Return to 10m and 6m WSPR

After another night on 5MHz (60m) WSPR where the best TX DX was again KK1D (5409km), I have returned to WSPR on 10m (100% TX, 500mW, randomised TX frequency) and 6m WSPR (1W ERP TX 20%, RX 80%). Later I may switch to the FT817ND on 10m so I can listen 80% of the time as well.

QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
See weekly QRP Rendez-Vous reportand comments here - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Visitors  of week: UA1CEX, RV3GM, SP5AGU, UR0ET, UR5EFD, DK3JU, RA1M, SM7RYR,  RU3NJC, DK3WX, IZ6FCK, LZ2NV, OH6NPV, UA1ADF, RV9WMZ, RV3UF,RW9RN,  PC2D,  RD7K,  UA4NU,  RN4NAA,  UA1CEG, UR5IFM, OM6TC, UA1ASB,RX3DIT, DL6UHA/p, RX6DL/8/p
Welcome all QRP stations on the next week "rendezvous", schedule - www.club72.su
Also  remind  about  last week of the April QRP Marathon "Look In the
Horizon".  Before  May 1'st you have enough time to take apart in the
Marathon. Visit Club 72 web page anf click Marathon in the menu.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Dyson hand driers - NOT amateur radio

In recent days, these have had a bad press. These are the blade driers found in loos. The bad press claims they circulate germs in the air far more than paper towels. I am surprised by this as I thought most air was contained and they are very efficient and fast.

Staying on 5MHz WSPR

In the end, the "London" grandchildren have only just left for home, so I have decided it is too late in the day to QSY to 10m. Instead, I'll remain on 5MHz (60m) WSPR until tomorrow, hoping for some DX tonight.

5MHz WSPR overnight

Well, I stayed on 5MHz (60m) WSPR overnight. Best DX on TX was KK1D (5409km). In all, 40 different stations in 12 countries have copied me on 5MHz WSPR.  I think others are copying me better than I am copying them as my noise floor is quite high here. So far I have heard just 7 unique stations, all in the UK.  If I am going to use 5MHz (60m) in future years I need to reduce my noise floor on RX.

Later today, I shall probably go back on 10m WSPR.
 
We have our "London" grandchildren staying here this weekend with their mum and dad. They take priority.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun April 24th 2016

Solar flux is 79 and sunspot number just 11 (K=2). The forecast for 10m remains "poor".

5MHz WSPR overnight

WSPRnet sprang back to life this afternoon (I think). It disappeared sometime overnight after 0250z I believe. This eventually allowed me to see the best 5MHz DX last night on WSPR TX. This turned out to be a spot from AB4DF (6436km). There may have been others, but WSPRnet fell over, so I shall never know. I hope to be on 5MHz overnight, so let us hope WSPRnet works! My antenna is very poor and very low for 5MHz. I am amazed how far I got last night with 2W and this low, inefficient antenna.

UPDATE 2135z:  37 unique stations have spotted my 5MHz WSPR in just over a day. Probably more as WSPRnet was not working for much of the time. 5MHz is proving to be a very useful band.

New portable SDR transceiver

Amateur Radio Weekly reports on a new portable SDR transceiver due out in August this year. Price is expected to be less than $500.

See http://www.qrpblog.com/2016/04/esdr-new-portable-sdr-hf-transceiver.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

Chernobyl pollution map - NOT amateur radio

See http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/video/2016/04/20/la-progression-du-nuage-de-tchernobyl-en-une-minute_4905544_3244.html

A very interesting map showing the extent of radio active pollution in Europe after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the 1980s.

5MHz WSPR - am I wasting my time?

With WSPRnet still not working I have no idea if last night's efforts were worthwhile or not on 5MHz. The chances are that no spots are/were reaching WSPRnet, so the last 12 hours or so were probably all in vain. If this continues I shall be forced to abandon WSPR, which would be a great shame as we enter the Es season, which benefits the higher HF bands, 6m, 4m and 2m.

Obama in the UK - NOT amateur radio

In the UK referendum I am likely to vote "IN" to remain in the EU but I get saddened by all the negativity and "spin" on both sides in this debate. The intervention by the current US president Obama does little good. We have not had a trade deal with the US before and who is likely to benefit? Well, the USA of course. Mr Obama, your intervention, although possibly well meant, is probably going to encourage people to vote "OUT".  It is fine to have an opinion (like I am amazed by the support in the USA for Trump) but if you were in the EU you would not want the centralism in Brussels.

