My brother plays golf ⛳️ in South Devon several times a week. The views are amazing.
27 Jun 2024
26 Jun 2024
8m TX permit
Just got this from OFCOM......
Hi @Roger Lapthorn,I’m afraid we can’t make any changes to the application.
We simply go of the dates provided in the application – You can of course apply again in the new year if you need more time for your project.
...and of course pay another £50!! Need I say more? Brain? Think? I am left feeling they really are stupid or brain dead.
Just to do experimentation? In the past they would just have issued an NoV to my amateur licence for free!! Meanwhile 2 MHz of VHF spectrum is available for radio amateurs by NoV. I am asking for just a few kilohertz at low power. I cannot contain my anger!
QMX+ cures
In the time I am away, I have ordered another USB-C to USB data lead as Ken's cure (suggested in a comment yesterday) did not work.
To rule out the possibility of a lead problem, I shall replace the lead. This will have to wait until next week before I can try this.
Devon tomorrow - NOT amateur radio
All being well, I hope to travel to South Devon tomorrow by train to see my brother. My wife is staying here. I am coming back on Monday.
This will mean fewer posts on this blog and means I cannot be on the radio.
Demise of amateur radio?
More than ever, I am convinced that amateur radio will die out. It can't be long before many PTTs tire of amateur radio as it ties up people and generates no revenue.
I can see the day coming when CB and amateur radio merge and callsigns are allocated (if at all) by national societies. It would not surprise me if all non-licenced things are merged at the same time e.g. ISM. The golden rule is no harmful interference must be caused and any interference accepted.
Personally, I am not bothered as long as I can continue experimenting.
Fewer and fewer "amateur" radio operators know how their rigs work and even fewer actually experiment i.e. they are much like CB operators.
12 years ago
This was me operating in the garden of our old home using 2.5W CW into a small loop antenna. As I recall it worked remarkably well.
25 Jun 2024
8m permanent amateur allocations
The number of countries with permanent amateur access to the 8m band is growing. Last week, the Cayman Is (ZF) joined the list.
This reminds me of the early days on 6m in Region 1. Slow steps....
Faroe Islands - NOT amateur radio
This was a photo posted on 365project by someone who lives there. I imagine it is nice there when the sun shines.
8m TX permit - is OFCOM totally stupid?
On June 17th I was told my 8m TX licence was ready and would be emailed to me if I paid £50. Of course I was interested (I would have preferred to pay nothing and just be issued with a NoV to my amateur licence), but I could not be sent the licence until the invoice was settled. The date of the licence (when it eventually came) was from June 1st - well in the past!! I have asked for the dates to be changed to when I can actually do some research.
Perhaps engage brain next time or send me a copy of the licence marked "not valid until invoice paid" or similar? No, that would involve thinking.
It would appear they are only interested in taking money!
Frustration!
Recently, I bought a QMX+, ready built in a case, from QRP labs. It arrived as promised and worked well. When I hit some issues I did a factory reset. With some help from Hans Summers it now covers the right bands and the CAT works. When I first got it, it recognised the audio codec in the QMX+. Not any more!!
I think I have now tried every combination but my Windows 10 PC refuses to recognise it. Apparently this is a known issue with Windows but not on Linux or Mac OS. Until it is fixed I cannot use the rig.
I have applied to join the QRPLabs IO group and, once approved, I will enquire if others had the issue and if they know what to do. As the software is the same as that on the QMX (I think) others may have had the same issue.
Help!!
It is a nice rig, but this is far harder than it should be. I was expecting it just to recognise the codecs in the QMX+ and just work.
If you know what to do, please tell me.
Far East from Europe by E layer on 6m
Regularly, at this time of year, there are openings from Europe to the Far East on 6m. This happens year after year about now.
It appears to be linked to the formation of noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere. These are forming more frequently now because of global warming. With weak signal modes like FT8, these are being spotted more often.
I have copied Far East stations on 6m several times now, although my 2.5W has never been enough!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx .
European Es (Tuesday)
In the spring and summer Es certainly helps short skip on many bands including the lower VHF bands such as 8m, 6m and 4m. It occasionally reaches far higher, although these openings are far less frequent.
