New radio?

About a year ago I bought a Yaesu FT991A.  At the right price I may, at a later date, trade this in for an ICOM IC-705. I am a QRP man and only use the FT991A at low power.

With simple antennas, the FT991A has worked some impressive DX on the VHF bands especially.

Often with new rigs there are teething troubles that are fixed with firmware or hardware improvements. I am in no hurry. Certainly my advice is avoid early models if buying new.

I like the features and coverage of the IC-705 and the fact it has no fan and can run at 5W off the attached battery which can be charged via the USB lead. It has D-STAR, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. I wish it had 4m and an internal auto-ATU.

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

Currency fluctuations - NOT amateur radio

In recent days, the exchange rates of the UK Pound against the Euro, US Dollar and Japanese Yen have been varying quite bit. Against the US Dollar it has appreciated quite a bit whereas against the Euro it has lost value.

I guess in such matters one has take a long view. Against the Euro I doubt things will be clearer until the end of 2020 when the EU-UK transition period ends. Against the US Dollar I guess a lot hinges on the Presidential election in November.

The more immediate issue is the Covid-19 pandemic which rather turns things on their heads. The whole world faces the prospect of high unemployment and recession. We are in for hard times ahead. Let us hope we all emerge into a kinder, cleaner world. Things will change. This is a wake-up call for us all.

365project (a picture a day) - NOT amateur radio

For the last 7 years both my wife and I have done the 365project, where we post a picture every day. Some people post astounding photos, whereas others use it as a kind of visual diary. Most of mine would win no prizes! It is good to see how the grandchildren have changed. Looking back over the years, they have changed a lot.

If you are happy with others seeing your postings it is totally free. Otherwise you can choose other things like more albums or total privacy for $19.99 a year. This is totally separate from Microsoft.

One posted today was of a longhorn in New Zealand, shown in the photo.

See https://365project.org/

2m FT8

So far, it is now 0943z, I have been spotted by 8 stations on 2m FT8 (10W and the big-wheel omni antenna) with best DX being a spot by EI8IQ (462km). On 2m FT8 RX 7 stations spotted with the best DX being EA1SA (1034km) in northern Spain. I suspect this is tropo. No QSOs yet.

UPDATE 1055z:  So far today, I have been spotted by 11 stations in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1225z:  16 spots on 2m FT8 of me so far. Best QSO was with F6ANO (430km) near Paris.

UPDATE 1727z:  51 spots in 7 countries of my 10W 2m FT8 so far today. On RX 48 stations spotted here in 6 countries. No Es today, but still pretty good.

6m FT8

After the surprise on 2m FT8 yesterday, I think I shall go on 6m FT8 today. The gear will be turned on shortly.  It is now 0815z. As usual, I shall be using  10W and the V2000 vertical omni fed with low cost CB coax.

UPDATE 0928z: After a very brief time on 6m FT8 where the TX was not working correctly due to a high SWR (water ingress?) I have moved to 2m. Plenty of Es evident on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1831z:  I am back on 6m FT8. I think the SWR issue must have been something to do with wet as things seem normal again now it is dry. 47 spots of my 6m FT8 in just a few minutes! On 6m FT8 RX 31 stations spotted already, mostly Es. At almost the end of July we are still seeing plenty of Es on 6m.

UPDATE 2120z: 64 spots of my 10W 6m FT8 TX to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

Yesterday on 2m FT8

Stations spotted yesterday here
on 2m FT8 RX with the
big-wheel omni antenna

Quite remarkable seeing I only use 10W and an omni big-wheel antenna. In all, I was spotted by 88 stations in 16 countries and I spotted 150 stations. And this is 2m!!

Clearly I caught some Es. At first, I could not believe it.

8m allocations

A few days ago I asked John EI7GL if he knew which countries had granted people permission to operate on 8m.

At the moment this is very few, but there may be more next year. People need to ask their licensing people for special authority. This may be spot frequencies and limited power and times. In a few years this could be a most interesting band.

Sunspots - Monday July 27th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 11. A=3 and K=1.