The EU needs to change and the UK is better in there shaping it in my view. Your intervention is likely to backfire Mr Obama and is not helpful I am afraid.

Miracle Whip Yahoo Group

It is some while since I last used my Miracle Whip antenna, although I still moderate the Miracle Whip Yahoo Group which has nearly 1500 members.

Some of the SPAM I intercept is amusing.   More often than not these are to the group owner and promise me all sorts of sexual favours. I think they think the group is another sort!  How wrong they are. Most messages are filtered so it is rare for these to get to the group. As soon as seen, they are deleted. The group has a low tolerance of SPAM.

For those who don't know the Miracle Whip and its derivatives is a small, self contained QRP antenna. On the higher HF bands with a counterpoise it works quite well. My best DX using it indoors was with the FT817 to Argentina over 11000kms on QRP SSB. This was on 10m. It works as well as a 56 inch whip will do if well matched. Do not expect miracles!

See https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/miraclewhip/info .

See http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantht/miracle.jpg. The image is theirs and is linked here. The image is not on this site.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat April 23rd 2016

Solar flux is 77 today and sunspot number 22 (K=2). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".

WSPRnet - down again

In the last few hours I have tried (in vain) to visit WSPRnet to see where my 5MHz WSPR reached. It was down yet again. Many many times regular WSPR users have offered to pay for a reliable service. When WSPRnet is down WSPR is far less useful. I am still waiting!

At the moment the WSPRnet service goes for weeks working fine, then it collapses in a heap. Sometimes it is a long time before service is restored. I am unsure where the problem is but I hope it is soon repaired.

UPDATE 0912z:  WSPRnet is still down, after very many hours.

UPDATE 1236z:  WSPRnet is still down!  This is bad. I do wish the server owners and maintainers would get help.

5MHz through the night

Through the night I shall stay on 5MHz WSPR to see what happens. I am not familiar with the band so have no real idea what I should expect. I was quite surprised that my Par matched so well with the ATU.  So far the Icelandic spot remains my best DX on TX. I should try 10MHz sometime.

5MHz to Iceland and Finland

TF3HZ (1837km) and OH3TAM (1737km) have spotted my 5MHz WSPR. At the moment the former is my best DX on the 60m band. My antenna is still my 40/20/10m end-fed Par antenna via an ATU.  It is far from ideal on 60m.

UPDATE  2200z:   21 unique 5MHz stations spotting me on 5MHz WSPR in 8 different countries so far.  Don't you just love WSPR?

Britain and the EU - NOT amateur radio

Just watched the second Nick Robinson BBC2 programme about Britain and the EU. Some decent information in this series. If you are looking for real information,and NOT spin, I suggest you watch this on iPlayer or Catch-up if you can.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b078cwf7/europe-them-or-us-2-voice-of-the-people .

Pure commercialism - NOT amateur radio

Alibris UK makes me sick. Their latest "offer" is yet again offering a discount.

Oh yes. Pull the other one.

5MHz WSPR

Later today I may give 5MHz WSPR a go, although I need to check what frequency to use. I see that Romania has been granted access to a narrow part of the band. I hope CEPT (including OFCOM) allocate a contiguous 100kHz band at 5MHz rather than just the 15kHz worldwide allocation allocated at WRC-15. This band will be important in the quiet years to come. 15kHz is very narrow.

UPDATE 1020z:  I have just switched to 5MHz WSPR (both TX and RX).  I have had to go QRT on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR because of rigs and antenna.

UPDATE 1100z:  These are the initial spots on 60m. 

UPDATE 1310z:  G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted on 5MHz. He must be active on many bands. My best DX on 5MHz WSPR TX remains 448km to Germany and The Netherlands.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri April 22nd 2016

Solar flux has reached a new low at 76 today. Sunspot number is 35 (K=2) and the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".

UPDATE 1000z:  Although I have been active on 10m WSPR TX for several hours, no spots as yet. I am also on 6m WSP where G8VDQ (93km) is regularly being spotted here.

Cambridge rally

Sunday 24 APRIL : CAMBRIDGE REPEATER GROUP RALLY
 
Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, Cambs, CB22 6RN.

