10m WSPR

As the antenna was free, I went on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) today. Just EA8BFK (2880km) spotting me. I think this was F2.

Parker's Piece, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Back in the early 1800s this was the place where a huge party was held to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria. 1838 I think. I walk across this park on my way to my U3A course.

Sunspots - Thursday October 11th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN is zero. A=18 and K=3.

So far on 2m FT8

A before breakfast 2m FT8 CQ (2.5W to the omni) was spotted by several stations including DK1VC (503km).

2m FT8

As 10m FT8 seems to have closed now, I have QSYed to 2m FT8. A recent CQ (2.5W) was spotted by 10 stations with best DX on TX being G4RRA (334km) in Devon. PA2M (311km) also spotted me. Still using the big-wheel omni antenna. No beams here.

Gay cake - NOT amateur radio

I am pretty liberal in matters gay and transsexual. At work one day someone who was a man came to work as a woman. As I recall no-one batted an eyelid. It just did not matter. What was important was this person was happy. Quite a few of my friends just happen to be gay. Again, it just does not matter as long as they are happy.

So, perhaps you will be surprised to learn that I am pleased that a bakery in Northern Ireland has won its appeal about baking a gay cake. In my view, this shop and any business is free to abide by morals it feels are right. We may not agree with these morals, but this is right for them. You may not agree!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-45789759

10m FT8

At this time of the year and at this part of the solar cycle, 10m is likely to be erratic. A few days ago, it was wide open to Europe and DX parts, whereas today here nothing as yet.

I called CQ on FT8 but got no spots at all. As yet - been on 10m FT8 for about 30 minutes - nothing spotted. Things may change or this may be another day without spots.

At least with FT8 we are all in the same spot of the band (within a 2kHz or so window) and FT8 will winkle out anything if it is there.

UPDATE 1128z:  Just a couple of Gs spotted so far on 10m FT8. A CQ (2.5W) a few moments ago was not spotted by anyone.

UPDATE 1800z: Now plenty of South Americans (and others) coming through on 10m FT8 RX. A recent CQ (2.5W) was spotted in Uruguay although no QSOs resulted. CX3DDO (11122km) was my best DX on 10m FT8 TX, and we are close to sunspot minimum!

10m FT8 TX (2.5W CQ)

10m FT8 RX (to 1810z)

UPDATE 1840z: The band seems to have closed now.

UPDATE 1912z: PY and VP8 still being copied at 1852/3z.

Fewer young people drinking in the UK - NOT amateur radio

Official figures out today suggest fewer young people are now drinking in the UK. This is a good thing.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45807152

Sunspots - Wednesday October 10th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number zero. A=21 and K=4.

RSGB Convention

12-14 OCTOBER : RSGB CONVENTION

Kent's Hill Park Training and Conference Centre, Swallow House, Timbold Drive, Kent's Hill Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK7 6BZ. The Convention programme of lectures for all interests will be available on the website. Principal sponsor Martin Lynch & Sons. www.rsgbevents.org.

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

Night off

After the excitement today on 2m FT8 and the 70cm activity contest this evening, I am now QRT on all bands. At this moment I am unsure what I'll try tomorrow.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

Tonight is the 70cm leg of the RSGB's activity contest starting at 1900z. It lasts for 2.5 hours. As usual, I shall be on briefly using 5W SSB to my 2m halo. Despite this being a poor 70cm antenna, it matches well and I usually make a few contacts. My voice usually asks me to stop after about 30-45 minutes, HI.

UPDATE 2002z: Just a single QSO with G4CLA (105km). Heard a few others but I could not hang around.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Last night was very average for me. In all, I spotted 7 unique stations and my 10mW ERP was spotted by 4 unique stations. I have seen much better!

Conkers - NOT amateur radio

Do kids collect fewer conkers these days? There were loads on the ground in our churchyard at the weekend.

Debuginnovations - NOT amateur radio (mostly)

My rally information comes via a member of the Cambridge Radio Club. I am not a member these days as I detest night driving.  I post on (and read) their Facebook page most weeks. At one time I was on the CDARC committee.

I think the member must work at  http://www.debuginnovations.com/company_info.htm 
which is in Swavesey, near Cambridge, UK. I think this must be a start-up company, but I have no connections.

USA Microwave Meeting

11-14 OCTOBER : MICROWAVE UPDATE 2018

Holiday Inn Dayton, Fairborn, Ohio (near Dayton), USA. 

An international conference dedicated to microwave equipment design, construction, and operation. Hosted by The Midwest VHF/UHF Society, go to www.microwaveupdate.org/ for more information.

