OFCOM consultation

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/talk-talk-licence-variation/?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=talk-talk-licence-variation .

OFCOM are consulting our views. You may want to respond.

Rallies

I have been reminded of these rallies in the UK:

Sunday 1 MAY : DAMBUSTERS HAMFEST
Thorpe Camp Museum, Tattershall Thorpe, near Coningsby, Lincolnshire LN4 4PE. The venue is all on one level and doors open at 10am. Admission is £3 and includes entry into the museum. Hot food will be available in addition to the NAFFI. This is mainly an outdoor rally but some limited space is available indoors with a small charge for tables. More information by email to tony.nightingale@yahoo.co.uk

1-2 MAY : SHANES CASTLE STEAM TRACTION RALLY CASHOTA
Shanes Castle, Randalstown Rd, Antrim BT41 4NE. Including a CASHOTA station operated by Ballymena ARG. Family attractions, catering, disabled facilities, car parking, accessible by public transport. Contact Hugh Kernohan, GI0JEV, 028 2587 1481.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Spot the PW?

Have you noticed how few radio magazines there are nowadays on the shelves of magazine shops?  The photo shows part of the magazine racks in W.H.Smith's in Bury St Edmunds. There are lots of mags on trains and transport, quite a few on PCs and smart phones, but it took me ages to find any mags on radio. It is as if our hobby no longer exists.

Out of interest, Practical Wireless was eventually found! Can you spot it?

Sunspots and 10m - Fri April 29th 2016

Solar flux is 93 today and the sunspot number 84 (K=1). Sadly the propagation forecast for 10m remains "poor" although Es may yet again liven up the band.

630m and 10m WSPR daytime today

For a change I shall remain on 630m (472kHz) WSPR all day today as well as TXing 100%  with my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. I shall not go on 6m today.

Although I do not expect to copy many (any?) stations on 472kHz WSPR, it will be interesting to see who spots me in the daytime on this MF band.

Recent 472kHz spots (by day)

Yesterday there was Es on 10m with 3 unique stations spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR signal.

UPDATE 1440z:  Plenty of spots received on 472kHz but none so far on 10m today.

UPDATE 1450z:  M0LMH (223km) seems to copy me all the time as does G0MQW (123km).

To Norway (yet again) on 472kHz TX (5mW ERP)

Last night I was again spotted by LA8AV (1035km) on 472kHz WSPR.  I run 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna".

There are fewer active stations on the band now (getting too noisy?) than earlier in the year. I only spotted 2 French stations last night. For the first time in a long time more stations copied me than I copied! This is rarely the case.

472kHz WSPR this evening

Several reports of my 5mW ERP this evening, but I am suspicious that I am not reporting stations I am copying to WSPRnet! Have I forgotten to tick a box (again) or is this a bug? I am sure I ticked the upload spots button (checked - it was ticked). I shall close and reopen the V1.6.0 program. According to my local screen, I spotted no stations at all. This is most unusual, so I have restarted the program and resynced time. We will soon see if I spot others now!

Labour Party - NOT amateur radio

So the UK Labour Party has suspended Ken Livingstone (ex Mayor of London) for being anti-Semitic! Like many, he is appalled by how badly the state of Israel has treated the Palestinians. No, let these people speak out about wrong in this world, where ever it comes from. Sorry, but the UK Labour Party is tearing itself apart. This will let the UK Conservative Party back into power in 2020.

In the last 70 years the state of Israel has done much wrong, as have several Arab nations. Let's try for some real peace. Up to now we have seen very little real effort to forge a lasting peace in the Middle East. Arab blames Jew and vice versa.

On an individual level I know many Jewish people who are kind and generous. I wish well for every human being. We all need tolerance and understanding. All human beings have a right to peace and justice. We all need to be tolerant of our neighbours, whatever their creed or colour. We may not agree with them on many things but they share this small rocky planet with us.