Car parking is free at the venue, which also has disabled facilities. The doors open at 9.30am with traders gaining access from 7am. Admission is £2. A talk-in station will be on air to assist visitors. There will be trade stands, a car boot area, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. Catering will be available on site and this year sees new caterers booked.

Contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 0794 197 2724 for more information or email rally2016@cambridgerepeaters.net.
www.cambridgerepeaters.net.

Railway Talk - NOT amateur radio

Just been to an excellent talk at Burwell Museum on "Railways in Burwell" by Steve Crane. It was well attended.

More talks - see the Museum's website at http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

RSGB AGM - in Glasgow

Saturday 23 APRIL : RSGB AGM

Glasgow City Hotel, 36 Cambridge St, Glasgow G2 3HN.

A number of Board and Regional positions will be voted and announced. Various trophies and awards will be presented. www.rsgb.org.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

10m and 6m WSPR overnight

Yours truly remained active on these bands overnight for a change. OK, I admit it - I forgot to turn them off and did not QSY to MF! There were no spots on 10m, but on 6m WSPR G8VDQ (93km) was spotted lots of times through the evening and night.

UPDATE 1024z: Still no spots on 10m WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs April 21st 2016

Solar flux has fallen further to 82 today. Sunspot number is 24 (K=2) and the 10m propagation forecast again is "poor". We are now entering the Es season so short-skip may liven up 10m and 6m fro time to time. Es tends to peak around lunchtime and teatime, but can occur at any time and in any month.

Talk today - NOT amateur radio

A final reminder for a talk at our local museum today....

Thursday 21 April 2.00 Steve Crane, Burwell Museum’s Collection Manager "Railways in Burwell", near Cambridge.

Talks are followed by tea and biscuits. Free with museum admission. No admission charge for season ticket holders, Friends and museum volunteers.

See http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

2m UKAC results so far

Out of 125 entrants in the AL section of the 2m UKAC I see I am 83rd so far. This is not bad considering my 5W, omni antenna and very limited operating time in each session. I shall enter most months if I am around.

RadCom arrived today

The May 2016 RadCom arrived in the post today.

On the outside rear cover was an advert by MLS showing a £223000 Rolls Royce and a Yaesu FTdx9000NP for £8399. Do people really need their egos stroking so badly that they fork out this sort of money on what is supposed to be a hobby? Each to their own, but I could never spend this sort of money. Add a linear, HF beam and a big rotator and you are talking really serious silly money.

All I can say is I think this is very very sad. It is not for me to say how others spend their money, but I think this is about egos and not about amateur radio. I don't recognise this "cheque book radio" as being my hobby any more.

Swallows - NOT amateur radio

Only yesterday I was that I'd seen no swallows (birds) in East Anglia. Today I saw two! I still think they are less numerous but at least I have now seen some this season.

Oxborough Hall - NOT amateur radio

Today we visited Oxborough Hall in Norfolk. This is a splendid moated Tudor house owned by the National Trust. The Bedingfield family has lived here for 500 years.

We ate at Hingham in a small cafe where we had been before.  This is my XYL tucking into her "healthy" meal.

Hingham is where Abraham Lincoln's ancestors came from. It is between Norwich and Watton. It is a lovely place.

See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall

See http://www.lincolns-of-hingham.co.uk/

Active on 10m and 6m WSPR

Since about 0630z I have been active on 10m WSPR (100% TX 500mW) and 6m WSPR (20% 1W ERP TX, 80% RX, vertical).

So far just G8VDQ (93km) and G8AXA (103km) spotted several times on 6m WSPR and nobody spotting me yet on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1600z:  No spots at all on 10m WSPR and just G8VDQ and G8AXA still on 6m WSPR. I shall leave both running in case there is some Es at teatime.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed April 20th 2016

Solar flux has fallen again to 28. Sunspot number is also down at 28 (K=2). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor", although 10m has been livened up by sporadic-E (Es) in recent days. Yet again, I am not expecting great F2 propagation on 10m today.

481THz experiment - abject failure

Well, I am sorry to report that my 481THz lightbeam experiment was a total failure.

Although I could detect my QRSS3 signal strongly across the house bouncing off the windmill I was unable to detect any sign of the signal at my remote site. I had problems with aiming which did not help, but I was not expecting the total exhaustion this test brought on. In days gone by this would have been easy, but even soldering a headphone jack tired me. Doing the actual test left me totally "done in".  I really should repeat the test with better aiming, but I am not ready in my body.