Occasionally, far further may be covered on 6m by Es, although personally I think this is far more likely to be some sort of chordal hop E layer propagation. Some of these paths seem too long to be multi-hop Es. Some may be by multi-hop Es, but I somehow doubt this is the main propagation mechanism.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
QMX+
My priority today is to get my QRP Labs QMX+ fully working again.
Last week I attempted a factory reset, but it only covered 80-10m afterwards!
Having discussed this with Hans Summers of QRP labs, I got a very helpful answer in which he pointed out that for QMX+ the band limits can be set to cover 160-6m by rotating a knob. I did not know this. I do now!
Also, with Windows only (not Linux or Mac) the order in which things are turned on can affect the QMX+ audio being recognised (see later post today).
24 Jun 2024
Back on 8m QRP FT8, after a fashion
Later this week I am off to see my brother in Devon, but my XYL will still be here.
I was hoping to erect my 8m dipole so I would have a few days operating before Thursday. I failed, so I am using my Par end fed that has a high SWR on 8m.
When I get back I hope to be on properly. For now I shall probably be on RX most of the time.My 8m TX permit runs to June 2025.
UPDATE 0830z: Already spotted in Spain by EA3ERE (1153km) which is a great start!
UPDATE 0939z: QSO with EA3ERE. No more QSOs, but I have been spotted in 2 countries and I have spotted 3 countries here on 8m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1200z: Now that Spain is on 8m, I am surprised how many stations have been spotted. 13 at last count.
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| 46 stations spotted on 8m FT8 today |
UPDATE 1347z: 18 stations spotted on 8m FT8 RX. I have been spotted by 3 stations in 3 countries, one QSO. My conclusion so far is that with Spain now on 8m TX it has made a lot of difference for the better.
UPDATE 1455z: 23 stations spotted today on 8m FT8.
UPDATE 2040z: 46 stations have been spotted on 8m FT8. Mostly Spanish.
6m QRP FT8 (Monday)
Early Es spots of my 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna this morning on 6m.
Calculators galore
If you are like me, you turn to the internet if you want to calculate anything. Most sorts of calculators are there just waiting for your input. Years ago, we had to find the answer in a textbook. Nowadays it is just there at our fingertips!
See https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics as an example. There are many around.
IC-705 start-up screen
Amateur Radio Weekly has a piece by G7UFO showing how to use your QSL card as the IC-705 start-up screen.
Basically you have to save the file at the right size as a BMP file on an SD card.
23 Jun 2024
Photo books - NOT amateur radio
Every season, my wife does a photo book showing what we have done. It is interesting to look back on these. She gets half the fun creating them.
We will soon need a bigger shelf!
Lunch in the garden - NOT amateur radio
Probably we will soon be moaning it is too hot. Well, we are English! Moaning about the weather is in our blood.
Live every moment - NOT amateur radio
Yesterday we visited an old university friend who lives in Australia. He was flying to the UK to join us in a reunion of old university friends in Liverpool and to go on a cruise. In the last 30 minutes of the flight ending he had a stroke and is now in Charing Cross hospital in London where he has been for 3 weeks so far. He has a way to go yet to return to fitness. We also heard of a friend who is only 51 years old who had a sudden heart attack.
The moral is to live every moment as if it was your last as you have no idea what is around the corner.
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
UPDATE 1515z: 237 stations have spotted me in the last 12 hours on QRP 6m FT8 from all over Europe.
European Es (Sunday)
It looks very promising with lots of Es to central Europe.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)
UPDATE 0920z: In the last hour alone 27 stations have spotted my QRP 10m WSPR beacon.
UPDATE 1346z: 33 spots of me today.
22 Jun 2024
FT8 versus WSPR
My impression is that I get better results on 6m FT8 than I do on 10m WSPR.
Yes, on 6m FT8 I use 2.5W whereas recent tests on 10m WSPR have been at 500mW.
Now, FT8, is supposed to be less sensitive at picking up weak signals than WSPR but WSPR needs almost 120 seconds whereas FT8 needs just 15 seconds. I suspect FT8 catches more, shorter, openings. Also, I suspect there are more FT8 users.
Someone else trying my designs
It is always good to see others trying their hand at my designs. DX Explorer has a video of him breadboarding my 2 transistor 80m transceiver. My designs are always a starting point. Pretty sure you will be able to improve them!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2 .
