2m UKAC results

The results of the October 2m activity contest (UKAC) have been published. In the low power section I have moved up to 76th out of 190, despite being active for less than an hour and just using the big-wheel. In my view, this is a fun contest.

Grass cut - NOT amateur radio

Although still dull, it was dryish, so I cut the lawns.

The garden is starting to look quite autumnal with several trees losing leaves.

The photo shows the back lawn earlier.

Poor night on 472kHz WSPR

Last night was a poor one on 472kHz WSPR. Both on RX and TX (10mW ERP to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) there were far fewer spots. I am wondering if after several days of rain, the soil conductivity is higher so the effective loop size in the ground is much smaller? Or were conditions just poorer?

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR here

Martin G8JNJ modelled my ground loop at 475kHz and got the "gain" as -33dBi. This seems about right and it maybe even worse!

UPDATE 1338z: I have been on 472kHz WSPR all day. Spots received up to 203km in daylight and I have spotted some new stations on 472kHz WSPR RX.

Earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

For some years now I have used this antenna system successfully on the VLF, LF and MF bands. It certainly works and has worked as high as 60m, although this high I am unsure how much is the "loop in the ground" and how much is from the wire just above the ground. If you don't have space for a big antenna and earth on 160m, 630m or 2200m, you might want to give this a try.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas

Sunspots - Tuesday October 15th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR

Although I have spotted several stations, including multiple spots of LA8AV (1035km), not a single spot of my 10mW ERP so far. This seems a little odd. By now, I would have expected some spots.

UPDATE 2043z: I restarted WSJT-X and resynced the clock and was spotted by 2E0ILY (209km). Was this just coincidence?

2m FT8

As 6m was not showing much promise, I have moved up to 2m FT8 using the FT817ND and the big-wheel. I am getting suspicious of PSKreporter maps today as no spots (of my 2m FT8 CQ) appeared and neither were several calls by G0GGG on 6m which were copied here locally.

Stations that spotted my 2m FT8 CQ 

(2.5W to big-wheel) this afternoon

UPDATE 1456z: Now getting my usual spots from Cornwall and Northern Ireland on 2m FT8 despite just running 2.5W to the big-wheel. I suspect there was a short problem with PSK reporter. Also seeing 2m FT8 stations in Belgium and The Netherlands.

UPDATE 1639z: So far today, 17 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX here.

6m FT8

Laziness again!

Using the FT817ND at 2.5W to the V2000 vertical antenna, I am again on 6m FT8. G0GGG in IO81 square (Warminster) was calling an SM in Sweden. My own CQ calls were spotted by no-one.

UPDATE 1410z: No spots.

Pagers: SO dated now! - NOT amateur radio

About 20 years ago I was in charge of the RF development for the Cobalt FLEX pager for the USA, that was manufactured in Mexico.

We had an excellent bunch of developers who could probably have designed anything in RF. Instead, Philips got out of paging and made a hash of mobile phones.

The photo shows the team at a dinner after the development was completed.

472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP)

Overnight I was spotted by 15 different receiving stations, although a few were the same stations running different systems. This was the first time this season when my signal was not decoded in Norway. So far this autumn I have received spots from 28 different receiving stations as the table shows. As usual, I am using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) so far this autumn

On 472kHz WSPR receive I have so far copied 22 stations here. I think this is the first time my TX results have bettered my RX results. My noise floor is low, so I guess there must be fewer active TX stations in range.

World Cup rugby - NOT amateur radio

Although not a great rugby fan, I see that Japan beat Scotland yesterday 28-21. The game was in doubt because of the typhoon. At least the match took place and the host nation goes on.

BREXIT deal coming? - NOT amateur radio

Although it is hard to tell, I get the feeling that the UK and EU are struggling to reach a last minute deal.

The UK leaving the EU without a deal would be messy and almost certainly not good for the UK or the EU. No doubt we will find out more this week. Likewise, further delay cannot be good.

UPDATE 1244z:  The UK pound has been falling all morning. I guess the markets are scared of a no-deal this week.

Optical communications

G4HJW's over the horizon 

(9km disatan) optical signal

Before my 2013 stroke, I really enjoyed my experiments out in the field with homebrew optical kit. Everything was home made: the electronics, the optics and even some of the test gear. This really is an area that is ideal for simple homebrewing. Sadly, I am too wobbly to do field work these days.  Truthfully, all the gear can be made in the "back of the garage" (mine was!) and it is easier than microwaves as all you need is a scope, multimeter and a weak LED source.

My "specialisation" was over the horizon weak optical signals. I managed to reach 8.1km non line-of-sight using a 481THz red LED with QRSS3. Nothing at all could be seen in the sky, yet there was perfect decoding on the PC. Had I been fit, I am sure much further would have been possible. As there were no clouds, I think this was clear air scattering.

What was needed was a much better tripod which was more stable and could be repeatably set in the right direction. My cheap tripod was wobbly and far from suitable. Accurate alignment is important. Once aligned there was the signal.

G4HJW's signal was way above the noise at 9km non line-of-sight (see photo above).

