hours. I shall be on with 5W QRP and the big-wheel omni. I seem to be able to work out to about 200km, although I usually only stay on for an hour or less because of my poor voice. 8-10 QSOs and I'm done in!
UPDATE 2025z: After 8 QSOs I was done in. So I stopped after 50 minutes on air. Best DX was the South Coast with G4RUL/P (172km).
UPDATE 2025z: After 8 QSOs I was done in. So I stopped after 50 minutes on air. Best DX was the South Coast with G4RUL/P (172km).
 |
| 2m QSOs tonight with 5W SSB and big-wheel in 50 minutes |
630m overnight and back on 10m WSPR
Quite a few spots on 630m (472kHz) WSPR overnight,but no great DX either way (i.e. spots given or received). Best DX on TX were spots from PA land (306km). I did spot LA on RX (1035km) but he did not spot me last night.
I have now gone QRT on MF and started up the 10m WSPR for the day.
I have now gone QRT on MF and started up the 10m WSPR for the day.
4 Apr 2016
Another low cost rig from Yaesu?
See http://www.qrpblog.com/2016/04/yaesu-ft-891-new-hf50mhz-transceiver.html .
The date of this was April 1st, so this may be a wind-up. If it is, like me, you have been fooled!
YO9IRF/M0HRH reports on his blog about on the Yaesu FT891. As reported, if true, it is a mobile-sized rig covering HF-50MHz.
As I said, this could be a wind-up. Caveat Emptor. It was also picked up by Amateur Radio Weekly, so if a joke, they were fooled too!
They claim this is not an April Fool wind-up. I hope this is correct.The FCC data does look genuine enough. If a hoax it is a very complex one. The question is, if genuine, will it be available in Europe and at what price?
The date of this was April 1st, so this may be a wind-up. If it is, like me, you have been fooled!
YO9IRF/M0HRH reports on his blog about on the Yaesu FT891. As reported, if true, it is a mobile-sized rig covering HF-50MHz.
As I said, this could be a wind-up. Caveat Emptor. It was also picked up by Amateur Radio Weekly, so if a joke, they were fooled too!
They claim this is not an April Fool wind-up. I hope this is correct.The FCC data does look genuine enough. If a hoax it is a very complex one. The question is, if genuine, will it be available in Europe and at what price?
50W red LEDs cheap on eBay
Bernie G4HJW recently posted to the UK Nanowave Yahoo about some powerful red LEDs that he bought from China for just £2.80. A couple of these are more powerful than the 10mm LEDs that I used in non line of night tests (when I was fitter) but even without any lenses! It would seem these would be ideal for optical tests. 50W is a lot of power. This was Bernie's post. I trust he won't mind me sharing it with you all:
"Morning all - This might be of general interest:
I recently bought a couple of 50W red LEDs from China, which I thought I might use in a wide-angle initial set-up lantern for portable use. They were very cheap (£2.80), so I also expected there would be dead segments, which there were, but there was a bigger surprise waiting to show itself.
During this weeks UK uwave group net, Martyn G3UKV asked me how wide the spectrum was, so out came my trusty secondary school Spectroscope. Instead of the expected relatively narrow response, there was noticeable output right through to yellow plus a weakish narrow line at the violet end. This should have been an obvious clue, of course, but it was only later when I was telling Stuart G8CYW (sorry about all the name dropping..) that he suggested that the LEDs might be fluorescent driven devices, just like the white lighting LEDs all seem to be these days. He was correct, as the following picture shows:
http://www.earf.co.uk/uvred.JPG
Note that in pealing back some of the fluorescent gell, all but one of the individual 1W UV leds have been destroyed. Not obvious from the picture is that these LEDs are embedded in an initial clear silicon rubber prior to the red fluorescent layer being applied. From supplier ebay pictures, it is now clear that the same UV driven devices are available in all colours, leading to the question - does this produce an overall increase in efficiency, or is there simply a significant cost saving in just fabricting UV LEDs?.
I've yet to measure the response time of the fluorescent material.
Bernie
G4HJW"
Working with simple optical gear was one of my great pleasures, so I very much hope I can do this again. Optical gear is easier than microwaves. All my kit was home designed and built and the test gear simplicity itself. For details of my optical work see http://www.g3xbm.co.uk . G4HJW and others know far more than me in this area. I consider myself very much a novice in this area.