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna has been on since about 1940z.
UPDATE 2035z: 28 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 2146z: 125 spots of my QRP FT8 today, after a very late start.
10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)
My 10mW 500mW WSPR has been on since we got back from London earlier. So far, 7 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 2037z: 24 spots of me, mostly Es.
UPDATE 2212z: 39 spots of my QRP 10m WSPR so far, after a late start.
European Es (Saturday)
Whilst I was in London seeing an Australian friend who had a stroke in the last 30 minutes of a flight (he is in hospital) I gather European Es has been very good ... and I missed it!
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
21 Jun 2024
10m QRP WSPR (Friday)
My 500mW WSPR beacon is on again and there is plenty of Es about. 50 stations have spotted my QRP beacon in the last day with the furthermost Brazil.
UPDATE 1142z: 58 spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR this morning.
UPDATE 2140z: 776 spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR in the last day.
6m QRP FT8 (Friday)
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| Stations that spotted my 2.5W 6m FT8 today |
UPDATE 1135z: 449 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 this morning. Mostly Es.
UPDATE 2125z: 557 spots of me today.
Early Es
Today seems to be a good Es day with lots of stations across Europe spotting my QRP on 10m and 6m already at 0631z.
Triffids - NOT amateur radio
I am sure they can walk!! You can see why we jokingly call them triffids. 😉😉
20 Jun 2024
St Ives - NOT amateur radio
6m QRP FT8 transatlantic (Thursday)
Several spots of my 2.5W 6m FT8 to the vertical omni antenna from stations in eastern Canada. This is the first time this season that I have been spotted in the USA or Canada on QRP VHF.
Anglesey Abbey video - NOT amateur radio
This National Trust house and gardens is about 10 minutes away by car. We went for a walk in the grounds yesterday. There is something to see at all times of the year.
10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)
My 500mW beacon was on overnight, but just spots by local G4KPX (14km). Early Es this morning.
630m QRP WSPR overnight
Just 2 stations spotted my 10mW ERP overnight. These were 2 old faithfuls. I may try occasionally, but suspect my signal is buried in noise much of the summer.
19 Jun 2024
10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)
My 500mW beacon is on this evening and I am being spotted right across Europe by Es.
8m TX permit (UK)
Recently, I carried out a 10mW ERP test on 6m (not 8m) to see how WSPR and FT8 would perform under ISM rules.The test was extremely successful. If it worked on 6m it would mean that anyone could legally beacon on 8m under ISM rules. In the UK this means with 10mW ERP. This is not amateur radio.
As there is still some of the Es season remaining and we have F2 to look forward to, I applied for a new 8m permit, which will allow me to run up to 5W on 8m. It has been approved and I should get an invoice shortly. All being well, I should return to 8m in early July.
It still seems totally wrong that in the UK we have to pay to do propagation research! In the past OFCOM would have just issued an NoV. It would seem these days many are only interested in money!
Lincoln Video - NOT amateur radio
We went to Lincoln a few weeks ago. This is a video summarising this.
G3XBM QTH
18 Jun 2024
QMX+ video?
Really, I should make a video of my experiences of using the QRP Labs QMX+ transceiver. My voice is poor, which is why I have been reluctant.
Really it represents great value and will be even better when the firmware allows SSB, expected later. I use SSB occasionally, but use FT8 far more nowadays.
UPDATE 1855z: Video created. No speaking.
Puzzled - NOT amateur radio
Sadly, the jackdaws have worked out a technique, but not the pigeons who have spent a long time trying! Let's hope they remain puzzled!
10m QRP FT8 overnight
UPDATE 1027z: 355 stations have spotted my QRP FT8 from the QMX+ in the last 24 hours. See map.
Window 10 issue resolved (I think!) - NOT amateur radio
Thank you for all the help, which I think has resolved my issue.
I now have "sleep" when connected to a PSU set to "never" in settings, so it should never go to sleep unless I ask it to do so.
Watching the Euros - NOT amateur radio
17 Jun 2024
Issue with Windows 10? - NOT amateur radio
Since doing the latest Windows update, I get the impression that the PC closes down after a certain time. A new sign-in is needed. If correct, does anyone know how to stop this please?
