Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday March 7th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is again zero. A=25 and K=4.

2m UKAC tonight

A reminder that the RSGB's 2m activity contest is this evening 2000-2230z. As usual, I hope to take part with my big-wheel and 5W pep SSB. This is preceded by an hour of FM activity. Because my voice is poor, I usually stay on for 30-60 minutes, then go QRT.


See http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=2mukac .


UPDATE 2140z:  7 squares and a few  "get-aways" tonight with 13 QSOs in just over an hour with 5W and an omni antenna. Best DX 215km.

More from Oleg about QRP Club

Another post from Oleg about a new member of the QRP Club:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

I'm happy to inform about new Club 72 member -
# 95 - DH0DK op. Bernd
He  is  regular  visitor  (Frequenter)  of  the QRP Rendez-Vous round
tables.
Who's next?

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

Cellphones and brain cancer?

There has been debate for years and years about whether or not excessive use of cellphones increase the chances of getting brain cancers. I guess that prolonged use of a high power VHF or UHF handheld may pose similar risks?

According to Southgate News a judge in California has asked for a 2014 report to be made public. A quick read seems to suggest some sort of increased risk. Basically, this is all relative, but prolonged RF exposure is probably not good and is best avoided. Another argument in favour of QRP?

See https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B14R6QNkmaXuRmJlZDRWME5lN2M/view

Nearly - NOT amateur radio

This garden border, in the next street, is usually a blaze of yellow daffodils by now. Things are late this year, but another week or so and they should all be out. Nearly spring and lighter evenings again.

It started out sunny today, but the forecast is for rain later. I caught this photo before the rain came, although it has already clouded over.

New offering from Banggood?

It seems possible we may have some competition in the low cost, dual band handheld market.  On the Banggood blog there is mention of a $35 handset from China. At the moment the photo appears to show dummies but as they say, "watch this space".

See  https://blog.banggood.com/xiaomi-mijia-walkie-takie-dual-band-51940.html .

6m MSK144 RX

Although I stayed on 6m MSK144 RX overnight and am still monitoring, no new spots received today so far. I am likely to remain monitoring 6m MSK144 for a few more hours before moving to 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1020z: F1BHB (314km) spotted on 6m MSK144. Aircraft reflection?

UPDATE 1138z: HB9SHD (762km) spotted on 6m MSK144. Aircraft or random MS?

UPDATE 1208z: GM4UYE (507km) brings today's 6m total to 4 countries received by MSK144.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (March, 5, 2017)
Visitors  of  the  week:  OK1DNZ,  RV9WMZ, UR0ET, US3EN, RV3GM, R1OA,
DK3EZ,  R1CAF,  UA1CEX,  DK1HW, UA1CEG, RV3UF, UA1ADF, PD0HRS, EA6BB,
UR7VT,  EA2EFI,  OH6NPV, PA5XM, UR5EFD, UA0SBQ, US5ERQ, G3XJS, UA4NU,
RN4NAA,  LY2PX,  UR5LEH,  YO2UP,  ON6KZ, IK2RMZ, R2AJA, R2FAE, RD6MZ,
OM6TC
Congrats!
PD0HRS, UR5LEH became Honor Frequenters (regular visitors)
Welcome new Visitors - DK3EZ, LY2PX, YO2UP
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists on the Club 72 web page.
Comments.......
See full WQR Report on the blog page -http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Thanks to ALL! See you on the next QRP Rendez-Vous round tables.

NOTE: to subscribe regular "72 Newsletter" bulletin send request to my
"mr72" e-mail, please.

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"


This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

Overwintering Swallows - NOT amateur radio

Swallows (migratory birds) usually return from Africa here in early April. Swifts are later, arriving here in early May. The return of swallows is something I look forward to.

I have heard a few reports of swallows that managed to survive long into winter on the insects near seaweed. There was a report of at least one hanging-on over the entire winter. The Daily Mail sometimes gets its facts wrong, so I have no idea if this report was correct or just journalistic hyperbola. It dates from 2009.

See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1115442/Meet-Rambo--tough-little-swallow-forgot-fly-South-winter.html .

Sunspots and 10m - Monday March 6th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is 11.  A=16 and K=3.

Trump - NOT amateur radio

Opinions vary widely over Donald Trump who was elected US president recently. He may do some good for the USA, but looking in from the outside he seems irrational and unstable. Time and the US people will be his judge.

The latest controversy seems to be about Obama wire tapping Trump Tower. In this age of "false news" it is hard to separate what is factually correct from what is made up. As far as I can tell, President Trump needs to back up his claim with evidence.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39172719 .

Nicholas Parsons - NOT amateur radio

Unless you are in the UK you probably have never heard of this name. He hosts a weekly programme on the radio (BBC Radio 4) called "Just a Minute". What I did not realise was his age: 93. Yes, ninety three!! He sounds like he is 40 years (or more) younger. I guess he enjoys the programme and the public enjoy him and he will go on until he drops.

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

OFCOM and interference to amateurs

Sorry, but I have a dislike of quangos that do not do a good, useful job.