6m WSPR

All is very quiet on 6m WSPR with not even spots from G stations by aircraft reflections. There has been no evidence here of 6m Es. Either everyone is on SSB/CW or Es has yet to reach this band. On 10m WSPR there was a brief Es opening at lunchtime but this has now gone. There is a further chance of Es peaking around teatime.

Swallow outside - NOT amateur radio

It is several weeks late, but a swallow has just flown by the window. Summer will soon be here with the return of these migrant birds from South Africa.

As I said before, swallows have been making this journey for thousands of years and will be doing so long after I have gone I hope.

All is well. It gladdens my heart to see them.

See www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swallow/ .

Sepura shares rebounding? - NOT amateur radio

Although basically a very sound and profitable company, shares in my old company, Sepura (SEPU), fell this last week after a profits warning. Since then, the shares have rebounded a bit. I hope it is sustained. Sepura makes and sells secure TETRA digital radios and DPMR radios. It is now 8 years since I retired. It is a long time now.

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura.

Weather - NOT amateur radio

Hail in the back garden

The  weather this year has been strange indeed. We started off here in East Anglia, UK with a mild, wet winter followed by a cold spell in February and March. We are now at the end of April and there have been hail storms and thunder. It has been very cold for late April.  Only yesterday did I definitely see a swallow in Cambridgeshire whereas I usually see these by April 7th and they are common by now. It is as if spring is late. Very odd.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs April 28th 2016

Solar flux is 91 today (up a little) and sunspot number 86 (which is way up). K=2. The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".

10m and 6m WSPR today

As yesterday, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW,100%, randomised TX frequency) and 6m (1W ERP, vertical, 20%, RX 80%) but I will switch to 630m tonight.

UPDATE 1112z:  No spots yet.

UPDATE 1226z:  A couple of Es spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR this lunchtime. OZ9QV (864km) was the station who spotted me twice.

UPDATE 1552z: OE6PWD (1232km) has spotted me on 10m WSPR a couple of times this afternoon.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Guess who forgot to press the "enable TX" button? Yes, me. Overnight the usual suspects were copied: EA5DOM, LA8AV, LA3EQ, F6GEX and F1AFJ, but no Germans. As I was not transmitting I was (unsurprisingly!) copied by no-one at all.

QSY to 472kHz WSPR

Just after 1900z I went QRT on 6m and 10m and moved down to 630m (472kHz) WSPR.  It would be good to reach Norway again, as last night on 472kHz, although I think this is unlikely. I shall stay on MF until after breakfast.

UPDATE 2102z:  LA8AV (1035km) has been spotted several times already, but no-one has yet spotted me. I get the feeling signals are not as good?  Maybe the noise levels are creeping up?

Witchford Walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning the sun shone. As I write this, we have hail again!

On the walk we saw baby moorhens, swallows, house martins, a blackcap, a chiffchaff and a buzzard among the many. It was a shortish walk. It is years since I was last in this village near Ely.

The name "Witchford" comes from witches. Not far away is the village of "Coveney", which must also have past connections with the dark side.

Lots of 10m Es this lunchtime

There was a lot of Es around on 10m WSPR today. Some of the signal reports are very strong.  I think I need to switch to my TX only 500mW W0LF 10m WSPR beacon so I can use the FT817 and PC for 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1325z:  It is hailing again here. Quite heavy too!

UPDATE 1406z:  I have now switched to 1W ERP on 6m WSPR and 500mW (TX only) on 10m WSPR. No spots yet on either band since switching over.

UPDATE 1648z: Spots from EA7 and OZ of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, but nothing on 6m either given or received.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed April 27th 2016

Solar flux is 86 but the sunspot number has jumped to 65 (K=2). The 10m propagation forecast remains "poor".

UPDATE 0909z:  No 10m spots given or received, as yet.