As you may know, I put the rig beaconing on WSPR or FT8 and monitor on a different PC in the lounge, popping into the shack if anything needs adjusting. To get into the shack takes a few seconds only.
Is there a default setting that can be turned off?
10m FT8 (Monday)
UPDATE 2130z: 303 spots of my QRP 10m FT8 today in 5 continents. See map. Lots of stations were also spotted here on RX. The QMX+ works well on 10m FT8.
QMX+ more testing
This morning I was puzzled why I was getting no output on 20m FT8 with the QMX+. Disabling the SWR protection solved the mystery as the SWR exceeded 3:1 and this was preventing TX. I turned the protection back on as 20m is a band I rarely use.
On 6m FT8, I had 4 spots of my QRP from the QMX+. I am still getting insufficient audio on 6m FT8 RX. This still requires further investigation.
16 Jun 2024
QMX+ on 6m FT8 (Sunday)
As an experiment I quickly tried the QMX+ on 6m FT8. Power was about 3W and several UK spots were obtained with the V2000 vertical omni. For some reason the RX level on 6m appears too low. Further investigation is needed.
So far, I have tried it on 15m, 10m and 6m. I wonder if it would work on 8m? Maybe I should try it on 160m FT8 with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground assuming the match is good.
QMX+ on 15m (Sunday)
Just for fun, I tried the QMX+ on 15m. It was not for long. Several Es spots of me. Looking at the bars on the TX monitor I would reckon about 3W power.
Birds - NOT amateur radio
Recently I erected 2 small bird tables with the aim of attracting more smaller birds and fewer large ones. This seems to have failed as the jackdaws have found a way! Robins seem to be very attracted to the dried mealworms.
It’s too soon to tell if swift numbers are down here, but we have not sat out in the garden much this year.
More QMX+ testing on 10m FT8 (Sunday)
One good idea would be to automatically reduce power when beaconing WSPR to avoid stress on the PA when the PA can be on continuously for almost 2 minutes.
UPDATE 1540z: Success! My first transmission with the QMX+ (10m FT8) resulted in 18 spots across Europe. This was using CAT control. I have a lot more to learn, but this is a good start.
UPDATE 1651z: 3 QSOs in quick succession! All called me on FT8. In all, spotted by 49 stations.
Hedge trimming finished - NOT amateur radio
The whole hedge has now been trimmed. I feel more tired than before!!
2m SSB with a Liner-2
I got one second hand and was amazed how far I could work on a very basic antenna. Prior to getting my Liner-2, I had only used QRP AM and FM rigs. Most nights I found I could contact stations hundreds of kilometres away.
Later many used the ICOM IC-202 with a 30W amplifier and Tonna 9 el antenna.
These days the bands at VHF are far quieter as people have other ways of chatting (the internet) and working DX (FT8).
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/belcom-liner-2
15 Jun 2024
QMX+ first steps
So far I have not tried TX.
At the moment I am familiarising myself with the menu system. So far, so good. It would appear that the diodes in the supply line drop the voltage to the rig to a safe 9V.
Tomorrow, I hope to try 10m or 6m FT8 or WSPR TX.
Rigpix
Amateur Radio Weekly brought to our attention the Rigpix database. If you have not noticed it, it is a very useful site for information about rigs including photos and specs..
See https://www.rigpix.com/ .
Changing coastline of Britain - NOT amateur radio
This map was on social media recently. It shows how the British coastline probably looked over the last few thousand years. In a human lifetime things change too slowly to notice.
Laurel hedge - NOT amateur radio
Bite sized chunks seems to be the best approach. I have done about half the top and some of the sides. Now coffee is called for.
6m 2.5W FT8 (Saturday)
UPDATE 1256z: Now spotted by 64 stations. Most look like Es propagation. See map.
UPDATE 1721z: 136 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP today. Most look like Es.
10mW 10m WSPR (Saturday)
Once again I am trying 10m WSPR at 10mW. So far, 2 spots by EA8BFK (2880km). This looks like F2 rather than Es.
UPDATE 0935z: No further spots of my 10mW 10m WSPR TX.
