At 1700z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP as 15m FT8 was quiet. It is now 1740z. So far, 7 statioms have spotted my QRP TX and I have spotted 4 stations on RX.
UPDATE 2123z: Now QRT . Spotted by 9 stations on TX with 1 QSO. 11 stations spotted on RX.
Simple QRP projects, 10m, 8m, 6m, 4m, FT8, 160m, WSPR, LF/MF, sub-9kHz, nanowaves and other random stuff, some not related to amateur radio.
At 1700z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP as 15m FT8 was quiet. It is now 1740z. So far, 7 statioms have spotted my QRP TX and I have spotted 4 stations on RX.
UPDATE 2123z: Now QRT . Spotted by 9 stations on TX with 1 QSO. 11 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1654z: 104 stations spotted.
According to the OFCOM website they have shown the names of the bidders for their spectrum auction coming up. See the OFCOM website.
At about 1825z I QSYed to 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. At 1842z, I had been spotted by 8 stations in 3 countries with the furthermost EI8KN (518km). 4 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 2250z : 95 stations in 9 countries spotted this evening. Contest?
The other night my son noticed some glowing fungus on a tree at night. I have never seen this. Apparently it can grow on decaying wood.
Incidentally although the late afternoons have been getting gradually lighter, the mornings get darker for a while into January. From this point onward it gets lighter here morning and afternoon. A corner has been turned.
It is now 0922z. For about 5 minutes, I have been on 15m FT8 RX. So far, 6 stations have been spotted. When on TX I use 2.5W to the indoor loop.
UPDATE 1525z: 259 stations spotted so far with the furthermost being YB6UAF (12009km) in Indonesia. 5 continents spotted.
The first UKAC 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB was last night. I was on for about 50 minutes with 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna.
In my view, conditions were poor and activity low. There were no portables (presumably because of lockdown). My best DX (lost before we could complete) was G4RRA in Devon. Had we completed, this would have been a good contact. It is much easier on FT8!
Since about 1545z, I have been on 20m FT8 with 2.5W and the indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. So far, 1 spot on QRP TX and 10 stations in 3 continents spotted on RX, mostly in the USA.
UPDATE 2131z: QRT. 127 stations spotted today on 20m FT8 RX.
The hedge behind me is now fully mature and much bigger.
Although still giddy all of the time and with a poor voice, I am otherwise in good shape. The Zimmer frame soon went!
For several months I had most of my food and drink via a peg directly into my stomach. For many years now I have been able to eat and drink normally. Until you cannot, you don't realise how eating and drinking normally is so important. In hospital I used to dream about simple food!
With a couple of low cost GQRP 7030kHz crystals in parallel this could probably allow a very low cost 20m FT8 RX to be made using the same idea and pulling the crystals upwards.
If you have a source of low cost 7040kHz crystals, just one will probably allow you to get to half 14.074MHz. A 14.074MHz simple DSB based FT8 RX would be a fun winter project, guaranteed to spot lots of DX every day.
Just think - for the cost of a couple of coffees out (those were the days!) and you have a low cost way of spotting DX from across the world.
Come to think of it, a full 20m FT8 transceiver could be made for the price of a bag of fish and chips! Surely someone is up for the challenge.
It is now 0950z. For the last hour I have been on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the indoor loop on the shack windowsill. No spots yet on RX or TX.
UPDATE 1356z: I have just turned on the QRP TX again: it has been off for several hours whilst we went for a walk and had lunch. On RX, just a couple of spots with the furthermost being MM0ZBH (482km).
Whilst there we had a KW2000. At the time we thought it was wonderful. I can recall working some impressive DX with it. I cannot remember the antenna we had, but I don't think we had a beam. In the following years, we had a later version of the KW2000 and a KW linear. I think the original version was 90W pep. There was an article in Short Wave Magazine on the KW2000B.
I took my morse test in the Liver Building and used an El-Bug on CW with the KW2000. I also recall working ZB2VHF on 4m AM from the club on 70.26MHz with 4W.
