160m FT8 RX

Just now I moved from 10m to 160m FT8. When I left 10m, it was very busy with Europeans. Right at the start, 160m FT8 was busy with Europeans such as UB5 and OH.  Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1824z: So far 22 European spots.

UPDATE 2154z: Too many Europeans to count! First North American copied on 160m FT8 RX was VA2WA (5115km).

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

One thing everyone in the UK can agree on about BREXIT is, "this is a fine mess". The world must be looking at the UK and thinking how stupid we must be!  I am sure there is brinkmanship going on on the part of the EU and UK government, but at the moment we are heading (by mistake) for a no-deal BREXIT that no-one wants.

The EU does a lot of trade with the UK and we need EU low skilled workers in our fields, care homes and hospitals. The EU will miss our money going into the pot. The EU is desperate for other nations not to leave. Time will tell how this will pan out.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46617152 .

MW broadcasters going?

Several broadcasters are leaving MW, instead concentrating on FM, DAB or the internet. The latest reported via Southgate News is a Belgian broadcaster on 621kHz.

This will eventually free up spectrum, perhaps for amateurs (?), but it also means the end of reception on extremely simple receivers like crystal sets.

I well remember falling asleep listening on my crystal set.

10m FT8 for the day

A few moments ago I QSYed to 10m FT8 for the day. No spots yet.  We'll see if there is any activity! Maybe a few Gs?

UPDATE 1123z: No spots yet.

UPDATE 1448z: 5 spots so far on 10m FT8 RX with best DX VP8LP (12773km) in the Falkland Is. Oh, by the way this is sunspot minimum!!

UPDATE 1758z: Loads of Europeans as well. The photo shows the 10m FT8 RX spots so far today. Soon be time to QSY to 160m FT8 RX.

Roses - NOT amateur radio

These roses on our kitchen table were bought a week ago by one of our sons for my wife. They are still going strong.

Santas - NOT amateur radio

My wife spotted these yesterday. Soon be Christmas. Bah humbug!

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Overnight, 20 North American stations (best yet this season) were spotted on 160m FT8 RX with the best DX being KC6AWX (8553km) in California.

Stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight

Yet again, I was using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I think this behaves like a loop with best pickup E-W i.e. off the ends of the loop.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 19th 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN zero. A=7 and K=1.

Clunch outhouse - NOT amateur radio

My mind is confused and I don't think this has been posted before. If it has been on before, my apologies!

Close to our house is an out-house, or maybe dove-cote, made of clunch (a sort of chalk) that was badly damaged by our hot summer. Big cracks appeared and now it is being rebuild using the same stones. The photo shows before rebuilding started.

1.8MHz FT8 RX

For the evening and overnight, I am monitoring topband FT8 RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.  So far, I have been on 160m for about 30 minutes. Most stations spotted so far are northern Europeans.  Best DX so far is OH3FM (1777km).

UPDATE 2200z: First North American spotted on 160m FT8 RX tonight was VO1IDX (3752km) at 2139z. Lots of Europeans.

Stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX until 2200z.

OFCOM to release new "airwaves" (sic)

Gosh! 700MHz and 3.6GHz spectrum to be auctioned. OFCOM provides such a useful service.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/infrastructure-research/connected-nations-2018

Manned lunar missions - NOT amateur radio

It seems amazing to me that the first manned landing on the moon was in 1969 when I was still at university! Looking back, it all seemed so routine, whereas we had no real idea how dangerous these missions were. Just think of the computing "power" we had back then. The fact that no-one has been back since the early 1970s speaks volumes.

I well remember that photo of earthrise taken by the crew of Apollo 8 in December 1968. It was stunning. Apollo 8 was the first manned trip around the moon. It did not land.

When will the next manned mission to the moon be and when will man go to Mars?

2m FT8 RX

Yet again, I am monitoring 2m FT8. Already 7 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX DF6PW (633km). This sort of DX is spotted every day on 2m with this mode.

UPDATE 1219z: Now 12 stations in 4 countries spotted today so far on 2m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 18th 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number zero. A=6 and K=1.

OFCOM again

OFCOM has just announced licence fees for mobile operators from the end of January.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/130547/Statement-Annual-licence-fees-for-900-MHz-and-1800-MHz.pdf

Simple minds! - NOT amateur radio

A few weeks ago we bought a new clock for the hall. Every hour (not 2200-0500z) it plays a different birdsong briefly on the hour. Every time in makes a noise we laugh.

Simple things please simple minds!

Candlelit Carols - NOT amateur radio

Every Christmas our village church holds a carol service by candlelight. It is magical and usually packed. Whether a Christian or not, this sort of service marks the real start of Christmas.

Personally, I am unsure what I believe. The only thing I know is how little I know! Life/death/the universe are all mysteries. When we die I have no idea what, if anything, of "me" survives. Maybe my brain has evolved to the complex organ it is over billions of years. Perhaps we really just do return to dust. All I know is how little I understand. If anyone claims they know all the answers they are deluded. Maybe all religions are just attempts at answering "ultimate" questions.

Sunspots - Monday December 17th 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0. A=2 and K=2.

2m FT8

Overnight, I remained on 2m FT8 RX. Even when the contest was over, there was still plenty of DX around. Most people appear have moved to WSJT-X V2.0 now.

Best DX at the moment is GW6TEO (371km) in west Wales.

UPDATE 1124z:  10 different stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX with best DX DF6PW (633km).

UPDATE 1634z: Now 30 stations in 6 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1832z: Now 36 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1902z: These are the stations spotted today on the 2m big-wheel omni antenna on 2m FT8 RX.