630m QRP WSPR overnight
14 Jun 2024
National Health Service (NHS) - NOT amateur radio
In the UK, the NHS, providing free health care at the point of delivery, was created in 1948. It revolutionised health care. In recent years, the NHS has struggled. Waiting lists are long and people are living far longer. In many other countries the health service is better.
In my view the UK NHS is a great idea, but it needs a root and branch review looking at health services across the world to find what works best for everyone. We need to aim that the UK NHS should be the very best in the world.
In the past, I have personally experienced the NHS at its best and worst. In my view, throwing more and more money at it is NOT the answer.
Both health and social security need serious attention.
10m 10mW WSPR (Friday)
UPDATE 2109z: Just 2 stations have spotted my 10mW today. Whatever Es was about seemed very localised.
Arse and elbow? - NOT amateur radio
In the last few weeks we have received 3 letters through the post from Anglian Water saying how much we owe them or are in credit.
The good news is that all show us in credit. The bad news is they are all different! I am pretty sure all are generated by a computer, without human involvement.
What will the next bill be? I expect it will say we owe them hundreds!
6m QRP FT8 (Friday)
UPDATE 1131z: Now 478 stations have spotted me. I am amazed.
13 Jun 2024
481THz beacon
Another Google photo from many years ago. This was an optical beacon used for over the horizon tests.
What was this?
Flicking through Google photos I came across this picture from 2012. I have no idea what this is! It has a DBM, so maybe a prototype WISPY receiver perhaps. If patient I could trace the circuit.
Where I was born - NOT amateur radio
After WW2 this was a nursing home. I was born here in 1948. We lived in a very simple council house, but I enjoy telling people I was born in grand house on a big estate!
12 Jun 2024
Sibling reunion - NOT amateur radio
We are in Lincoln for our 21st sibling reunion. This is a photo of us all outside Lincoln Cathedral before having an excellent lunch in the pie shop.
Still there
Some of you may recall Birketts in Lincoln selling all sorts of radio related stuff with adverts in radio magazines.
I think the original owner John Birkett died a few years ago and his son ran the business. I was glad to see this still in Lincoln.
11 Jun 2024
Lincoln - NOT amateur radio
The view from the Travelodge hotel window. We are here for a couple of nights for my wife’s sibling reunion .
2200m beacon
This was made about 12 years ago . It was later cased and blown up by mistake!! It has been on before but shows things don’t have to be complex.
10 Jun 2024
10m 500uW WSPR (Monday)
My beacon was re-synced to internet time this morning.
UPDATE 1945z: No spots all day.
6m QRP FT8 (Monday)
UPDATE 1935z: 87 spots of me today.
UPDATE 2014z: 96 spots of me today.
European Es less good today?
Compared with a few days ago, the impression I am getting is that the Es in Europe is not as good. With Es, things can rapidly change.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
Busy - NOT amateur radio
My strategy did not work!
630m QRP WSPR overnight
6 stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR overnight. No great DX, but more spots than I was expecting.
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| My 630m transverter |
ISM experimentation?
It seems many radio amateurs are becoming "appliance" operators rather than experimenters as was the case many years ago. This is sad.
Experimentation is still happening, although not so much with amateur radio. It would appear the spirit of early amateur radio is still there on the ISM bands.
Personally, I think amateur radio will die a slow death in the next 20 years merging with CB and true experimenters will increasingly not be from the radio amateur community.
Granddaughter and our son - NOT amateur radio
The roses look good too this year.
9 Jun 2024
MF WSPR tonight?
Although my last attempt with 10mW ERP on 630m WSPR was not too great, I am tempted to try again this evening and overnight. Last night I stuck with 6m FT8.
European Es (Sunday)
Although with Es things can very rapidly change, today does not look too great. At the moment I shall remain on 6m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP.P WSPR.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
Chordal hop Es
To me, it seems very improbable that many of the long Es paths are multi-hop. Yes, some might be, but I think it is much more probable these are some sort of chordal hop Es.
6m USA and Caribbean
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| Stations spotted here in the last day on 6m FT8 |
UPDATE 0952z: From the spots of my QRP, I can see evidence of European Es.
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| 6m QRP FT8 spots of me this morning |
UPDATE 1900z: Spotted by 72 stations today. About to QSY to 630m QRP WSPR.