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/optical

Iceland church - NOT amateur radio

We went to Iceland for a holiday in 2011, not knowing what to expect. We thought it would be barren, but instead it was green mostly with lots of lupins to be seen. We very much liked it.

Several churches were seen, often heated geothermally, including the one in the photo.

If you get a chance, do go there. When we went in August, it was not cold. In fact in one of the towns in the north people took off their shirts!

Sunspots - Monday October 14th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=2.

Return to 472kHz WSPR

At about 1815z, I returned to 472kHz WSPR using my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Already I have been spotted by 4 stations with the best spot being by F5WK (364km).

Fridge - NOT amateur radio

For some reason people have a fascination with looking in the fridges of other people.

Ours is as boring as most are!

Web SDRs

Even if your local noise level is high, you can still take a look at the HF bands by using a web based SDR RX. A good place to start is http://www.websdr.org/ . This has links to many SDR receivers around the world, so you can even listen to the bands as if you were elsewhere on the planet.

Webpage about 2m FT8

On my main website is a page about 2m FT8.  This mode has transformed 2m.  There is probably less SSB and CW operation, but every day, irrespective of conditions, DX that was previously unimaginable with QRP becomes possible. Almost without fail my QRP is copied at any time in Cornwall and Northern Ireland. This seems more like "flat band" tropo than aircraft, which would only work at certain times.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2m-ft8

80m chirps?

Southgate News has a report from the IARU about odd chirps that have recently appeared on 80m.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/october/mysterious-chirps-in-80m-band.htm

2m FT8

Although I have been on 2m FT8 overnight there are no spots yet this morning.

UPDATE 0935z: So far 24 stations in 6 countries spotted on 2m FT8 with best DX being DK1FG (815km).

UPDATE 1205z: A recent 2m FT8 CQ (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna) was spotted by 7 stations. G1BHM (355km) in Devon was worked. In all 33 stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE  1229z: As an experiment, I set the FT817ND to 500mW and called FT8 CQ. I  was still copied by 3 stations with the best being G1BHM (355km) in Devon. With 2m FT8, you definitely do not need high power or big beams!   On 2m FT8 RX, 35 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1326z: Now 37 stations spotted here today on 2m FT8 RX with the big wheel.

UPDATE 1712z: Now 58 stations in 8 countries spotted so far today using the FT817ND and the big-wheel omni antenna. The maps shows the stations so far received today on 2m FT8 RX.

Richard Dawkins - NOT amateur radio

Richard Dawkins is now 78. In his lifetime he has expressed some extreme views and termed religions as outdated or similar. I have admit to agreeing with many of his views.

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

Mechanical TV in the 21st century

When TV first appeared it was a 30 line mechanical system pioneered by John Logie Baird. These days there are still 30 line TV enthusiasts, although now PCs can be used to do line conversion and reception.

See https://www.taswegian.com/NBTV/forum/
See also http://www.tvdawn.com/background/

The mystery of consciousness - NOT amateur radio

All humans are conscious beings who can contemplate our pasts and futures. We do not know about other animals.  As it is highly likely we evolved from animal species, it highly probable (at least) some animals are conscious and aware of themselves as we humans are.

In all the vastness of our observable universe, we are here on this planet at this time.

At some point in the future we may be able to explain what consciousness is. For now, it remains a total mystery. Is it linked to our physical body?

Sunspots - Sunday October 13th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number still 0. A=13 and K=3.

2m FT8

OK, I admit it. I am lazy!

As it saved unplugging the lead from my SignaLink USB to the rig, I went on 2m FT8 using the FT817ND rather than the FT991A, so power was 2.5W. Even so, my brief FT8 CQ was spotted by 5 stations with best being GI6ATZ (479km) in N. Ireland at -16dB S/N. G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall seems to spot me every time! I should try with 100mW to see if he still spots me!

On 2m FT8 RX the best station spotted here was G1BHM (355km). Again, I am just using the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 1528z: Now 19 stations in 6 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last few hours.

UPDATE 1606z: Now 22 stations in 6 countries spotted so far this afternoon on 2m FT8 RX. My very recent 2.5W FT8 CQ was again spotted in N. Ireland and Cornwall. I am sure the 43 element at G7RAU must help!

2m FT8 RX so far today.

UPDATE 2002z: Now 37 stations in 8 countries spotted in the last 5 hours on 2m FT8 RX using the FT817ND and the big-wheel omni antenna. Best DX today on 2m FT8 RX is DK6JU (529km).

Summer migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

At the end of September we visited our son near Canterbury. There were plenty of young swallows overhead getting ready to migrate south. Already most of the summer migrants have flown south. By now most have gone. It will be March or April next year before we see them again.

Network radios

At the moment we are at sunspot minimum and conditions on the higher HF bands are poor. If you look, there is still some DX there, but it is much harder to find than a few years ago.

Conditions will soon start to improve, but in the meantime some will turn to network radios. These look like typical 2m or 70cm rigs, but use the internet to connect.  They can be useful to connect to distant repeaters via Echolink.

