Interesting blog - EI7GL

John EI7GL in southern Eire has a very interesting blog and he usually posts the DX he is copying there on 10m. This is lots of other stuff too.

Judging by his results, I suspect my antenna is several dB down on his, at least in some directions.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/

6m FT8 RX today

After yesterday's success, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. As someone said, some of the signals copied here may have been aircraft reflections. Some may have been ordinary "flat band" tropo. As yet, no spots received here today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1315z: So far, 7 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX OH0Z (1498km) in the Aland Islands.

UPDATE 1652z: So far today 18 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Mostly G plus a couple of EU stations, probably Es but just possibly aircraft reflections.

Stations spotted here today on 6m FT8 RX 

with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

UPDATE 2140z:  In all, 26 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Saturday April 13th 2019

Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number 14. A=8 and K=3.

If we really are on the way down still, these are still pretty respectable numbers at this part of the cycle. Are the experts really correct?

New amateur ULF distance record

Paul Nicholson posted this on a Facebook group earlier:

"After much computing effort by Jacek Lipkowski SQ5BPF, Stefan's 2970.1 Hz message sent on 6th April was successfully decoded from well beneath the noise in Warsaw, 975km away - a new amateur radio distance record at ULF. Eb/N0 was -0.4dB."

Stefan DK7FC is in Germany and is a great VLF/ULF experimenter.

Wow! - NOT amateur radio

Today my wife took one of our our sons and one of our grandsons to the Zoology Museum in Cambridge. As you can see he was blown away!

This museum was recently refurbished. It is very child-friendly with free entry.

G3RJV - special SPRAT

As you may recall, the Rev George Dobbs, one of the founders of the GQRP club died recently. To many of us he was an inspiration. Certainly I owe him a lot.

This morning I received a very special SPRAT, the magazine of the GQRP club. This special edition was filled with tributes to this great radio amateur. As the years roll on, I hope we can continue to work QRP in his honour.

See http://www.gqrp.com/

Slowly creeping up?

Every few days I take a look at narrowband activity on the geostationary Oscar 100 satellite using the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall. Although activity seems to be slowly creeping up, activity levels are much lower than I expected.

A few minutes ago I counted 8 SSB transmissions. Some were CQ calls and some QSOs. OK, at first it is bound to be microwave enthusiasts and it will be some time before traditional HF types wake up to it.

I suspect some will never join the fun unless there are commercial offerings equivalent to a "shack in a box" starting to appear. After all, if you can afford several thousands for a rig, a tower, beam, rotator and linear, then an Oscar 100 set up with 1 or 2 small fixed dishes with no noise or neighbour issues is a bargain. Don't forget DX from South America to SE Asia is available at any time without QSB. A few watts and a small satellite dish are all that are needed.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/  .

Solar minimum

So the experts disagree! This sounds like BREXIT. One prediction thinks the solar minimum could further deepen. Another thinks we are already past!

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/solar-minimum-will-be-long-and-deep-experts-predict.htm#.XLCd5PZFy00

6m FT8 RX surprise

Today, I am on 6m FT8 RX on 50.313MHz.

I was quite expecting to spot no-one at all. Instead, 6 Gs spotted so far. My antenna is the V2000 vertical omni with low cost (lossy!) CB cable.

UPDATE 1415z: So far today 17 stations in 3 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX HB9SHD (761km).

UPDATE 1846z: 22 stations in 3 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Far better than I was expecting. The photo shows the stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

Spring garden - NOT amateur radio

Our back garden is probably at its best in spring with blossom and fresh green leaves as the picture shows. Blossom is ephemeral: it lasts a few weeks and then is gone.

Sunspots - Friday April 12th 2019

Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 13. A=7 and K=1.

6m FT8

This evening is the 6m leg of the RSGB organised activity contest. So I QSYed from 10m FT8 RX to 6m SSB. With my vertical antenna, I heard nothing at all in the short time I was on, so I QSYed to 50.313MHz FT8 RX. It must be nearly a 9 months since I was on this mode on 6m. Although I shall remain on all night and tomorrow, it is quite possible nothing will be spotted.

UPDATE 2037z: Although not uploaded to PSKreporter (don't ask me why) I see that G4FKA (207km) has been spotted. I am calling him, but doubt this station will copy me. G4FKA is now on PSKreporter.

UPDATE 2117z: Now 6m FT8 RX only.

Lancasters - NOT amateur radio

In WW2 my dad (he died in 1987) was a flight engineer in a Pathfinder Squadron flying Lancasters. He rarely wanted to talk about his war, but looking back he must have been so brave and so scared.