OFCOM seem to have come in for recent criticism for not investigating interference suffered by radio amateurs properly. Unless there is money involved, I guess they have no interest.

Sadly, our government and its quangos seem only interested in money and profits. Nothing much else matters. I understand that money is short, but that is no excuse. In "the good old days" the GPO would have helped.

OFCOM - mice or men/women?? If you cannot do a decent job then it is time to "get on your bikes" and look for real jobs and replace OFCOM with something that works.

My son's jazz gig this Friday in Kent - NOT amateur radio

This Friday, March 10th, my son is performing in Broadstairs, Kent. He plays jazz piano professionally, mainly in London. He has been on the radio including the BBC.

See https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/arts-and-culture/event-details.aspx?instance=62201

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday March 5th 2017

Solar flux is 75 today although the sunspot number is zero. A=22 and K=3.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ for the recent trends in solar activity. Although the solar activity is slowly declining, it is very slow and conditions are often better on the higher bands than people expect. On some days the higher bands are still very good.

6m DX

Just before breakfast I started to monitor 6m MSK144. IN4FFN (1030km) in northern Italy in JN56 square is the best DX so far. Random MS?

I continue to be impressed that such a rubbish system here copies so much on 6m. As I have said before, if I can copy 16 countries I am pretty sure anyone can on 6m - outside the Es season. Random MS and aircraft reflections are there to be exploited.

Just replacing my coax is probably worth 2dB for starters. A small Moxon wide beam aimed Europe is probably another 3dB, although I seem to copy quite a lot with my V2000 omni vertical already. Please give it a go as you are very unlikely to be disappointed. All software is free.

UPDATE 1342z:  4 stations in 3 countries (I, G, GM) so far on 6m MSK144 RX so far today. The decoded signals are very strong. I guess the bursts are good, if short.

UPDATE 1715z:  5 countries spotted today so far on 6m MSK144 (I, G, GM, GJ, GD).

472kHz WSPR RX

As I had zero spots on 10m JT65 today, I have now switched instead to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX.  This was at 1825z this evening. Already I have spotted one German at 983km.

Unique 472kHz WSPR RX spots this evening so far

10m JT65

It is interesting that I have had no spots so far today on 10m JT65. Most days in the last week or so I have seen South Americans on 10m JT65.

There are several monitors shown as active in South America on 10m JT65, but nothing yet seen here today. Maybe conditions are too disturbed?

I'll stick with 10m JT65 until this evening nonetheless. Then I'll probably look on 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX.

Signs of spring - NOT amateur radio

After a long, damp, mild winter here in East Anglia, UK there are now signs of spring. There are fresh buds on the trees and bushes in the garden, daffodils are now out and today we saw our first lambs.

Won't be long now to lighter evenings and cutting the grass!

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday March 4th 2017

Solar flux is today 77.  Sunspot number is 36. A=22 and K= 3.

6m JT65

For a change this morning, I am on 6m JT65 transceiver in beacon mode sending "B G3XBM JO02". Last night, overnight, I was not on the air.

UPDATE 1226z: No spots, so time to QSY, probably to 10m JT65.

49 not out - NOT amateur radio

49 years ago today, my wife and I first met. Each year we celebrate this day more than Valentine's Day as it means more to us. Today we went for lunch at The Old Fire Engine House in Ely. This serves unpretentious English food at sensible prices. The food was good, although it was a shame that outside it rained.

New HF low cost radio design

My thanks again to Steve G1KQH for finding this:

Ashhar Farhan the designer of the BITX has now come up with the ubitx Multiband HF

http://www.phonestack.com/farhan/ubitx/ubitx.html

See the Bitx20 group for more details here:

https://groups.io/g/BITX20

There is a video here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-yLof4sTtE

QSY to 10m JT65

After an extended time monitoring 6m MSK144, I have now QSYed to 10m JT65 (2W). As conditions were not looking hopeful, it will be interesting to see if any DX appears on 10m today.

UPDATE 1612z: No spots (well yet today) on 10m JT65.

Another UK rally

MARCH 5th 2017 : EXETER RADIO & ELECTRONICS RALLY

America Hall, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe, Exeter EX4 8PW
Doors open at 10.30am with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Bring & Buy book-in starts at 10.15am. Admission is £2 and there will be trade stands. Catering is available on site. Details from Pete, G3ZVI on 0771 419 8374 or by email to g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk.

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

Sunspots and 10m - Friday March 3rd 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 52.  A=32 and K=5 so conditions look disturbed.

6m MSK144 RX continued

At the moment I am still monitoring 6m MSK144 RX. The last 24 hours have been decent with many countries spotted (see photo).

Northern Ireland Elections - NOT amateur radio

One thing is certain - I am no politician. Also, I have not been closely following what led to the breakdown of the power sharing alliance in Northern Ireland.

As an "outsider" looking in I think far more things unite its people than divide. It is a staggeringly beautiful place - better than Eire in my view - and I just hope that after the elections today, the parties can find a way to work together for the common good. Sectarianism is so yesterday. Break down the old barriers and work hard for all the people. If you fall back to sectarianism, you have only yourselves to blame.

Catholic? Protestant? Who cares? What matters is the best for Northern Ireland and all its people.

