Pye PF1

Some managed to put PF1s on 70cm. 

When I started work a test was to convert the PF1 units to 12.5kHz channel spacing. The PF1's were widely used by the UK police.These were relatively QRP and the RX and TX were separate units. I think the police had to have base stations quite often. Still, it revolutionised policing in towns and cities.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/pf1

Sunspots - Sunday December 20th 2020

 Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.

2m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

At 1815z I QSYed from 6m to 2m FT8 QRP. As usual, I am running 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.  At 1820z, 3 stations have spotted my QRP and on RX I have spotted nobody.

UPDATE 2055z:  10 spots of me so far on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel. Nobody spotted on RX which is odd. 

6m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

At 1000z, I turned on my 6m FT8 QRP (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna). So far today, at 1034z, no spots given or received. Even G0PQO (50km) is not copying me or is off. 

UPDATE 1114z:  G0PQO (50km) has spotted me on 6m QRP FT8 TX and I have spotted 2 stations including OZ1MFP (814km) on RX.

UPDATE 1256z:   5 stations in 3 countries spotted. Best DX spotted is LA3DV (1022km)

UPDATE 1530z:  8 stations spotted on RX today so far.

Sunspots - Saturday December 19th 2020

Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 0 for the first time in some while. A=3 and K=1. 

Oscar 100 activity this evening

This evening, the activity on the narrowband transponder was higher than I have ever seen. I suspect this is as the vast majority of users are in Europe and they are at home for the weekend.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

2m FT8 QRP (Friday)

At 1700z, I QSYed to 2m with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna.  So far, after about 5 minutes, nothing copied on RX, but 2 stations in 2 countries have spotted me.

UPDATE 1920z: 9 stations in 3 countries have spotted my QRP on 2m FT8 TX with the best DX a spot by GI6ATZ (479km).  On RX, 7 stations in 4 countries spotted.

Stations that spotted my
QRP FT8 this evening

UPDATE 2215z: QRT soon.

Indoor loops

One of the great advantages of QRP is in the design of loop antennas for TX. With 100W, the voltage at the high impedance part of the loop can be very high, so that special capacitors are needed with low loss and a very high breakdown voltage. 

With QRP powers, ordinary capacitors may be used. Most times I use an old Wonder Wand Loop for 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m. My 10m loop, homemade with copper pipe, is sharper and more efficient, but harder to tune.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/magloop.

More muddy walk - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday I put a photo of my wife on our muddy walk. The photo shows me.

Posted on CDARC website

This might appeal to the geeks here!! It was first posted on the Cambridge Radio Club's FaceBook page.

My maths is so rusty, so I am unsure if this is correct. I think it is.

Very clever.  I guess the originator started with the answer, then worked back.