See http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/Surplus_Radioamateur/KW_Electronics_KW-2000B_review_1971.pdf
At about 1940z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna.
I was briefly on TX and was spotted by just 1 station G0LRD (26km) and I have spotted a couple of G stations.
At the moment I am RX only as I need to go on 2m FM TX with the other radio for the East Cambs Net on 144.575MHz.
Just now we put away all the Christmas decorations, cards and the Christmas tree. Everywhere looks bare. Monday is our usual housework day, so today, rather than January 6th, made more sense.
This Christmas was odd and it did not feel like Christmas. We all hope Christmas 2021 will be much better.
At about 0905z, I went on 20m FT8 RX. Immediately, stations were spotted. At 0940z 76 stations already spotted.
UPDATE 1219z: 176 stations spotted with WW1WW (5237km) the first North American spotted at 1123z.
UPDATE 1402z: 287 stations spotted with 11 North American stations spotted so far.
UPDATE 1528z: 356 stations in 5 continents so far spotted today. The furthermost spotted is PY2LCD (9686km) in Brazil.
Back in my early teenage years I was given a Heathkit electronics workshop for Christmas 1961. This was earth shattering and started me in the radio hobby and radio career in later life. The online Heathkit Virtual Museum seems to have closed, but the pages were archived and can still be seen.
Heathkits were famous for their excellent building instructions and quality. They tried to make a comeback in recent years, but what was on offer was not that impressive.
See https://web.archive.org/web/20190206173903/http://www.heathkit-museum.com/hvmhstory.shtml
Long gone companies and rigs! |
See https://worldradiohistory.com/
As an example, see https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-DX/Ham-Radio-Today/80s/HRT-1988-11.pdf
Many of the companies advertising, and rigs, have long gone. In the future, I can see many other companies going out of business.
Until I saw an old advert recently I had forgotten that I once owned one. This must have been a long time ago. As I recall, it was a good receiver, but the casework was a bit basic. I cannot recall selling it. As I remember, it was used for CW DX on 160m and some very impressive DX was copied.
There were later versions such as the HF-225.
Yet again I am confused!
Today is Sunday, not Monday. Adding to the confusion, our bin collection was yesterday, 2 days later because of the Bank Holidays. Maybe next week I shall get back in to sync again. 😆
Stations spotting me to 1215z today |
Stations spotting me to 1556z today |
FT991A in use |
The FT991A works very well, although it has never been used at more than 20W ever.
At about 1735z I QSYed to 2m FT8 with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. I am monitoring using the grabber at G0LRD. See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/ .
So far, 3 stations in 2 countries have spotted me on TX the furthermost being GW8ASD (242km) in North Wales with just one station spotted here so far on RX. So far only G and GW stations spotted or spotting me.
UPDATE 1827z: Spotted by 6 stations so far on 2m FT8 QRP TX today.
UPDATE 2045z: 10 stations have spotted me so far with the furthermost EI3KD (583km).
Many times I have said how great the GQRP Club magazine SPRAT is.
Members can now buy the entire collection of back issues on a DVD or memory stick. It is probably worth joining for this alone, although SPRAT always has some excellent articles. I think non-members can also buy these, but they are more expensive. My view is simple: join! You are unlikely to regret it.
On the internet are several useful pages of technical resources which builders may find helpful.
Since about 1000z, I have been on 6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. Spots by G0PQO (50km) and G7SOZ (31km) on TX within 15 minutes and nothing yet on RX.
UPDATE 1034z: Just 2 spots so far on 6m FT8 RX G0MBL (129km) and G0ROG (142km).
UPDATE 1556z: 6 spots of my QRP FT8 TX with the furthermost being by G7RAU (461km). On 6m FT8 RX 19 stations in 3 countries spotted with the furthermost being GM4UYE (509km).
Don't know about you, but I keep thinking today is Sunday! All these public holidays are really confusing me.
I was expecting to send out my usual Sunday reminders for the East Cambs net, then I realised it was Friday.
The following have been notified to me. As I always advise, check before going a long way. Saturday April 20th -Yeovil ARC 38th QRP Convent...