160m FT8 RX with the earth-electrode "antenna"

Someone suggested I try 160m FT8. Tonight I did (it is still on) and it is amazing. It is far better than I expected with lots and lots of stations spotted. Noise floor is very low and already 4 continents spotted. A very brief CQ (2.5W) was spotted by 7 stations with best DX OZ2TF (726km). It is a good match to the FT81ND without an ATU.

Buy online? - NOT amateur radio

A few weeks ago, my wife tried to buy some nail scissors locally to be told "no stock" and unlikely to be getting more in. Today, I went to a local shop specialising in photo frames and the like to buy a cardboard surround for a photo - nil stock "but we can order one". In both cases we ordered on-line instead. The scissors came in a few days and I expect the photo surround will come soon. Also, I expect both are far less expensive than buying locally!

We tried and failed to buy local. Is it any wonder high street shops are failing?

Solar cycle 25

It is a while since I saw the very latest news of the forecasts for the next peak and when the climb to it is likely to begin. We are very clearly at solar minimum.

Some forecasts were suggesting the end of the minimum as late as February 2019. It may already have passed or it could last all next year.

If you are aware of very recent forecasts, please share them with us.

Sunspots - Friday November 9th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number still zero. A=10 and K=1.

10m FT8

Maybe I am a sucker for punishment!  Back on 10m FT8 today, but no spots yet on TX or RX. At the moment I am just RX.

UPDATE 1406z: Lots of Europeans (24) spotted and 2 South Africans on 10m FT8 RX today.

A night off, 160m FT8 RX tonight?

Overnight I am usually on 472kHz WSPR. Last night (as I was out in the evening) I was QRT on all bands.

Someone suggested 160m FT8 with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I might try this tonight. I suspect 160m is probably as high as I can go with this "antenna" as the effective loop size will shrink as I move ever HF. I'll stick to RX.

It is some time since I tried 160m and I cannot recall trying 160m from this QTH. Many years ago at the old QTH I built an indoor antenna for 160m which worked well.

More OFCOM news

Now, don't get too excited, but OFCOM has released "more airwaves" (sic) to industry in the 57-71GHz band without the need for a licence.

Gosh! Now go dry yourself and take a cold shower. Too much excitement is not good for your heart.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-3/implementing-decisions-57-71-ghz-band

Very quiet on 10m

Although I am on 10m FT8 RX, just one UK spot so far. Very quiet here.

UPDATE 1510z: Guess who spoke too soon? DL4RCE (902km) spotted.

Ice Rink - NOT amateur radio

Every year around this time there is a fair and ice rink on Parker's Piece in Cambridge. Here they are setting up. As you can see, the weather for November here is good. In the car coming home it was 15 deg C.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Probably the best night so far this autumn. Yet again, I was spotted in Norway as well as in Scotland and several places in England.

472kHz WSPR RX last night

472kHz WSPR TX last night

Sunspots - Thursday November 8th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN still zero. A=10 and K=2. Still very much at solar minimum.

472kHz QSO

As usual, I have QSYed to 472kHz WSPR.

Earlier this evening I saw G4GIR calling CQ on the band using JT9, so I gave him a call. He responded so we had a 2-way QSO on 472kHz using JT9. Unless I am mistaken, this is the first JT9 472kHz QSO I have had in at least 6 years.

Since then, I have largely been on MF WSPR (10mW ERP to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground).

Main G3XBM website

It is some time since I reminded readers of my main website. This is not updated as often as this blog, but you may find something that "tickles your fancy" as they say. There are plenty of projects to whet your appetite. Some projects were built and a few might inspire you to do something similar. You may just want to browse!

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

Artist - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we did a walk (again) at nearby Anglesey Abbey. Leaves are really starting to fall now. This painter was making the most of the weather and light.

Return to 10m FT8

After a quiet night (QRT on all bands), I returned to 10m FT8 RX just now. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1005z: Just PA2I (394km) spotted - aircraft? Will today be quieter than yesterday on 10m FT8?

UPDATE 1915z: So far today, 15 stations in 6 countries, all European. Nothing outside Europe here.

Clipped wings - NOT amateur radio

So the Republicans have lost control of the USA House of Representatives in the mid-term elections, meaning President Trump will have more trouble getting controversial stuff passed. Republicans still control the Senate. Personally, I think this is no bad thing that President Trump has a few more issues.