Over 1000km again on 472kHz WSPR TX (5mW ERP)

Although there are fewer stations active now as the DX season ends, I was spotted in Norway again last night on 472kHz WPSR by LA8AV (1035km) at 0242z.  I think this is the third time I have been spotted this year in Norway on 472kHz WSPR using my earth-electrode "antenna". Not my best DX on TX but pleasing nonetheless.

Return to 472kHz WSPR

Since finishing in the 6m UKAC contest after 30 minutes because of my poor voice, I returned to 472kHz WSPR. As yet, no spots given or received.

UPDATE 2045z:   M0LMH (223km) and G0MQW (123km) now spotting my 5mW ERP 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 2206z:  Now G8LCO (58km) is also spotting me. M0LMH has spotted 9 times so far this evening. As yet I have spotted no-one, which is unusual.

50MHz (6m) UKAC tonight

Although I only have only a vertical V2000 for 6m and can only run 5W pep, I shall give this contest a go this evening.  Usually I stop on for less than an hour because of my poor voice.

See www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2016&contest=6mukac&seq= .

UPDATE 1950z:  Just 3 local QSOs tonight, although I was only using 5W pep, omni-vertical (V2000) and only on for 30 minutes.

Sepura shares? Time to buy? - NOT amateur radio

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura . Sepura (my old Company) shares fell recently.

They make TETRA and DMR (terminals and base stations) and sell these all over the world. In troubled times people will always need secure communications. Maybe now is a good time to buy shares before go up again?

They have been in profit since they were first listed.

SEPU.

Storms - gone QRT for now

We have just had a second hail storm and thunder, so I have disconnected all my amateur radio gear for now. The photo was taken through the window. It feels more like February than nearly May! According to the map, the storms are passing right over us.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

UPDATE 1513z: The storms seem to be moving away, but I shall probably stay off the air for a few hours, then return to 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 1534z:  An internet friend has reported 5cm of snow in Vermont, USA.  I should stop moaning about the UK weather. :-)

Spring late? - NOT amateur radio

Hail on our front lawn

We had a very mild and wet winter followed by a cold spell in February and March. Here we are at the end of April with a wind from the north, 7 deg C, hail, and now thunder! We have had daffodils in flower since the end of November. The weather is crazy! Because of the storm risks, I have disconnected all my amateur radio gear.

There has just been another hail storm and the grass is white!

10m WSPR so far today

Just G stations spotting me and being spotted here.  

G4WSZ (11km) has copied me several times and G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted once, presumably with the aid of aircraft reflection.

Mount Athos (Greece)

Southgate News reports that there is now a second amateur operating from Mount Athos.

See https://www.qrz.com/db/sv2rsg .

Sunspots and 10m - Tues April 26th 2016

Solar flux is 81 today. This is gradually declining as we slide down the solar cycle. Sunspot number is 38 (K=1) and the forecast for 10m propagation  remains "poor". As if to prove a point FR1GZ (9724km) in the south Indian Ocean was spotted yesterday on 10m WSPR. Yes, the band does open up on N-S paths briefly. Regular WSPR use proves it. We are also seeing the start of the Es season.

I have been on 10m WSPR (TX and RX) since before breakfast.

April 70cm UKAC results

In the AL section, I'm ranked 107th out of 122 entries this year even though I only submitted results for April alone.  Seeing how little time I was active (because of my poor voice), 5W QRP and a 2m halo antenna, I am quite pleased. If you look at just April I am ranked even higher. A far from a serious contester, I do like these VHF/UHF contests on Tuesday evenings as they do encourage SSB activity.

10m Short Skip

At last there was some short skip on 10m today with EA5CYA (1376km) copied here on 10m WSPR. I presume this was Es at teatime.

Alibris UK (what a surprise, NOT) - NOT amateur radio

Well, this must be a bargain! Yet again, they are offering "up to £20 off".

I must get at least 3 a week. Never, ever pay the full price as there is always a "never to be repeated" special deal. What a shower! They surely can't expect the world to be taken in?

See http://www.alibris.co.uk/ .