4m in the USA

Although the prospects of an amateur 4m band in the USA remains a distant dream - the FCC seem very very slow allocating 137kHz and 472kHz - Southgate News reports that the 3kW ERP 4m beacon in the USA, in FM07 square, has been granted clearance to continue for another 2 years. 6m openings to the USA occur by Es most summers, but 4m is much harder. This is a useful propagation indicator.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/march/4-metres-and-wg2xpn.htm#.WLgpUoXXJMs

4m is a band I have hardly tried. I do recall working ZB2VHF with a few watts of AM by Es back in my university days as G3OUL from Liverpool - 1969? These days there are lots of European countries on the band and I would think it a decent band for inter-G QSOs. I recall doing one 4m contest in my early days at Pye Telecom. It was April 1971 and we were in the back of a Land Rover. It was freezing! We used a converted Pye AM Cambridge and a 3 el I seem to recall.

Euro - NOT amateur radio

For some time, I have predicted that the value of the Euro will fall. It has not happened yet.

When the UK signs Article 50 to formally start exiting the EU I expect the uncertainty may reduce the value of the UK Pound against several currencies, including the Euro. I suspect this will be a blip and by the end of 2017 the Euro will be well down against the UK Pound and US Dollar.

Not being a monetary expert, I could be totally wrong, but to me the EU is like a pressure cooker. The pressure (for change) is increasing and at some point this will hit crisis point.

I voted to "remain" in the UK referendum but I fail to see how the Euro (or the whole EU) can last without big changes. To me, the pressure for change is growing ever stronger. The German economy has most to lose.

Rally

MARCH 4th 2017 : LAGAN VALLEY ARS ANNUAL RALLY AND HAMFEST

Doors open at 11am. All the usual traders are expected to attend. Details from Victor, GI4LKG, Andrew, MI0BPB or Jim, GI0DVU, all QTHR.

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

Dalham - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we did a short walk at nearby Dalham, not far from Newmarket. As mentioned before, this is a "chocolate box" village with lots of well tended thatched cottages. Sadly, I think the pub is struggling these days.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday March 2nd 2017

It seems like 10m has woken up after the winter. Even with my poor 10m antenna I have copied South America on every day in the last week. Even my 2W JT65 on 10m has been copied in Argentina.

Solar flux is 80 today and the sunspot number a respectable 55. A=36 and K=4.

Monitoring 6m MSK144 RX

After an amazing evening monitoring 472kHz (630m) WSPR and a great afternoon on 10m JT65 I am monitoring 6m MSK144 today.

This mode, even with a very modest 6m station (mine is a V2000 vertical omni fed with lossy coax and an FT817), seems to bring in stations from across Europe by random MS and aircraft reflection.

At present, my count is 15 countries spotted in the last few weeks, even without a meteor shower. Most times the bursts are short but the signals are strong.

UPDATE 1022z: G4MOI (67km) is the first spot today on 6m.

UPDATE 1107z: EA5/G3XGS (1581km) just spotted. I think this is my furthermost DX by this mode so far on 6m. Random MS I presume.

See https://www.pskreporter.info/pskmap.html .

472kHz WSPR RX - amazing

This band is amazing: I have only been on for a few hours with my earth-electrode "antenna" yet already I have copied 7 countries including Spain and Italy. My FT817 is deaf too!!

Unique 472kHz WSPR RX so far this evening

UPDATE 2226z:  Another unique spot brings the total of unique 472kHz WSPR RX spots to 14 this evening.

DX on 10m JT65

DK3GI (799km) is the only station spotted so far today on 10m JT65. I am still hopeful of some real DX later.

UPDATE 1540z: I see that several Europeans have been spotted here as well as LU8XAF (13413km) way down in Argentina. I think this is the most distant spot on 10m JT65 this year.

UPDATE 1548z: Today so far on 10m JT65. Let no-one tell you 10m is dead! My antenna is poor too.

 

UPDATE 1740z: My own 2W has been spotted by LU5CQC (11211km) in Buenos Aires. There are loads of South Americans coming through on 10m JT65.

Nuts - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we did a short walk at Dalham, near Newmarket. This is a "chocolate box" village with many beautiful thatched cottages. The church is way up the hill, some way from the village (perhaps the old squire had bad legs?) through a long avenue of trees. The bottom part of this avenue was covered in nuts as the photo shows.

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

Wicken Fen - NOT amateur radio

We are just a few miles from several National Trust places including Wicken Fen. Many years ago I saw a bittern (bird) coming in to roost late one day. It is an ideal place for a walk on a sunny day. It can be bleak, but that is part of its attraction.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday March 1st 2017

It is hard to think it is already March. Where does the time go? In about 6-8 weeks it will be the Es season again here in the northern hemisphere. I am sure time goes quicker as we get older.

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot number 39. A=8 and K=3.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/.  Solar activity is slowly declining, but this is a very slow process. Conditions on the higher HF bands are often better than many think.

10m JT65 (2W) today

At breakfast time, I turned on the rig and PC and am on 10m JT65. As yet, no spots. I checked time sync to internet time. I am not active on any other band.