Electrical fault - NOT amateur radio

Last night all the electrics went off. It was only in our house, so my heart sank. Using the switch box (isolators) I managed to isolate the fault to one set of sockets and turned this circuit off, so all other circuits still worked.

The electrician who installed the whole electrics came out early and found the fault in one socket, which he fixed. After 5 years it had got damp (no obvious leaks). This should be covered by the 10 year warranty we took out, otherwise we have to pay up for the callout and repair.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 7th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN zero. A=10 and K=3.

USA mid-terms - NOT amateur radio

"It is no exaggeration to say that the direction America takes will hinge on these results."

Today, the people of the USA vote in their mid-term elections for some of the Senate seats and all of those in the House of Representatives. It is a brave man who predicts the outcome. 

As an outsider, I see parallels in Trump with a certain European leader of the 1930s. Unbridled power can be dangerous and this is a chance to clip wings somewhat. The leader of the USA may have the best interests of the American people at heart, but unbridled power? Is that what the USA really wants? If it is, we face a much more uncertain future. 

With swings to the right in several countries, we live in dangerous times.  What continues to amaze me is how so many in the USA believe their best interests are served by a very, very rich businessman. 

"Make America great again" … yes please! 

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46099744 .

OFCOM monthly update

As usual, OFCOM has published its monthly update. I suppose this keeps them busy and is better than having to understand anything that really matters.

Seasons - NOT amateur radio

There is something good about every season. In the summer it is the long warm evenings and the summer migrant birds. At the moment, it is the autumn colours and pumpkins. Those in the photo were at Brandon Country Park in Suffolk.

472kHz WSPR last night

The best night this season on MF with 11 stations spotting my 10mW ERP and yet again being copied in Norway. LA3EQ must have a quiet noise floor!

472kHz WSPR RX last night

472kHz WSPR TX last night

Sunspots - Tuesday November 6th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the sunspot number zero. A=35 and K=4.

10m FT8

As usual in the daytime and early evening, I am on 10m FT8. A promising start with spots on 10m FT8 received from eastern Europe and Russia with best DX RG7F (3080km).

UPDATE 1450z: One 3B9 and 2 South Africans spotted and loads of Europeans. I wonder if we'll see South America on 10m FT8 later?

UPDATE  1929z: 2 South Africans, 3B9 and later best DX VP8LP (12273km) in the Falkland Is spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

2m activity contest this evening (UKAC)

If you are in Europe, the RSGB organised UKAC 2m session for November takes place this evening at 8pm UK clock time (2000z). Even if you do not enter the contest then activity is usually good, so plenty of stations to try and work. I normally go on for the first 30-60 minutes running 5W to the omni antenna.

UPDATE 2140z: 7 contacts with the best 116km with 5W and the omni antenna. Not great, but fun. As usual , very restricted on-air time because of poor voice.

Stations worked on 2m in UKAC this evening

472kHz WSPR

After the East Cambs net on 144.575MHz FM, I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR. At the moment IW4DXW (1190km) is the best DX on 472kHz WSPR RX. On TX (10mW ERP) just the usual suspects.

CB radio

When CB was first legalised in the UK (1981?) I gave it a try and it was very busy. Since then, I have not really used it.

Somewhere (just found them!) I have a pair of CB handhelds. These are crystal controlled, single channel, radios. I seem to recall a 2-way QSO over about 1km with these back-to-back on their whips. This was a very long time ago!

In recent years I believe one can now legally use AM and SSB in the UK on CB. Like repeaters, I suspect 27MHz CB is much quieter now.

My question is does any reader use CB these days? 

At one time it was quite popular with farmers on tractors locally. I suspect with licence free 446MHz gear (and the equivalent in other countries) use of CB channels has nose-dived.

Gear is low cost, so maybe I should give it another try sometime. At one time there were plenty of UK FM CB radios converted to 10m FM. This was popular with many. At one time 10m FM was quite busy locally.

Iran - NOT amateur radio

OK, I am sure Iran has plenty of faults, but then so have the USA, UK and many other western nations. The best way to win "hearts and minds" is by dialogue and not by imposing sanctions in my view.

Perhaps President Trump is thinking more of the mid-term elections tomorrow in the USA? Mind you, he is a genius (he told us so), so perhaps he is so wise, just like on climate change.

Sadly, I cannot remember one USA president who has been so ridiculed across the planet. What amazes me is that he is so popular in the USA. Of course, a rich billionaire is very in touch with the common man.