472kHz transverter

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of my 472kHz transverter from 8 years ago! I didn't realise it was that long ago.

Toadflax - NOT amateur radio

Just outside our house and garden is the 200 year old windmill.  This patch of toadflax (wild flower) is about 5m from our lounge window. It is on the grass in front of the windmill.

Old village house - NOT amateur radio

Burwell is a large village with a mix of new and old houses. The photo shows one older house seen on our walk earlier.

2m FT8

At the moment I am on 2m FT8 using 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 8 stations have spotted me. It is now 0707z.

UPDATE 1340z:  I seem to have caught some 2m Es! On TX my  QRP has been copied as far as Serbia with best DX YT7PWR (1642km) and on 2m FT8 RX I have copied as far as Moldova. The map shows where my 2m FT8 signal has reached so far today. Quite remarkable. 136 stations spotted on RX so far today.

UPDATE 1435z:  64 spots of me today on 2m FT8 in 14 countries.

UPDATE 1553z:  75 2m FT8 spots of me today.

UPDATE 2300z:   QRT.

Interesting antenna

Chris, M0PZC, has sent me details of an interesting VHF antenna called the Hourglass that can be made with simple materials. He has built one in his loft.

Next week we may have a sked on 2m FT8 or SSB to try it out between us. I think we are about 60-70 miles apart. It is bidirectional and has a very useful gain over a dipole.

I see the ARRL website has an article on this antenna available for non-members to read.

See http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This%20Month%20in%20QST/December2018/Stanley.pdf

Sunspots - Sunday July 26th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 11. A=15 and K=1.

2m FT8 (10W and the big wheel)

For about 2 minutes before going QRT I tried 2m FT8. 5 stations spotted me.

Facebook memory - NOT amateur radio

This photo appeared as a FB memory. It shows our wedding anniversary 9 years ago with our grandson ogling the cake.

10m report

Some months ago, I mentioned the 10m report on Southgate News. My main complaint was that without being clear where stations were being heard or worked from it was of limited use. For example, if PY is being copied from LU do we care? What really matters is what real DX can be worked from where we live. It would be really useful if it made clear what DX was being worked from the UK.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/bands/10metres/2020/july/july-16.htm#.XxvpYojYq00

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

Late last year I bought a Chromebook. Not a day passes without being very pleased I did. Its battery easily lasts all day, it boots up in seconds,  and it seems to do everything I want.

Yesterday I tried to print a QR code on my Windows PC. Despite several attempts it refused for some reason. Today I tried with my Chromebook and it printed first time.

Stroke and getting older - NOT amateur radio

Back in 2013, out of the blue, I had a stroke that put me in hospital for 3.5 months. It was a shock. For a couple of years I expected to get back to normal. Indeed, most of me works although my voice is poor and I feel giddy almost all the time. Otherwise I am fairly fine. Certainly others looking at me consider me "normal" whatever that means!

Getting older it is harder to tell what is a lingering after-effect of that stroke and what is just old age creeping in. As mentioned before, one's outlook on life changes.  When younger, life seemed endless, whereas as we become older we are more aware of our limited lifespan.

Many of us have seen people of our age, or younger, die. I guess as someone said a few weeks ago, he gets up and says to himself, "I am alive and I going to enjoy today". Certainly each day is a gift.

10m FT8

For a change, I am on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and under 5W. The gear was turned on at about 0550z.No spots yet as of 0605z.

UPDATE 0813z:  No spots yet.

UPDATE 1122z:  15 spots of me on 10m FT8 so far today. 69 stations spotted here.

Stations spotting me today on
10m FT8 QRP with the indoor loop

UPDATE 2039z:  385 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 with the indoor loop with best DX spotted being UN7JOV (5261km). 60 stations have so far spotted me on 10m FT8. I am running about 4W.  Several QSOs had within Europe. Seeing how we are meant to be at the end of the Es season, conditions still seem good to me. For a change I may try 2m FT8 tomorrow with the big-wheel omni.