Sunspots - Saturday May 9th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=1. Pretty poor!

Dayton cancelled

This may be old news, but the RSGB news service GB2RS confirms what we all suspected that the Dayton Hamvention has been cancelled.

Many were expecting the IC-705 to be on sale there.  It is often the place where new products are launched. I wonder how Yaesu is planning to counter the IC-705? They have had a year to think about it. If it is like the FT818, we may be deeply disappointed. It would not surprise me if this pandemic made some manufacturers reconsider their involvement in the amateur radio market: is it really worth it?

It would not surprise me if Friedrichshafen was also cancelled, although I have not yet seen this. There are few planes flying so numbers would be well down anyway.

FT4 - not tried

Although I love FT8, I have a confession to make: I have never tried FT4!

At some point, I must do so. It is much faster than FT8, but probably not as good on very weak signals. I don't know about Doppler, but I suspect it might be better on very brief Es openings.

10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna

At about 0720z the 10m FT8 gear was turned on. As usual, 2.5W to the indoor loop.

UPDATE 1130z:  A couple of spots of my 2.5W so far today. One local and one by Es from Spain.

UPDATE 1253z:  Just the 2 spots above and 1 QSO with an EA3.

Stations spotting me today 

UPDATE 2111z:  QRT now. In all, spots by 15 stations of my 2.5W. On 10m FT8 RX 161 stations spotted including 4 South Americans.

Earliest recordings - NOT amateur radio

A common view is that Edison made the first recordings, but this seems to be incorrect. A Frenchman may have made recordings far earlier.

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

Exhaustion - NOT amateur radio

I am now 71.5 years old. Cutting the grass this year seems far more tiring than last year. This could be another artifact of my 2013 stroke or just old age. Driving now is much harder too. Ever since my stroke, I have got exhausted and am giddy, but this feels worse. Walks, that I enjoy in lockdown, really knock me out. Years ago I could walk miles and miles.

Swifts (birds) - NOT amateur radio

What a difference a few days make! Earlier this week I was pleasantly pleased to see a single swift. Now they are one of the commonest birds in the sky. First you hear the screams, you look overhead and there is a flock of swifts. They only stay a few months, but what a joy!

VLF earth-mode blog.

Years ago one of my favourite activities was experimenting with VLF earth-mode communications through the ground.

I would put a beacon on at home and go out to see where it could be copied.  Ranges surprised me and far further would be possible. Sadly, I can no longer do these experiments, but this is a rich seam ripe for others to carry on. Certainly higher power and bigger baselines would help. At some point signals that are radiated would be detectable at great range. Very stable (GPS locked?) signals would allow very long integration times.

My blog is still there on my original website. Hopefully, this will give you some ideas.  This old website is not maintained, so please do not follow the links on the left as they may not work!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/earthmode

Sunspots - Friday May 8th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Grandson's art - NOT amateur radio

Our grandson is just 11. Since he was very young he has demonstrated a real talent for art. A year and a half ago he did 2 wonderful paintings of our old house and the windmill next door for my wife and my 70th birthdays. He has won several prizes. Even several years ago he showed his talent. He is far more gifted than his grandparents.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/home/art

Oscar 100 update

Every few weeks, I check the occupancy of the narrowband transponder on this geosynchronous satellite by looking at the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall. My most recent very unscientific look at this was earlier today and last night. My look suggested occupancy was no higher than a few weeks ago. In fact, if anything, occupancy seems lower than a few weeks ago!

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

6m in Germany

Southgate News has a piece on 6m in Germany, which is moving to implement WRC allocations.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/enhanced-50-mhz-allocation-in-germany.htm#.XrP7SmjYq00

Rose in the garden last week - NOT amateur radio

This rose was in flower in the garden about a week ago.

If this has been posted before please accept my apologies, but it is a nice rose!

10m FT8

A short while ago (0540z) I turned on 10m FT8 with 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop antenna.

Yesterday I failed to get a single WSPR spot on the band, so it will be interesting to see how FT8 behaves.

UPDATE 1649z:  Disappointing so far. Just 5 fairly close EU stations spotted so far today with no spots of me.

UPDATE 1844z:  It was a long time coming, but I was spotted by 9A2WB (1429km). Only 5 spots on RX all day so far, mostly Gs.

UPDATE 1940z: 4 EU stations have now spotted me with strong signals typical of Es. Like buses, they all come at once! Probably worth another go tomorrow. Going QRT shortly.