VLF earth-mode transmitter

Before my 2013 stroke I enjoyed experimenting with VLF. Quite a few European amateurs were copied. This required special software, very narrow bandwidths and very long integration time. Casual listening does not work with very weak amateur signals!

In TX I was restricted, but did some useful experiments with VLF earth-mode. Best DX with 5W QRSS was 6km.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vlf/8-97khz-earth-mode-transmitter

Pre-Christmas drinks and nibbles - NOT amateur radio

As it is Christmas, we had the neighbours around for drinks and nibbles. Nothing fancy. I think everyone enjoyed it.

Brother-in-Law visit - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, I mentioned that we had had a visit for one night from my wife's brother and his wife. This is a photo of them.

2m contest

There is a contest currently on 2m (MGM). I am monitoring FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna.

Best DX was DF6PW (633km). Currently 6 countries spotted this morning. At the moment, nothing special: these sort of distances are possible every day by aircraft reflection on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1540z: I think the contest ended at 1400z. Busy on 2m FT8, but perhaps not much different to a normal "flat" day?

UPDATE 2107z: Still on 2m FT8 and still spotting good DX, presumably via aircraft.

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

As well as loads and loads of Europeans and 2 stations just north of Mongolia, 4 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 RX last night using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Most stations seem to be using WSJT-X V2.0 now.

Sunspots - Sunday December 16th 2018

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 12. A=2 and K=0. Just a hint that the climb has started.

Birthday gifts - NOT amateur radio

Around this time both my wife and I become 70. My wife's birthday was at the end of November and mine is in a week's time, just before Christmas. My wife's brother and his wife came to stay and gave us some great gifts.

Storing intermittent grid energy - NOT amateur radio

This is the "holy grail" of renewable energy. These days solar and wind energy are cost effective, but they are not always there when you need them. Crack storage and renewables will be the way to go. There just may be an answer. At the moment this is an MIT project.

Steve G1KQH may have to close his eyes!

See https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/molten-silicon-stores-excess-grid-energy?utm_source=Elektor+International+%28English%29&utm_campaign=afd6eb7863-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_12_13_2018_11_34&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_23bd160f48-afd6eb7863-234067237&mc_cid=afd6eb7863&mc_eid=b5d6dac1e2

160m FT8 RX

About an hour ago I QSYed to 160m FT8 RX from 10m FT8 RX. As on previous evenings lots of Europeans, although many now seem to have swapped to WSJT-X V2.0.

Too late, I found out I missed the start of the 2m MGM contest with lots of FT8 activity. I may give it a try on Sunday morning.

UPDATE 2019z: Lost count of the Europeans spotted om 160m FT8 this evening.

UPDATE 2110z: No North Americans yet on 160m FT8, but best DX is UA0SC (6428km) in Asiatic Russia.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Last night was not bad. In total I was spotted by 13 different stations and I spotted 16 different stations.

10m FT8

For the last few minutes, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, just  PA8MC (404km) spotted.

UPDATE 1710z:  No further spots today here.

QRP Club magazine - Vestnik

The new edition of Vestnik (Reporter) of the QRPclub is available now online.

See http://club72.su/vestnik/qv16.pdf

OFCOM and UK broadband

Please wake me up - is OFCOM about to do something useful? Surely I must be dreaming. Yesterday they announced they plan to force broadband providers to tell their customers when they can get
faster speeds. A good idea.  At present they are consulting. I hope to respond later.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/130378/Consultation-helping-consumers-get-better-deals.pdf

Sunspots - Saturday December 15th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

Am I imagining things or is the sun just starting to wake? Of course, this could just be a blip.

10m FT8

Today is my first outing on 10m using the newly fully released WSJT-X V2.0. As yet no spots. I called CQ earlier, but no spots.

If I am lucky, I might see a few Gs later, but I am not expecting much: to decode there has to be activity on 10m FT8 and they have to be using V2.0. As we are at sunspot minimum there is not much activity on 10m currently (sadly), so my chances are low.

Sunspots - Friday December 14th 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=0.

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

A week ago very few were using WSJT-X V2.0. Now a great many are using the new 77 bit FT8 protocol. As well as countless Europeans and some Asiatic Russians, 6 North Americans spotted with the new FT8 protocol with best DX AA7A (8369km) in New Mexico, USA.

Once again using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 160m FT8 with this "antenna" is astounding me.

It seems most have now switched to the new standard.
See https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html.  Look for WSJT-X V2.0.

Geminid meteor shower

A reminder that this peaks tonight, so often MS DX is possible using the ionised trails of meteors as they burn up. Try 2m perhaps with  MSK144 or FT8.

OFCOM and 700MHz

OFCOM has updated progress on freeing up spectrum at 700MHz.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/129933/Statement-700-MHz-clearance.pdf

160m FT8 RX (WSPR-X V2.0)

A few minutes ago I turned on 160m FT8 RX using WSPR-X V2.0. So far, 6 stations in 4 countries spotted.

It looks if more people are moving to V2.0.

UPDATE 1839z: 27 stations in 12 countries so far this evening.

472kHz WSPR

Only now have I turned off 472kHz WSPR. I have turned all off rigs, but expect to be on 160m FT8 later. As I am using WSJT-X V2.0, the latest released version,now there may be far fewer spots until everyone moves over. V2.0 cannot decode earlier versions and many will still be using the older versions.

In the last day on 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP) I was spotted by 11 different stations and I spotted 17 different stations. For now, I am having a rest!