10m FT8

Yet again, I have chosen to go on 10m FT8 with my 2.5W to the indoor loop. I have rotated the loop about 45 degrees. It has been on for about 30 minutes (it is now 0930z).

Quite a few southern Europeans spotted (Es) but only local G4KPX (13km) spotting me so far.

UPDATE 1000z:  Some signals are being spotted at some very odd ranges. As an example G0RQL in north Devon at 353km. This is usually far too close of Es and a good distance for tropo.

Stations spotted today on 
10m FT8 to 2035z

UPDATE 2135z:  With 58 stations spotting my 2.5W to the indoor loop, this is without doubt my best day this Es season. On 10m FT8 RX stations spotted in the Caribbean,  South America, Europe, Africa and Asia spotted.  375 stations spotted on RX.

New 8m beacon in Eire

Southgate News reports that a new 8m (40MHz) beacon EI1KNH is active in Eire with 20W and a vertical.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/eight-metre-update.htm#.XrkLc2jYq00

At some point, I can see some further countries gaining limited access to this band.

LinkedIn - NOT amateur radio

Having been retired for 12 years now, I have no interest in getting another job. I use LinkedIn on occasions to see how people have aged. Some have hardly aged at all, whereas others have lost more hair or gone more grey!

I get really annoyed with connect requests from people I do not know at all! One person keeps popping up and asking me if I know him - well I do not!!!

If I was actively job hunting I can understand the need for networking. As a retired individual you would think their clever software would have a way to leave me alone.

Sunspots - Monday May 11th 2020

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=0.  Very poor!

This evening on 2m FT8 (2.5W)

As it was getting dark, I switched to 2m FT8 from 10m FT8. I am always amazed how far away I get spotted. This evening 2 stations in Cornwall spotted me and I had a QSO with a local. Surely this cannot be aircraft as it seems to happen at any time.

UPDATE 2100z:  2 QSOs and 8 spots so far of my 2.5W FT8.

Pye Telecom PF1

When I first started work in 1970, my very first job was to convert the RX of the PF1 to 12.5kHz channel spacing.

Looking back I think this was a sort of test. It was set by Mike Gotch who I later found was G0IMG.  Mike was a keen 6m operator. He sadly died a few years ago.

I see there is a YouTube video of the PF1. For some time, I had a 2m AM receiver in a PF1 RX case. This was a super-regen design, but it worked well. I cannot remember what I did for the antenna.

UK Foundation Licence

Southgate News reports that there has been a large increase in interest in the UK Foundation licence. For a few weeks now, the RSGB has had on-line invigilation. I guess lockdown and isolation have something to do with this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/get-your-foundation-licence-faq.htm#.XrgKn2jYq00

Sunday lunch - NOT amateur radio

We have just had Sunday lunch. We like Gressingham duck which is slow cooked so it is quick to cook at home. Usually duck takes hours.

UPDATE 1355z:  Although I eat meat I could just as easily do without.  A few weeks ago I had a Quorn pasty and it was every bit as good as a beef one. In the years to come I expect we'll all eat less meat.

Swift nestbox - NOT amateur radio

Although we still see swifts (migrant birds from Africa) numbers are way down as there are fewer places to nest. A friend has erected a swift nestbox and I may do the same in time for next spring.

Today's lockdown walk - NOT amateur radio

We did a nice walk earlier today before the weather changes.

UPDATE 1522z: Yesterday was 23 deg C and sunny. Now it is 7 deg C and raining!

Swallows at last - NOT amateur radio

Fully a month late, I have eventually seen swallows. 3 were seen on a walk today.

10m FT8

10m is buzzing with Es this morning. I am TXing with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. Plenty of stations spotted and plenty of stations spotting me. No QSOs as yet.

UPDATE 1425z: 49 stations have been spotted on 10m FT8 (after I reset WSJT-X, which as spotting on the wrong band for some reason!) and 7 stations have spotted my 2.5W.

UPDATE 1655z:  93 stations spotted so far today and 12 stations have spotted me. 2 QSOs so far (1 CT and 1 EA).

2m FT8

This morning I am on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far today, 4 stations have spotted me.

Place-names - NOT amateur radio

When I wake up early I try to think of place-names in Devon in alphabetical order. It strikes me how few there are that start with certain letters. This implies most settlements are very old and pre-date these letters appearing in the language.

Sunspots - Sunday May 10th 2020

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

2m FT8

At about 2030z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.  So far, just spots of me by M0NPT (125km). and 2 other Gs. Best DX spotting me is G4MSA (222km).

UPDATE 2050z: G0LRD (David) has a very useful screen grab of WSJT-X on 2m, so you can see how things look at his QTH. He is getting me at +6dB S/N. So far, my 2.5W is being spotted by 4 G stations. See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/

UPDATE 2130z: 7 spots of my 2m FT8 2.5W so far.  Best DX spot is by DF6PW (562km).

Living in the moment - NOT amateur radio

One thing our strange times have taught us all is we have to live in the moment. We are rediscovering beauty all around us. Even the smallest thing can be a source of joy. At the moment swifts.

10m FT8 again

Yet again I am on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. Today the loop is at right angles to the direction yesterday as an experiment.

UPDATE 0852z: Just G4KPX (13km) spotting me so far today.

Stations spotting me on
10m FT8 TX to 1732z today

UPDATE 1732z: Spotted by 10 stations so far today with my 2.5W and indoor loop on 10m FT8 TX.

ICOM - IC-7300 prices

At least here in the UK the price of the IC-7300 has not dropped. It seems like the UK dealers have a cartel on prices.  I am not saying this is so, just that one could be forgiven for thinking this.

By now,  I would have expected the price to be less than £1000, possibly well less. The RX is simpler. I expect the dealers are charging what people are (still) prepared to pay. This, in my view, is still too much.  More mugs the punters.

These are personal views. Maybe when the IC-705 appears prices for the IC-7300 might drop. When the FT891 is less than half price one gets funny feelings. OK, it is not the same radio - I do understand.

Have we passed the solar minimum?

At least one forecast seems quite confident that we have now passed through the sunspot minimum and are starting the climb to the next peak in a few years' time. This forecast has been pointing to an upturn for some while now. Some forecasts point to a much later minimum.

Unless things have changed, the last forecast suggested a peak similar in magnitude to cycle 24. This was quite a weak peak, but at least a peak and not a Maunder Minimum. Back in the 1600s there were virtually no sunspots for 70 years.

At the moment, it is hard to see the signs! Maybe in 6 months we can be more confident.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png
See http://www.arrl.org/news/noaa-updates-solar-cycle-25-prediction

Coming together - NOT amateur radio

Last night, at 9pm UK time, quite a few of us on our close came together to sing a Vera Lynn song for VE day. It was a real binding moment, even though we all stood 2m apart!

There was an excellent turn out and it was a good chance for neighbours to meet and chat. Coronavirus is a dreadful disease, but it is bringing out the best in people.

The photo shows a small part of our gathering. Sadly the picture of the whole group was very blurred.

CDARC (Cambridge Club)

Way back in the 1970s I lived in Cambridge and was a regular at our local club.  At some point I was on the committee.  I now live 12 miles out and do not like night driving. Since the lockdown, the local club has had virtual meetings via the local 2m repeater or Zoom. Once again, I can take part. This actually better for me! I have rejoined the club as  a country member.

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.