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

2m FT8

Yes, this is 2m!! It seems hard to believe that this is 2m. Already 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX this morning and dozens and dozens of stations spotted. Best DX is DF5VAE (902km).

Yet again my 2.5W CQ on FT8 to an omni was spotted in Cornwall as well as in lots of other places.

2m FT8 works!

Stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX today at 1622z

Sunspots - Tuesday October 9th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN is zero. A=21 and K=3

472kHz WSPR

The DX on 10m FT8 seems to have stopped, so I have QSYed to MF WSPR (10mW ERP from earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground).

So far, just a spot from M0XDK (80km).

African migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

The African migrant birds seem to have gone. Swifts went several weeks ago and house martins and swallows seem to have largely gone. There may be the odd straggler. It is just possible that one or two might try to stay over the winter near the coast. 

It is some weeks now since I last saw a swallow. Come next April, they will be back. In the meantime, safe journeys! 

Soon we might see migrants from the north, who think it is mild here!

Village Walk - NOT amateur radio

At the weekend, we did a walk in the village and my wife made this collage. Despite the size, it still feels like a village.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

Not a bad night.

Best DX on RX was EA7HPM (1726km) who was one of 11 different stations spotted. On TX (10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) I was spotted by 9 different stations.

10m FT8

This morning, I decided to go on 10m FT8. An earlier CQ was spotted by no-one, but on RX I have spotted 3 stations in 2 countries. Although these could be tropo, I suspect some are aircraft reflections.

UPDATE 0936z: Looks like I caught some 10m Es! A CQ (2.5W) on 10m FT8 was spotted in 3 southern European nations and EA1UY (1306km) was worked. In all 11 different stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1152z:  52 stations in 13 countries already spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Best DX is ZS6WB (9094km). Dead band?

UPDATE 1455z: CE5AUC (12196km) in Chile, South America now being spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1720z: VP8LP (12773km) in the Falkland Islands now being spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1930z: Pinch me! This really is sunspot minimum? So many DX stations on 10m FT8 RX today that I can hardly believe it.

Sunspots - Monday October 8th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number back to zero. A=26 and K=5.

MF WSPR

10m WSPR as been given up today as a lost cause and I am now on 472kHz (630m) WSPR with 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. G3KEV (232km) spotted, of course as he has huge antennas, and 3 spots of me.

UPDATE 2112z: So far this evening 9 spots of others with best DX LA8AV (1035km) and 3 spots of my 10mW ERP.

What a difference - 2m and 6m FT8

Outside of the Es season there is a huge difference between 2m FT8 and 6m FT8.  2m seems to be very busy indeed, whereas 6m FT8 is almost devoid of activity.

Any of my QRP CQs is spotted by loads of stations on 2m FT8 whereas I'd be very lucky to be spotted at all on 6m FT8. Although I have been on 6m FT8 all day, I have spotted just one station here. On 2m FT8 yesterday I had already spotted loads of stations in 7 countries in the same period.

During the Es season 6m FT8 is much busier. I guess 2m FT8 is a safe bet with tropo and aircraft reflection. It is a pity more don't stay on 6m outside the Es season to see how it behaves.

10m WSPR

As the HF antenna is available, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW). If I get any spots during the day it will be a bonus!

The beacon does not need a PC and is totally stand-alone. It is 100% TX but randomly changes frequency within the 200Hz window every 2 minutes. It has been on for about 20 minutes so far. No spots!

UPDATE 1830z: Still no spots. QRT soon.

St Ives (Cambridgeshire) - NOT amateur radio

My wife made this collage of our trip last week to St Ives (Cambs).

It makes a good summary of our trip, which is why it is included here.

At the top is the famous bridge and at the bottom is the market.

Sunspots - Sunday October 7th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN has returned to zero. A=6 and K=0.

6m FT8

It is now way outside of the main Es season, but I decided to try 6m FT8 today. The rig and PC went on about 0830z. I called CQ briefly, but got no spots. Nothing received either.

UPDATE 1744z: 11 stations in 3 countries so far today on 6m FT8 RX. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX today is CT7ANG (1801km).

More amateur VLF transmissions

Riccardo  IW4DXW has been doing more 8.27kHz VLF TX tests, but most stations in Europe have failed to decode him. 

Inspired by DK7FC, Stefan, he hopes to do some "guard rail" loop tests soon.

See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/

Transformation

The VHF station here on 2m is very modest consisting of an FT817ND and a big-wheel omni antenna on the side of the bungalow. For FM a V2000 triband vertical is used. There are no beams. The most power that can be run is 5W, although most times 2.5W is used.