10m WSPR only from 1325z

At 1325z I switched from my 500mW W0LF TX only WSPR beacon to the FT817ND so I can run 2W and listen for 80% of the time.

So far today, no spots at all on 10m or 6m WSPR. There was no evidence here of short-skip on 10m.

At the moment I am only active on 10m WSPR. I shall return to 630m (472kHz) WSPR tonight.

UPDATE 1336z:   FR1GZ (9724km) has already been spotted here on 10m. This is F2 propagation.

Police and Crime Commissioner - NOT amateur radio

On May 5th we have elections locally for a new Police and Crime Commissioner. I have received no postal correspondence, haven't a clue who holds the post currently, and frankly don't care. I shall not vote as I feel I have no data on which to base my choice. What a shambles! The sad thing is this probably cost us all millions which could have been better spent.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon April 25th 2016

Solar flux is just 82 today although the sunspot number has risen to 46 (K=2). The forecast for 10m propagation (F2) remains "poor", although Es might bring some life to the band.

We can already see the progression down the solar cycle. Next year will be much tougher by F2 on 10m. Luckily Es tends to be good in spring and summer whatever the state of the solar cycle, so we can depend on this mode on 10m, 6m and 4m. Es openings on Band II (VHF FM radio) and 2m are much rarer. They do occur but catching an Es opening on the higher bands is far less common than on 10m and 6m. May, June, July and August will see 10m and 6m open by Es almost daily.

UPDATE 1012z:  No spots given or received yet on 6m or 10m WSPR.

Return to 10m and 6m WSPR

After another night on 5MHz (60m) WSPR where the best TX DX was again KK1D (5409km), I have returned to WSPR on 10m (100% TX, 500mW, randomised TX frequency) and 6m WSPR (1W ERP TX 20%, RX 80%). Later I may switch to the FT817ND on 10m so I can listen 80% of the time as well.

QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
See weekly QRP Rendez-Vous reportand comments here - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Visitors  of week: UA1CEX, RV3GM, SP5AGU, UR0ET, UR5EFD, DK3JU, RA1M, SM7RYR,  RU3NJC, DK3WX, IZ6FCK, LZ2NV, OH6NPV, UA1ADF, RV9WMZ, RV3UF,RW9RN,  PC2D,  RD7K,  UA4NU,  RN4NAA,  UA1CEG, UR5IFM, OM6TC, UA1ASB,RX3DIT, DL6UHA/p, RX6DL/8/p
Welcome all QRP stations on the next week "rendezvous", schedule - www.club72.su
Also  remind  about  last week of the April QRP Marathon "Look In the
Horizon".  Before  May 1'st you have enough time to take apart in the
Marathon. Visit Club 72 web page anf click Marathon in the menu.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Dyson hand driers - NOT amateur radio

In recent days, these have had a bad press. These are the blade driers found in loos. The bad press claims they circulate germs in the air far more than paper towels. I am surprised by this as I thought most air was contained and they are very efficient and fast.

Staying on 5MHz WSPR

In the end, the "London" grandchildren have only just left for home, so I have decided it is too late in the day to QSY to 10m. Instead, I'll remain on 5MHz (60m) WSPR until tomorrow, hoping for some DX tonight.

5MHz WSPR overnight

Well, I stayed on 5MHz (60m) WSPR overnight. Best DX on TX was KK1D (5409km). In all, 40 different stations in 12 countries have copied me on 5MHz WSPR.  I think others are copying me better than I am copying them as my noise floor is quite high here. So far I have heard just 7 unique stations, all in the UK.  If I am going to use 5MHz (60m) in future years I need to reduce my noise floor on RX.

Later today, I shall probably go back on 10m WSPR.
 
We have our "London" grandchildren staying here this weekend with their mum and dad. They take priority.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun April 24th 2016

Solar flux is 79 and sunspot number just 11 (K=2). The forecast for 10m remains "poor".