Blacksmith - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, our local museum had a free open day.  One of the things was a blacksmith working in the forge. The photo shows some of the things he has made.

6m super DX

At this time of year 6m opens regularly from Europe to the Far East. For a VHF band, this is a very long way. The propagation seems to be linked with the formation of noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere. The best times are in the early morning. As far as I know, this path opens regularly at the end of June into July.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx

More Google rubbish - NOT amateur radio

This morning I received a second email about Google Adsense. I am none the wiser!! Why can't they write in plain English instead of  crappery? 

8m ISM WSPR tests

Assuming the Es looks promising, I hope to try 8m WSPR using 10mW ERP to replicate those who may beacon legally in the ISM band in the UK without a licence as long as the rules are met. 

Probably I will use a different callsign for these tests that will get reported to WSPRnet. If you can monitor, please do so.

UPDATE 0742z:  On QRPP 8m WSPR at 10mW ERP. 

UPDATE 0950z:  No spots.

Sunspots - Monday June 12th 2023

Solar flux is 154 and the SSN 116. A=9 and K=2.

8m QRPP WSPR (Sunday)

Having got decent results from Portugal on 8m FT8, I have just switched to 8m WSPR with 5mW. You never know.  Probably I shall also be on 8m 5mW WSPR tomorrow. If anyone at all spots me, I expect to be weak!  If 5mW makes it, 10mW ERP, the ISM limit in the UK without a licence will definitely make it. The main issue on 8m is there are too few RX stations widely spread. Also the 120 seconds for WSPR is quite a long time when conditions are up and down.

Remember, these are ISM research beacons and not the Amateur Radio Service. The experiment is to find out how far away ISM beacons can be spotted, not 2-way communications. This is an interesting experiment.

Even if  you do not have an 8m antenna, have a go with whatever antenna you have.

UPDATE 1940z: 2 WSPR spots by HC02 (1808km) of my 5mW 8m WSPR. Hugh was wrongly reporting this as 6m to WSPRnet. If 5mW WSPR can make it, then 3dB more without a licence can definitely make it!

Too late! - NOT amateur radio

This collared dove was having a welcome drink from our bird bath. Just as I was getting my camera ready, it flew away!

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At the moment I am on 8m  FT8 using 2.5W and a dipole. G9EFE is active with 10mW FT8 from IO91 square. Not spotted yet.

UPDATE 1655z: No spots on TX or RX.

UPDATE 1756z: Just spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. Now trying 5mW 8m WSPR.

10m QRPP FT8 (Sunday)

After starting out with 5mW and getting 6 spots quickly, I am now using 1mW FT8 on 10m as an experiment. I'll check spots at 1mW later. If this is too easy, I shall try QRPP on 8m WSPR.

UPDATE 0900z: No spots so far on 10m FT8 at 1mW. I suspect this is really too low on FT8. For most stations this is below the noise floor or below the decode threshold.

UPDATE 1417z: Much to my amazement, just 1mW of 10m FT8 has resulted in 2 spots this morning from France and Spain.  QRPP rocks!! 

Plans for today (Sunday)

My current plan is to try 10m FT8 with 5mW. Based on the 10m QRPP WSPR I might get some spots.