Today my wife took our younger son and one of our grandsons to see the Lancaster, and other planes, at Duxford. The photo shows 3 generations: my dad, our son, and one of our grandsons.

UK Rallies this Sunday

Sunday 14 APRIL : WEST LONDON RADIO & ELECTRONICS SHOW (Kempton Rally)

Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5AQ. A talk-in station will be on air. Car parking is free and doors open at 10am with df disabled visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy as well as special interest groups and lectures. Catering is available on site. More details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351, info@radiofairs.co.uk. www.radiofairs.co.uk.


Sunday 14 APRIL : HACK GREEN BUNKER RALLY

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, French Lane, Hack Green, Nr Nantwich, Baddington, Cheshire CW5 8AL. Sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. Doors open 10am, there will be refreshments available onsite. Contact 01270 623 353, coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk www.hackgreen.co.uk.


Sunday 14 APRIL : RIPON RADIO RALLY

Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, HG4 2PT. Doors open 10am. Refreshments will be available on site. Information and table booking form on the website www.ripon.org.uk Contact rally@ripon.org.uk for further information.


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

Return to 10m FT8

A few minutes ago I returned to 10m FT8, calling CQ (2.5W) initially, then RX only. No spots!

UPDATE 1157z: 9 stations in 6 EU countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1437z: 10m FT8 RX springs back to life! So far today, 53 stations spotted including 3 South Americans . There was also a 6W (Senegal) that did not get uploaded to PSKreporter. Certainly the best day here this year already.

UPDATE 1619z: Now 57 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. 10m seems to be returning to life. The photo shows the stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX (to 1619z). Not sure if the South Americans are F2 or F2+Es. There was reasonable Es in the right direction at the time.

Sunspots - Thursday April 11th 2019

Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 13. A=14 and K=3.

Night off

For the first time in several days, I was not on last night. We have family here , so they take priority. Usually I go on 160m FT8 RX or 630m WSPR transceive evenings and overnight. Shortly, I shall be on 10m FT8.

Garden bench - NOT amateur radio

Our garden bench is very old, so we bought a new one that was delivered today. Of course it came flat packed, so we had the "joy" of assembling it. It actually was quite easy to assemble and looks good. The photo show the partially assembled bench.

10m FT8

There are tentative signs that 10m is returning to better times. The Es season in the northern hemisphere is just starting and there are some N-S "real DX" paths opening more often. Even poorer stations like mine are catching N-S "real DX".

I have been back on 10m FT8 RX since about 0805z, although no spots as yet.

UPDATE 1415z: So far today, 17 stations spotted in 8 EU countries. Es seems to be back.

160m FT8 RX overnight

Not a bad night with 4 North Americans and 1 South American spotted with best DX spotted PY7RP (7457km).

Stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX overnight 

using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 10th 2019

Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 12. A=10 and K=4.

160m FT8 RX

Using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, 91 stations spotted so far this evening with the best DX spot being RV0AR (5577km) in Asiatic Russia.

70cm activity contest

This evening was the monthly UKAC 70cm activity contest. Using 5W and the 2m big-wheel omni and being on for about 50 minutes, I made 5 QSOs. Best DX was G8DVK (135km).

70cm QSOs this evening in the UKAC

OFCOM - Welsh board member

With a name like David Jones he could hardly be a board member for Scotland!

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2019/david-jones-appointed-first-ofcom-board-member-for-wales?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=David%20Jones%20appointed%20as%20first%20Ofcom%20Board%20member%20for%20Wales&utm_content=David%20Jones%20appointed%20as%20first%20Ofcom%20Board%20member%20for%20Wales+CID_6f6620a0d34f2dc5447a98220b4c1e5b&utm_source=updates&utm_term=news%20release

Turing Plaque - NOT amateur radio

Alan Turing is perhaps the most well known code breaker of WW2. There were others, arguably even more important, that we hear little about such as Bill Tutte. This plaque to Alan Turing is on a wall in Cambridge, not too far from Kings.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._T._Tutte

Move to the right? - NOT amateur radio

In recent years we have seen a move to more right-wing political parties. This has occurred in several European countries, in the USA and Israel to name just a few.

Generally people are frustrated with their politicians and are voting for parties that might, just might, do something about this. Now, my political position is centralist. I am a floating voter and am all for moderate leaders and policies. I am definitely not right wing.

Personally, I see the move to the right as an existential threat to the EU. It may not happen overnight, but I can see countries in the EU electing right wing governments and a "let's make our country great again" attitude. We can never go back to the 1950s. We live in a connected world, more interconnected than ever.