Said with lots of sarcasm!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-46094489 .

Fallen tree - NOT amateur radio

Last week, we went for a walk at Brandon Country Park in Suffolk. On our walk, we passed this tree. I think it came down in high winds.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

Just 6 UK spots of my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. On RX 19 different stations spotted from across western Europe. Average.

Sunspots - Monday November 5th 2018

Solar flux is 67 (low) and the SSN still zero. A=16 and K=5. So, conditions are far from good.

10m FT8 again

Yesterday was a real surprise, with lots of Europeans and a South American spotted on 10m FT8 RX. So, today I am again on 10m. After a very brief CQ (2.5W QRP), I am again on 10m FT8 RX. Unsurprisingly, no spots on TX or RX.

UPDATE 1029z: 4 eastern Europeans spotted so far with YO3FGO (2081km) as best DX.

UPDATE 1104z: 3B9FR (10041km) on Rodriguez Is in the Indian Ocean is currently the best DX. I am wondering if we are seeing E layer linking with F layer further south? I am seeing lots of Europeans on 10m FT8. Certainly this mode is proving 10m is often "open" when in the past it would have been missed. I have said many times, never give up on 10m. Even at sunspot minimum there is still DX on the band.

UPDATE 1453z: Plenty of Europeans spotted. Apart from the 3B8 and FR4OO (9722km) on Reunion Is, no "real" DX spotted today on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1820z: No South Americans yet, but this is sunspot minimum!

UPDATE 2120z: I had to QSY to the East Cambs 2m FM net at 2000z so went QRT on 10m FT8 at that time. No sign of South Americans here. I then came back on MF WSPR.

472kHz WSPR

As is my usual routine, I have QSYed to 472kHz (630m) WSPR. Quite a few new stations spotted on RX, although just the usual ones have spotted me.

Pipit - 15m QRP CW transceiver

Way back in the 1980s I designed and built this tiny transceiver for 15m CW. For months it was the only rig I used. It worked remarkably well with just a simple, low dipole. Output was 800mW. The very first contact was over 4000 miles! Later the case was used to house another transceiver, the Tenner for 10m CW. Looking back, I should never have got rid of this rig. If my health was better, I should rebuild it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/15m_pipit

More Cambridge- NOT amateur radio

Another typical Cambridge street scene. Bikes, bikes and even more bikes!

10m FT8 - not as good as yesterday?

All morning, I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far 4 Gs and a couple of eastern Europeans. No "real DX" as yet. Mind you, copying these stations proves there is life in the 10m band.

UPDATE 1301z: Now EA1FA (1083km) in northern Spain spotted.

UPDATE 1325z: A 2.5W CQ just now on 10m FT8 was spotted by no-one!

UPDATE 1636z: 14 EU countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. No DX outside Europe.

UPDATE 1725z: First 10m FT8 RX South American today has just been spotted: CX7SS (11022km) in Uruguay.

UPDATE 2015z: Now QRT on 10m FT8. In the end just the one CX from South America. Still, this is sunspot minimum.

Cambridge streets - NOT amateur radio

Central Cambridge is unique. Most railings have posters and bikes. It has been this way since way back, certainly in all the time I have been here. I first came in 1970.

Sunspots - Sunday November 4th 2018

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number still zero. A=4 and K=1.

Spotted in Norway again on 472kHz WSPR

Last night was probably the best yet on 472kHz WSPR with 18 unique stations spotted on RX and my 10mW ERP spotted by 9 different stations. I think this was the 3rd time I have been spotted in Norway on 472kHz this autumn.

472kHz WSPR RX last night

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) last night

Transformative effect of FT8

There is an ongoing debate about FT8, some saying it is great and some hating it. In this country (the UK) some liken it to Marmite, the yeast extract in a jar that some love and others hate.

Yes, there is a danger that real chats will become a thing of the past and casual listeners will not chance upon amateur radio as many of us did years ago. On the other hand all FT8 operation is concentrated with a few kilohertz on each band and it is widely monitored, so the chances of receiving a station are far greater than on SSB and CW. Also, FT8 works with weaker signals than those on SSB or CW. I like it. It is hard to believe I was copying VK on 10m FT8 earlier at sunspot minimum with a very much compromised antenna. In the past most would have given up the band as "dead" and moved more LF.

See https://www.flexradio.com/ft8-tipping-point-for-ham-radio/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter