Can it get worse? 10m

For about 30 minutes now, I have been on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny 45cm indoor loop. The last few days have been dire. I have (so far) only been spotted by local Gs. and I have only spotted one South American and a few southern Europeans on Es yesterday. Today, so far, just spots by local M1BXF (13km).

UPDATE 1001z:  Still no RX spots and just spotted by M1BXF on TX. It looks like the Es "season"  has not yet properly started. We get the occasional brief opening. In the Es season proper 10m can be open for hours with strong signals.

UPDATE 1342z:  At the moment still being spotted only by 3 local stations on 10m FT8 TX. Still nothing spotted yet today on 10m FT8 RX here.m FT8

UPDATE 1515z:  Yes it can get worse! Still no RX spots at all so far today and just 3 local spots on TX.

UPDATE 1817z:  On 10m FT8 RX 6 stations in the Canary Is spotted just before tea.I guess this was Es. Still just the local Gs spotting my 2.5W.

UPDATE 2030z:  Now QRT. I shall try 15m FT8 tomorrow with 2.5W and the tiny 45cm indoor loop.

10 years ago - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken 10 years ago. It shows one of our grandchildren smelling daffodils. Happy days!

Sunspots - Monday April 20th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=2.  G1 storm level. Basically poor.

Something for the weekend

As usual, Martin Lynch has some "something for the weekend" offers. As far as I can tell, there are no great bargains here. Prices seem quite high and this appears just another way of marketing their offers.

The IC-7300 still remains at the same (inflated?) price. I get the feeling this is "market priced" i.e. priced at what the punters are prepared to pay. I am unsure if this is what ICOM is ordering. The true price would be well under £1000.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

Quiet beaches - NOT amateur radio

My brother has just sent me this picture of a beach he has just cycled to in South Devon. Normally the beach would be busy on a sunny Sunday. This is where I came from.

New perspectives - NOT amateur radio

One thing recent Covid-19 events have taught all of us is that what we may have thought important in our lives turn out to be not important at all.  All of us has had to re-assess what really matters.

I expect for many of us, life will never be quite the same ever again. My hope is that this will lead to more compassionate societies. Certainly, in most people recent events have brought out the best in people with many showing great kindness.

Guernsey special event station

Southgate News reports that there will be a special event station on Guernsey to commemorate its liberation. Thus will be active in May.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/april/guernsey-special-event.htm#.Xpww92jYq00

Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite

Every few weeks I report on occupancy of the narrow-band transponder of this satellite. I take a look at the BATC web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall.

My very unscientific look just now shows little change. It is still far from crowded. The satellite has been working for over a year now and allows real DX QSOs without QSB at any time. I guess the lack of "black box" rigs is keeping numbers down.

My dad 100 years ago - NOT amateur radio

This picture shows my dad almost 100 years ago. It looks posed for the cameraman. I think he was a sea scout, but I think this was later in his childhood.

Later, he became a Pathfinder in Lancasters flying at night in WW2 over Germany. He must have been terrified every night. One of my greatest regrets was not speaking with him about this before he died in 1987. I think he hated the war really.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

We have just got back from our "lockdown" walk around the village. We saw very few people and those we did were very considerate so we passed with plenty of space. In all, we walked about 3.6 miles.

It's funny - because we have to we have probably walked more recently than we would have done! In the past, we would probably thought of some excuse. Everyone says "hello".

A very common bird around here is the goldfinch. These are often seen and not heard. They are very attractive birds. They often fly in groups and like thistles.

10m FT8

The last few days have been poor with no Es seen here. Yesterday I was spotted by 5 G stations and no-one else. Everything was turned on today (Sunday) at about 0750z.

UPDATE 1106z: Just 2 local G stations have spotted me so far today and nothing yet spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1320z:  Judging by the number of EU stations monitoring 10m FT8 RX, it looks like they are after Es! No Es or F2 DX seen here today so far.

UPDATE 1718z:  Some Es to Italy around teatime on 10m FT8 RX. So far today, just the 2 G spots of my 2.5W

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

These tulips were seen on a recent walk.

Sunspots - Sunday April 19th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1 .

UK Coronavirus - NOT amateur radio

It is too early to tell, but there are hints that we just may have passed the peak of hospital admissions in the UK. I sincerely hope this is the case.

Wild roses? - NOT amateur radio

We saw these on our walk earlier. They are very early for wild roses.

10m FT8

In a few moments I shall be on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 2.5W. It cannot be worse than yesterday!

UPDATE 0910z: All 10m FT8 gear turned on at 0855z. So far just M1BXF (13km) spotting me. No RX spots yet.

UPDATE 1350z: Just 3 G spots of me so far today. No Es here so far today.

UPDATE 1455z: On RX just 1 station spotted PP5JR (10069km).

UPDATE 1824z:  Now 6 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX including 2 in NE Spain, presumably by Es.

UPDATE 2040z:  QRT. In the end 5 G stations spotted me. No Es here today.

Dull start - NOT amateur radio

For several days now we have had fine sunny weather, so it is a bit sad to see the weather dull here this morning. Next week should be fine again. All being well we hope to collect some garden plants from our local nursery at 9.30am. This has been arranged. With garden centres closed getting bedding plants is more difficult this year. You would have expected garden centres to have massively ramped up mail orders and delivery, but many have missed this opportunity.

UPDATE 0930z: All plants picked up.  Only ordered yesterday! Excellent service. All the plants look strong. We will use Burwell Nursery again next year.

Sunspots - Saturday April 18th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=2. Basically poor!

Coronavirus vaccines - NOT amateur radio

The race is on across the world to find a safe and effective vaccine against Coronavirus. Although this could be 12-18 months away, one UK group is so confident that it intends to produce 1 million does by September in parallel with trials.

In the meantime, I certainly hope they can repurpose some existing drugs to help us fight the pandemic.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52329659

Shed cleaning - NOT amateur radio

Well there's a surprise! Our garden shed actually has a floor! Being at home means some jobs like cleaning the shed get done.

24GHz WBFM?

These days one can buy very low cost HB100 10GHz Doppler modules on eBay from various sources. There are various ways of using these in amateur projects. I have seen these in ATV kit and I am sure there will be WBFM 10GHz transceiver designs based on these if I look. As there are 24GHz radar modules, I am wondering if there are WBFM designs based on these?

Perhaps some reader can point me in the direction of 10GHz and 24GHz WBFM transceivers based on the HB100 for 10GHz and similar units for 24GHz.

UPDATE 1810z:   Looking on the internet, there are plenty of resources for WBFM 10GHz transceivers based on the HB100.

OFCOM board appointment

Never mind Covid-19, OFCOM provides us all with gripping news. Today we learn that Kevin Bakhurst has been appointed to the board. Such earth shattering stuff. See their website for this and other exciting news.  zzz

10m FT8 after breakfast

After breakfast I hope to go on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 2.5W. The last few days have been disappointing.

UPDATE 1337z:  Just M1BXF (Gavin, local) spotting me so far. Everything turned on at 0844z. No spots of others yet.

UPDATE 1728z:  Just 2 spots of me today - worse even than yesterday - and these were local and fairly local Gs!  No Es here today. So far, just 2 Gs spotted here with best DX G6ZYF (70km).

UPDATE 1948z:  3 spots of me today, all Gs. On RX 3 stations spotted. No Es here today.

Optical illusion - NOT amateur radio

This puzzled me! It looks like a spiral, but isn't! I first saw this on a Facebook post some years ago.

SPAM comments removed NOT amateur radio

It would seem someone has been putting adverts as comments on my blogs. As soon as spotted these are marked as spam and deleted.

Thursday walk - NOT amateur radio

In the warm April sunshine we did a nice walk as shown in the photo.

Sunspots - Friday April 19th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.

Another rally postponed

I have been informed of another rally that has been postponed.

Again, if the background is white and the text hard to see on some screens, I apologise, but this is how I received this. Basically the Kempton rally has been postponed until  November.

Sunday 19 APRIL : POSTPONED until 15 NOVEMBER

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 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.

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

GB3PX 6m repeater

I am not a great repeater user.

Last night, on the CDARC net, someone mentioned the 6m FM repeater GB3PX at Barkway, near Cambridge.

Today, I gave it a try. It is on 50.780MHz with a 500kHz shift and 77Hz tone access.  After a few false starts when I found out how to select the right repeater shift, I managed to access it. It was very quiet. I called several times but no-one was on.

Later, I may see which other 6m repeaters I can access. Somewhere I shall have to find a list with tone access frequencies.

UPDATE 1925z: Although I can access GB3PX very well, every time I called no-one responded. I can just (sometimes) access the Bury-St-Edmunds 6m repeater as well, but no others. A useful resource for a list of 6m repeaters in the UK is https://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaterlist1.htm?filter1=6M

10m FT8 hoping for better luck!

A few moments ago I turned on the 2.5W 10m FT8 to the tiny indoor loop. So far just spot by local G4KPX (14km), although I am hoping for better results than yesterday when I only got spots from 3 locals on 10m FT8 and no QSOs.  There was one Spanish station yesterday that did not appear on PSKreporter for some reason.

UPDATE 1928z: Now QRT. Only spots from locals here and no Es noticed here. If anything, today was worse than yesterday!

Walk - NOT amateur radio

We have just got back from our walk. The photo shows the beauty in ordinary things when we look.

Sunspots - Thursday April 17th 2020

Solar flux is just 68 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

I thought this was on hours ago!

G4ILO blog

Although Julian has been a SK for many years, his blog is still in place.  Even now, all these years later, I still get visitors via his site. His death saddened many of us and his blog is a fine reminder of a fine person, greatly missed.

2m nets

In these difficult times there seems to be a bit of an upsurge in nets as people find new ways of keeping in touch.

Last Friday, our local Cambridge club (CDARC) had a very successful club meeting "virtually" via the GB3PI repeater with the agreement of the local repeater group.  Tonight it has a net at 1900z (8pm UK) on 145.55MHz FM vertical open to all.

Even though we cannot meet in person, we find ways.

Trump and the W.H.O. - NOT amateur radio

So Trump wants to stop funding the WHO. Such wisdom. It must be so great to have such insights in these strange days. You can see why so many voted him in to office. It must be so great to have such a wise man at the top.😉

2m beacon using the Pluto SDR

Southgate News has a piece on using the ADALM-Pluto SDR as a beacon on 2m. This links to a Hackaday article. As it stands, it is very low power and would need a PA adding.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/april/hackaday-144-mhz-beacon-using-the-adalm-pluto-sdr.htm#.XpbMWxnYq00

10m FT8 again

Hoping for some Es, I have again gone on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. Things were turned on at about 0845z. Already, 2 locals have spotted me (G4KPX and M1BXF). No Es yet, but it is early in the day and season.

UPDATE 1810z: No Es seen here today so far. 3 locals have spotted me.

UPDATE 1832z: This early in the Es season, I guess we will see good days and bad days. At the moment it looks like the latter! Maybe I shall have better luck tomorrow.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 15th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=3.

70cm activity contest 1900z (8pm UK) tonight

As this is the second Tuesday in the month, the RSGB organised 70cm activity contest (UKAC) should be tonight starting at 1900z (8pm UK time) for 2.5 hours.

I usually try for under an hour with 10W and my 2m big-wheel omni that seems to match OK on 70cm.  My voice usually objects after about 40 minutes!

Usually I work a few stations. If I am lucky these include G4CLA (105km).  Unlike many contests, this one is fun and there is a good spirit. With the current restrictions I doubt there will be any /P stations, but that leaves plenty of "at home" stations to try for.

Village Cottage - NOT amateur radio

Not sure how old this cottage is. We passed it on our walk earlier.