In my view, nations need to be more aware of this drift.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

Even though the season is ending, I went on 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP) again overnight. 6 stations spotted me and I spotted 4 stations.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

10m FT8

Rather later than usual, I have turned on 10m FT8. At first I called CQ (2.5W) getting no spots, but now I am RX only. So far just G4CJC (74km) spotted. There are several G stations I regularly spot on 10m FT8. I suspect these are normal "no lift" tropo.

UPDATE 1130z: IT9FSH (2051km) spotted. Es?

UPDATE 1515z: As well as 29 EU stations ZP4KFX (10278km) is also being spotted here on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 9th 2019

There are indications/hints that we are now past the worse of the solar minimum and starting the long climb.

Solar flux is 78 (higher than for some time) and the SSN 12.  A=13 and K=2.

472kHz WSPR

A few minutes ago, I returned to 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP 20% TX) using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It usually takes about 20 minutes for TX to settle and drift drops to essentially 0Hz. The lightening risk seems low now. At the moment I am spotting 3 stations and 2 are spotting me. Best DX on RX is LA8AV (1035km).

Lightning

A few moments ago I thought I saw a flash of lightning. I may have been mistaken, but it made me check the UK lightning map.  According to this it is further west and moving away. Taking no chances, everything has been disconnected, at least for the next hour or so. If everything looks OK, I may try 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP) later.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?bo_page=map&bo_showmap=uk&bo_period=0.25&lang=en

Seed? - NOT amateur radio

By no means am I an expert of seeds and the like!

This "thing" was found on the ground at St Johns College Cambridge earlier today.

It was about 4cms across. It looks like some sort of tree seed case, but I could easily be wrong.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Only some are interested, and that I can understand, but I have updated the page about the after-effects of my 2013 stroke.

If you are interested the updated version is at:

https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/stroke

It was updated April 8th 2019.

10m FT8 again

My usual pattern is to go on 10m FT8 in the day and either 630m WSPR or 160m FT8 at night. I shall soon have to think about 6m. I have been on 10m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially and then RX only for about 10 minutes. Guess what? No spots.

UPDATE 1152z: Looks like we may be seeing some Es with 3 stations spotted including EA3AXV (1213km).

UPDATE 1555z: 6 stations in 3 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX so far today, all EU. Possibly some tropo, some aircraft reflection and some Es.

Philosophical question - NOT amateur radio

Every now and again, I ask myself a philosophical question.

This time it is about the nature of time. We usually think of time being a linear thing going from the past into the future. We assume our memories are records of past events. However, it is entirely possible that time is an illusion. Perhaps we think we have memories, but these are illusory. Indeed, our awareness of space may be an illusion.

One thing we know is how limited our brains are. Every year we seem to learn new things about our universe(s). In 50 years' time we may look back and say, "did they really believe that?".

Imagine you were suddenly back in 1819. Would you have believed in aircraft, moon landings, the internet, radio, TV and quantum physics? Even in 20 years things have changed a great deal. My wife is reading a book written in 1995, when pagers were the "in thing" and nobody could imagine how mobile phones and the internet would develop.

What will we take for granted in 2119 that we know nothing about today?

160m FT8 overnight

In all, 302 stations were spotted overnight on 160m FT8 RX with the best being KV4FZ (6764km) in the Caribbean. 5 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight.

Stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX overnight 

using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

5.6GHz ATV

Apparently it is easy and low cost to get on 5.6GHz ATV using drone modules available on the internet. A figure of £20 was quoted. A very useful point of reference is this wiki:

https://wiki.batc.org.uk/5.6_GHz

Local to me G3KKD has 5.6GHz gear amongst others.

Sunspots - Monday April 8th 2019

Solar flux is 76 today and the sunspot number 11. A=5and K=3.

160m FT8 RX

For the last few hours, I have been on 160m FT8 RX. At the moment it looks like recent evenings with lots of Europeans coming through. It will be interesting to see how many North Americans are spotted. At 2118z 154 stations have been spotted this evening.

Stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX 

using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

.

That hum - NOT amateur radio

A fair proportion of people say they can hear a very low frequency audio hum. I can hear it. I have heard it from very early morning (about 5.30am UK time) until now. At first I thought it was someone's washing machine, or perhaps a plane.

Could it be the distant noise of traffic? Low audio frequencies may propagate through rocks. It is a very low level, but definitely there. It is worse today than I recall. Weather conditions are a little misty and we can sometimes hear traffic on the A14 road (about 2 miles away) clearly on misty days, which must allow audio signals to propagate further. Normally we do not hear A14 traffic.

I expect someone could "see it" with suitable audio transducers and software.