Sunspots - Thursday May 7th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

Another cancelled rally

The following rally has been cancelled. As usual, the background may make this hard to read. The summary is the Dartmoor Radio Club Rally has been cancelled.

8 MAY 2020 (Bank Holiday Friday) : CANCELLED

DARTMOOR RADIO CLUB RALLY. The Butchers Hall, Pannier Market, Tavistock PL19 0AL. Doors open at 10am. Admission is £2.50. There will be traders and a Bring & Buy. Refreshments will be available. Contact Roger, 2E0RPH on 0785 408 8882, or by email to 2e0rph@gmail.com.

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

OFCOM Updates

As usual, OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly for May with the latest data. See the OFCOM website.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows more of our walk this morning. Pleasant, sunny day.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

We have just got back from a walk around the village. Plenty of swifts around. More cars than there were.

10m WSPR and 6m FT8

It dawned on me that I can be on 10m WSPR TX and 6m FT8 at the same time using my 10m WSPR TX beacon and the indoor loop whilst using the PC, FT991A and the V2000 vertical antenna on 6m.

UPDATE 0815z:  18 spots of me on 6m (10W to V2000), but nothing on 10m WSPR TX (0.5W to the indoor loop).

UPDATE 1100z:  Plenty of spots of my 10W on 6m FT8 but still nothing on 10m WSPR yet. Does this mean my antenna is inefficient or there are now far more people on 10m FT8? I suspect the latter.

UPDATE 1153z:  50 stations have spotted my 10W 6m FT8 so far. Nothing on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1320z:  Still no 10m WSPR spots, but 58 spots of my 10W 6m FT8. I actually am surprised not to get any 10m WSPR spots. I know many have moved to FT8, but I would have expected something.

UPDATE 0754z:  The whole day without any spots at all on 10m WSPR. Tomorrow I shall try 10m FT8 with 2.5W to the indoor loop for comparison.

• UPDATE 2030z:  QRT. 

Sunspots - Wednesday May 6th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2.

2m activity contest 1900z (8pm UK time) tonight

Stations worked this

 evening on 2m SSB

Tonight is the 2m activity contest (UKAC) sponsored by the RSGB. Earlier I said tonight was the 70cm activity contest. This was wrong as I got the wrong date!

I stay on for less than 1 hour because of my poor voice. This is a friendly contest. Although there are few (or no) portable stations, there could well be more operation from home.  I run 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE  2037z:  9 QSOs this evening.

6m FT8

A few moments ago the 6m FT8 gear was turned on. There is Es about as 1 G is calling an Italian station.   So far, 3 stations have been spotted and I have been spotted by 8 stations (at 0915z) including 2 in Northern Spain. As usual, running 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

UPDATE 1037z:  Several spots of my signal across Europe and one QSO with an Italian so far today.

UPDATE 1301z: 51 stations have spotted me today with QSOs from Finland to Italy with 10W FT8 on 6m.

UPDATE 1602z: Up to now 76 stations have spotted my 10W FT8 on 6m. It seems I call CQ and someone answers!

Spots of me today so far 

UPDATE 1847z:  Looks like a similar total to yesterday in terms of stations spotting my 10W.

UPDATE 1858z:  QRT.

Early walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning I went to the bakers early to get rolls and pasties. They had no flour today. The photo shows our green and windmill in the early sun.

East Cambs net

Last night, Monday, at 1900z (8pm), we had the 2m FM East Cambridgeshire net on 144.575MHz.

Not sure if this is a result of the lockdown, but we are regularly getting more people now. We are a friendly bunch and we are usually finished after about 30 minutes. If you are in the area feel free to join us.

We get joined by people that I would not expect i.e. they are some way away.

New SSTV software

Southgate News has a piece on some new improved software for slow scan TV. It is based on MMSSTV.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/new-sstv-software-yoniq.htm#.XrBf1WjYq00

Sunspots - Tuesday May 5th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2.

Dodgy marketing - NOT amateur radio

This sickens me.

About 10 days ago I spotted an advert on Facebook that I reported for abuse. It is still there. Their clever tricks are (a) to pray on Covid-19 fears, and (b) by saying there are only so many left in stock encouraging people to place an order immediately. Magically, the stock level suddenly goes up again. Every time I look this happens.