"Morning all - This might be of general interest:
I recently bought a couple of 50W red LEDs from China, which I thought I might use in a wide-angle initial set-up lantern for portable use. They were very cheap (£2.80), so I also expected there would be dead segments, which there were, but there was a bigger surprise waiting to show itself.
During this weeks UK uwave group net, Martyn G3UKV asked me how wide the spectrum was, so out came my trusty secondary school Spectroscope. Instead of the expected relatively narrow response, there was noticeable output right through to yellow plus a weakish narrow line at the violet end. This should have been an obvious clue, of course, but it was only later when I was telling Stuart G8CYW (sorry about all the name dropping..) that he suggested that the LEDs might be fluorescent driven devices, just like the white lighting LEDs all seem to be these days. He was correct, as the following picture shows:
http://www.earf.co.uk/uvred.JPG
Note that in pealing back some of the fluorescent gell, all but one of the individual 1W UV leds have been destroyed. Not obvious from the picture is that these LEDs are embedded in an initial clear silicon rubber prior to the red fluorescent layer being applied. From supplier ebay pictures, it is now clear that the same UV driven devices are available in all colours, leading to the question - does this produce an overall increase in efficiency, or is there simply a significant cost saving in just fabricting UV LEDs?.
I've yet to measure the response time of the fluorescent material.
Bernie
G4HJW"
Working with simple optical gear was one of my great pleasures, so I very much hope I can do this again. Optical gear is easier than microwaves. All my kit was home designed and built and the test gear simplicity itself. For details of my optical work see http://www.g3xbm.co.uk . G4HJW and others know far more than me in this area. I consider myself very much a novice in this area.
IC7300 video
Sunspots and 10m - Mon April 4th 2016
Solar flux is 82 today and sunspot number higher at 38 (K=3). The forecast for 10m propagation is still "poor" but 10m looks a little more promising than yesterday, which was dire here.
I am about to switch on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1735z: No 10m WSPR spots all day.
I am about to switch on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1735z: No 10m WSPR spots all day.
3 Apr 2016
Redgrave and Lopham Fen, Suffolk - NOT amateur radio
 |
| River Waveney |
 |
| Marsh Margolds |
car. Although I enjoy the walks, I get very tired by the end.
QRP
More from Oleg:
Dear Club 72 members and friends,
See full QRP Rendez-Vous weekly report (March 28 to April 3, 2016)
including comments and picture at the Club 72 blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Visitors of week: HB9DAX, UR7VT, EA5IGL, DL6YAU, HA5AZC/p, RV3GM, UA1CEG/p, UR0ET, ON6KZ, RU3NJC, EW1CY, R6TQ, F8DGY, OH5LP, R1OA, GM3OXX, RD7K, OM6TC, OK1KW, UA1ADF, R4NX/p, UA4NU, UA1CEX, SM6NT, UA1ASB, DL4HG, RA1M, OH6NPV, UA0SBQ, UR4MME, LY2H, MM0CYR, EA2AO/m, R4AAR, RW3AA, EA8YV, G6HUI, OH7QR
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists at - www.club72.su
Schedule of QRPRendez-Vous "round tables" on the Club 72 page.
QRP Marathon "Look In the Horizon" is continue now. To become
Marathon'ers visit Club 72 page and create account on the Marathon
page. You can do it during all April. Enjoy QRP and have a Marathon
certificate in May.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
Dear Club 72 members and friends,
See full QRP Rendez-Vous weekly report (March 28 to April 3, 2016)
including comments and picture at the Club 72 blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Visitors of week: HB9DAX, UR7VT, EA5IGL, DL6YAU, HA5AZC/p, RV3GM, UA1CEG/p, UR0ET, ON6KZ, RU3NJC, EW1CY, R6TQ, F8DGY, OH5LP, R1OA, GM3OXX, RD7K, OM6TC, OK1KW, UA1ADF, R4NX/p, UA4NU, UA1CEX, SM6NT, UA1ASB, DL4HG, RA1M, OH6NPV, UA0SBQ, UR4MME, LY2H, MM0CYR, EA2AO/m, R4AAR, RW3AA, EA8YV, G6HUI, OH7QR
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists at - www.club72.su
Schedule of QRPRendez-Vous "round tables" on the Club 72 page.
QRP Marathon "Look In the Horizon" is continue now. To become
Marathon'ers visit Club 72 page and create account on the Marathon
page. You can do it during all April. Enjoy QRP and have a Marathon
certificate in May.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
Fair well - NOT amateur radio
Here he is packing his car outside our home standing next to my wife.
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