Portable network radios have antennas, PTTs and batteries and look and feel like conventional radios. Although I have owned a network radio for over a year, it hardly ever get used. They may appeal to some.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/network

Extinction Rebellion - NOT amateur radio

There is no doubt in my mind that the climate IS changing.

The overwhelming evidence points to man having a great influence, although that matters less than changing habits to minimise the impact of rising temperatures. Renewables are now far cheaper than they were.

In the UK, there was criticism over recent actions by Extinction Rebellion activists causing disruption in London. As in HK, activists risk alienating the very people they seek to influence. Certainly climate change is now being talked about. A year ago it was talked about far less.

I am not sure what I think. What is needed is a big change in transport, heating, food and other things across the world. This will involve subtle changes brought about by gradually persuading people to change habits. In my mind this will happen. I just hope this happens soon enough.

Recovering lawn - NOT amateur radio

Today it is a wet miserable autumn day. In summer 2018 a lot of our grass died in the heat. I reseeded the bare patches and the lawn has largely recovered. This summer was nothing like as hot and dry as 2018. Any remaining bits will be reseeded.

The light strip is because I put down too much feed. Hopefully this will recover over the winter.

To Norway again on 472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

So far this season my QRPP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 472kHz has reached Norway on every occasion. Overnight LA8AV (1035km) spotted me 4 times! He must have a very low noise level. The table shows the results overnight.

Sunspots - Saturday October 12th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=2.

Another Beatles recording? - NOT amateur radio

Looking back, I was one of the rare people who saw the Beatles live on stage. This was in 1964 in Torquay before they became really famous.

It is just possible that the two remaining Beatles could make a recording together. Back in 2017, Ringo and Sir Paul appeared on Twitter together.

My wife did her teaching practice in a junior school where some of the Beatles went. She also helped at Strawberry Fields and banked on Penny Lane.

Return to 472kHz WSPR

After a few days' break, I have returned to WSPR on 472kHz. As before, I am using about 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I am on RX 75% of the time and 25% on TX. After the initial TX period, no spots.

UPDATE 2128z: 3 spots on RX so far.

UK VHF/UHF-only beginners licence?

Southgate News has a piece on a possible "beginners licence" to encourage VHF/UHF activity. This would be non-technical and with restrictions on power and bands. Certainly a casual look at our VHF and UHF bands would suggest these are not well used and maybe we should be encouraging use of these bands. Back in the 1980s, these bands were busy.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/october/new-uk-entry-level-licence-proposed.htm

Bill's - NOT amateur radio

Back in the summer we had a bad experience at Bill's in Peterborough. Bill's is a big cafe chain and they usually quite good.

I wrote to explain our disappointment and they offered us a free meal for 2 in the Bill's in Cambridge. We went there for lunch today and they worked hard to make amends. The service and the food were fine.

Of all the places to eat in Cambridge our favourite is still Cote Brasserie, They offer good fixed price menus of either 2 or 3 courses. Every month they vary the menu.

Non-scientific research - NOT amateur radio

As I was in Cambridge today, I felt compelled to carry out some research.

As I stood outside a shop in Cambridge today I observed the use of mobile phones by young people. Older people tend not to use mobile phones as much. My method was to observe male and females who were walking alone. My highly scientific methodology was to count the number of males and females using mobile phones. Some were listening to music, some were texting and some were surfing. I guess some were even using it as a phone!

In the time I counted 16 males and 13 females on their mobile phones.

Conclusions? My feeling is that as many males as females were using their mobile phones. The sample size was really far too small.  A year ago, there were far more females than males using mobile phones. A year ago I concluded the females were saying, "go away as I am not available". Today I guess younger people are using them to connect, although I have no evidence.

20m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop

As 10m was dire here yesterday, I decided to try 20m FT8 RX using the tiny wire loop on the back of the rig indoors. I made the switch yesterday afternoon.  In the last day, 618 stations on 4 continents spotted.

Sunspots - Friday October 11th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN=0. A=6 and K=2.

More UK rallies

Sunday 13 OCTOBER : HORNSEA AMATEUR RADIO RALLY

Floral Hall, Hornsea HU18 1NQ. Doors open at 10am with admission being £2 with under 14s free. There will be trade stands exhibiting radio equipment, computers etc. The Bring & Buy will be run by Hornsea ARC. There will be an RSGB book stand. Hot and cold food will be available in the café. See latest information on www.hornseaarc.co.uk or contact Les, 2E0LBJ on 01377 252393 or by email lbjpinkney1@hotmail.co.uk.

13 OCTOBER 2019 (NEW VENUE) : HOLSWORTHY RADIO RALLY

Holsworthy Leisure Centre, Well Park, Western Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6DH. There will be Traders, a Bring & Buy and catering will be available on site. The venue has separate disabled access via the Traders side door entrance. A club steward will be on duty in the car park. Doors open 8am for Traders and 10am for visitors. Email Howard, M0MYB at holsworthyarc@gmail.com [https://www.qsl.net/m0omc/].


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