Despite these restrictions, decent DX is worked in UKAC activity contests, no problems are experienced working 2m FM nets and 2m DX on FT8 RX and TX seems quite easy.  The latter mode seems to have transformed the band: DX that would never have been expected is now workable in flat conditions. Sometimes this is aircraft reflection and other times it is just flat band tropo i.e. normal flat conditions. Today, for example, my 2.5W 2m FT8 has been copied in Cornwall and Ulster.

FT8 worries many. Although it is a great mode for simple stations to spot and work DX, it needs a PC and special (albeit free) software. Years ago many chanced on amateur radio by picking up a local 160m AM station. These days this is very unlikely. Our hobby is changing and the appeal of new modes may not be enough to save it. There is no doubt that modes like FT8 are overall "a good thing", but we have to be careful.

BREXIT deal? - NOT amateur radio

Negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU were always going to be fraught and last minute. Both sides want the best compromise.  It now looks a bit more hopeful with more positive noises from the EU.

I am sure that most people in the UK were less than happy with unrestricted movement within the EU, but were happy with free trade within the EU.

If the EU had been a bit more willing to compromise on this, I suspect the referendum outcome might have been different. For this I blame David Cameron (UK Prime Minister at the time) and the EU officials who could not read the "mood music".  The UK has always been on the edge of the EU experiment.

In many countries the people of that nation want to have the final word over who works and lives in a particular nation.  The UK does not want unrestricted immigration. It wants to have the final decision and, in my view, this is quite reasonable. I say this as someone who voted "remain".

This does not mean stopping low skilled workers coming to work in fruit picking, hospitals and hospitality. It means they do not have an automatic right to stay here for ever just because they are EU citizens.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45768848

Homo Deus - NOT amateur radio

I have just finished reading "Homo Deus" by the author who also wrote "Sapiens". I have to admit that these two non-fiction books are perhaps the most thought provoking books I have ever read. "Sapiens" looks at the history of mankind and "Homo Deus" is a look into the future.

You may not agree, but the latter is certainly thought provoking. What is approaching is undeniable: vast amounts of data are known and now, or very soon, machines will be able to process and analyse these data far better than the human brain. Perhaps Homo Sapiens is not the ultimate being we once thought.

The main problem remains consciousness. What is it? What is its purpose? Can we ever understand why it exists?

All the time I am aware of how limited our world view is. According to these books religions are human inventions.

What is clear is how little we understand.

St Ives (Cambs) - NOT amateur radio

As reported yesterday, we went to St Ives on the guided busway. We noticed this pub as it had such a great display of real flowers outside. It is about 200m from the river.

Solar cycle 25

Having scanned what is available, my conclusion is that solar cycle 25 is expected to be much the same as cycle 24 i.e. not great. Perhaps it will be very slightly weaker.  The experts are also expecting the minimum to be quite long. Predictions are getting better, but this by no means an exact science.

This is probably the last peak I shall be around to see, so I hope it is reasonable.

See https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2018GL078387

2m FT8

My XYL had an early optician's appointment in Cambridge, so we were up early.

Yet again an early QRP CQ call was spotted in Cornwall as well as in the West Midlands. At the moment, at 0754z, 8 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX F6DBI (501km) in Brittany.

UPDATE 1038z: Now 24 stations spotted in 4 countries on 2m FT8 RX with the best DX IU2KXV (1004km). GI6ATZ (479km) was called, he spotted me on 2m FT8 with my 2.5W to the omni, and I gave him a minus 4dB S/N (strong). Then, before we could complete, he completely vanished. Could this have been aircraft reflection? I called and called but no luck.

UPDATE 1556z:  Now 40 stations in 8 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1830z: Now 45 stations in 8 countries on 2m FT8 RX. A brief CQ (2.5W to the omni) resulted in no QSOs but several spots. Best DX on 2m FT8 TX (2.5W) was G4RRA (334km).

UPDATE 1950z: A brief CQ (2.5W) was copied by 9 stations including G7RAU (461km), yet again, in Cornwall. This path rarely fails, although I have no explanation why this seems to work with such consistency.

UPDATE 2025z: Another good day on 2m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX

Sunspots - Saturday October 6th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the SSN is 11.  A=8 and K=1.

Low cost spectrum analysers

In my working life spectrum analysers were very useful, but expensive. MLS do mail shots near the weekend and this is no exception. I see this time they are featuring certain accessories including some low cost spectrum analysers. I expect these are a poor substitute for the machines I used, but these are just a fraction of the cost.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

St Ives (Cambs) - NOT amateur radio

Today we went to St Ives in Cambridgeshire on the guided busway. It was a great journey, free with our bus passes! St Ives is a decent UK market town by the river. Today was market day.