Do NOT do business with people like this!! 

I could name them, but I do not want to give them free publicity. They are selling a clip-on device to measure oxygen levels in the blood. Look up oxymetre . The company name starts with "oxy".

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

Amazingly, although I have not yet seen a swallow, a solitary swift flew over just now. This is the first time I have ever seen a swift before a swallow.

UPDATE 2015z:  Quite a few in the sky tonight. When they return, my heart rejoices.

Swallows (migrant birds) - NOT amateur radio

Normally I see my first swallows by mid April.  It is now May 4th and I have still seen none!! Last year there were not as many, but this year is appalling. Usually swifts start to arrive about now. There are some swallows in Devon, but I get the feeling fewer.

Woodland walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we did a nice walk partly through woodland at Landwade, near Newmarket.  It was very quiet - in fact we met no-one at all!

40MHz (8m)

It is some time since I caught up on who has access to the 8m band (40MHz). Southgate News reports on an FT8 QSO between EI and LY. I did not realise LY had access to the band!

Apparently LY does not have general access and this station had special permission to use certain spot frequencies. Others might like to try for similar access permits.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/first-contact-made-on-40-mhz-between-ireland-and-lithuania.htm#.XrALqmjYq00

6m FT8

V2000

As yesterday, I am on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 omni vertical. At 0828z no RX spots yet, but 3 Gs have spotted me so far.

UPDATE 1036z:  45 stations have spotted me so far this morning. Most of the time I was running about 6W only to the V2000 omni vertical. With Es you don't need much power most of the time and simple antennas work well. This may well not be so for long paths when ERP can be critical to success.

Stations spotting me on
6m FT8 today to  1230z

UPDATE 1252z:  Now 79 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8. Es is easy!

UPDATE 1337z:  Now 81 stations spotting me today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1758z:  Now 98 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1843z: I have to go QRT on 6m shortly, but today has been the most successful this Es season.

2m FT8

After finishing on 6m FT8 yesterday, I went on to 2m FT8 with my 10W and the big-wheel omni. As usual, stations spotted in England, Netherlands, Channel Islands and Germany. My own signal was spotted by 10 stations in England and Wales. I was not on that long.

ARRL website - high sensitivity crystal set

The ARRL website has much to commend it, including this article that was in QST some years ago on a high sensitivity crystal set using a zero bias MOSFET.

There is more about crystal sets on my main website. They are capable of some quite remarkable results.

See http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/culter.pdf

Sunspots - Monday May 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 0.  A=5 and K=2.

QRPver

Looking on this site (in the Ukraine) they have some interesting stuff. Never having bought any, I don't know about quality, warranties etc..

See https://qrpver.com/

75 years ago - NOT amateur radio

Already I have mentioned that my dad was an RAF Pathfinder. These were elite flyers, many of whom died.  75 years ago, at the end of the war, he was getting prisoners of war back home and dropping food on the starving people of Holland.

When he went on the Lubeck trip he requisitioned all the newspapers in the mess destined for officers and gave them out to the PoWs. Of course, some had not seen UK newspapers for years!

See https://raf-pathfinders.com/pows-brought-back-from-lubeck-may-1945/

10m FT8 again

On 10m FT8 (2.5W to the indoor loop) and being spotted in Spain and Scotland, presumably by Es.

UPDATE 1327z: 141 10m FT8 stations spotted, 10 stations have spotted me and 1 QSO with France so far today.

UPDATE 1338z:  My 10m band indoor loop is surprising me. Without a full-sized outside antenna it is hard to know what I am missing, but my impression is not much. Already this morning it is copying Es from all over Europe and a few days ago was spotting South Americans. For FT8, the sharp tuning is not a problem and might even be a bonus keeping strong signals and noise off frequency down in level. My impression is it is very little down on a full sized outside antenna. There should be some directionality, although I seem to copy, and be copied, in all directions. Perhaps if it was external this might be more obvious.

UPDATE 1458z:  184 stations spotted so far today and I have been spotted by 16 Europeans.

Stations spotting
me today on 10m FT8

UPDATE 1730z: Now 237 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX as well as 26 stations spotting my 2.5W to the indoor loop.

Minion SDR QRP transceiver

G1KQH, Steve, sent me some information about this rig. It looks interesting and very small.

See https://qrpver.com/transceivers/all-band-10-band-hf-sdr-transceiver-minion-sdr.html