If one thing this has taught me it is that I am still too feeble for field work. It was a great disappointment, but there will be other opportunities.

In past years I loved doing this sort of experiment. Sadly, my body is telling me, "not yet".

Fewer swallows? - NOT amateur radio

Usually by this time I have seen quite a few swallows here in East Anglia, UK. They migrate from deep in Africa (often South Africa) and I usually see them here in East Anglia, UK from April 7th. In South Devon they are usually arriving by the beginning of April. Sand Martins arrive sooner. I remember my dad telling me when he first saw them. He died in 1987 and many is the time since when I have missed talking with him.

I know there are swallows around in Devon - they appear every day in the reports - but I am surprised not to have seen any up here yet. I may have seen one last week at Felixstowe Ferry but I was not certain. I definitely saw a house martin.

So, I am beginning to wonder if there are fewer swallows about this year, as by now I would be seeing them quite commonly on telegraph wires. Of course, it could just be that I have been unlucky. It is not as if I have not been looking.

See http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swallow/ .

All India Radio going?

Southgate News reports that All India Radio's external service may close due to high costs. Soon HF will sound quite different as more and more broadcasters cut back or close services.

Noise levels are creeping up.  More space for amateur bands?

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/april/air_short_wave_may_shut_down.htm .

BBC accents - NOT amateur radio

At 1200-1215pm local time BBC Radio 4 has a series looking back 100 years to ordinary people in WW1. Call me a grumpy old man, but I get appalled by the BBC's weak attempts at local accents. It is not just the BBC. Why can't they get rural accents right? You can always tell a BBC Radio 4 drama a mile off!

I watched the film "Warhorse" . It was appalling: a Dartmoor, Devon village was actually filmed in Wiltshire I think. It looked nothing like Devon. The Devon accents were very very bad. No excuses: they spend millions making these films and need to get the basics right. 

No, get the accents right please!

481THz test

The wind is soon to be light and from the north and east. This means our windmill sails will be out of the way if I manage to do some optical tests in the next few evenings. I want to see if I can detect my 481THz red light reflected off the windmill using QRSS3 at a moderate distance.

To do this test I shall need to aim my QRSS3 optical beacon at the windmill and use a PC with Spectran software and sensitive detector and optics at the remote site. I have tripods but they are not the world's best.

As it is some time since I used the gear, I need to do some local tests first to check all is well.

Optical work is fun as all the gear is homemade and test gear is simple. In my view this is more fun than microwaves. It is accessible to all. All you need are a weak light source, a scope, free software and a multimeter.

In my healthier days I had a lot of fun detecting my QRSS3 optícal signal over the horizon  There was no sign of the signal visible by eye, but on the PC screen it was very clearly visible.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/optical/481thz-nlos .

Sunspots and 10m - Tues April 19th 2016

Solar flux has dropped to 95. Sunspot number is 28, which is lower. K=1. The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor". We can hope that Es livens up this band and 6m, as the chances of real long distance DX are not good. Both 10m and 6m often surprise, so South Ameríca is not out of the question, especially on 10m.

6m WSPR and 10m WSPR soon

Very shortly I shall be turning on the WSPR station. I plan to be on 10m (TX 100%, randomised TX frequency, 500mW) and on 6m WSPR (1W ERP 20%, 80% RX, V2000 vertical). With the Es season here, there is a chance of catching some European short skip on both bands.

UPDATE 0918z:  Now active on 6m WSPR and 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 0942z:  No spots yet on 10m WSPR, but G8VDQ (93km) spotted on 6m WSPR at -16dB S/N.

UPDATE 1530z: On 6m WSPR just G8VDQ (93km) spotted many times. On 10m WSPR my  500mW WSPR beacon has been spotted in Germany and Italy with the best DX I4ZTO (1185km). Not a bad Es day.

QSYed

Since about 1830z I have been on 472kHz WSPR. No spots yet. Tomorrow, during the day, I shall probably be on 6m and 10m WSPR. What I do in the evening tomorrow is still to be decided. I really should try a different band.  472kHz is now past its best this season I think. For the last few nights my best DX on TX (5mW ERP, earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) has been Holland. Best 472kHz WSPR TX DX this season remains Norway.