Notre Dame fire (Paris) - NOT amateur radio

Notre Dame is a major cathedral in central Paris. As I write it is on fire and firefighters are battling to contain the fire.  For the French it is a major disaster, visited by millions every year.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47941794 .

76GHz Cubesat?

Anything above 432MHz seems beyond me. 76GHz seems positively stratospheric! Apparently, according to Southgate News there is a new Cubesat from Australia that uses 76GHz.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/australian-cubesat-to-use-76-ghz.htm#.XLTFQPZFy00

Still waiting - NOT amateur radio

The earliest I have seen a swallow (bird) here is April 7th. It is now April 15th and I have still to see one here. These birds migrate, spending the winter in southern Africa. They fly around 6000 miles back here crossing seas and deserts. Often they come back to the very same nest!  The return of the swallow is an important date in my year. It is a sign that what has happened long before I was around is still going on. I patiently wait.

10m FT8

Since about 0900z I have been on 10m FT8 calling CQ initially. No spots as yet (1122z).

UPDATE 1744z:  Only 2 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 with best DX being DL1DH (715km) in Bavaria.

UPDATE 2011z: The pits!  Only 3 stations spotted all day on 10m FT8 RX

Sunspots - Monday April 15th 2019

Solar flux is 75 today and the SSN 11.  A=4 and K=3.

Duxford - NOT amateur radio

Last Thursday my wife went to the air museum at Duxford. The photo shows my wife with one of our grandsons.

Still on 6m FT8 RX

6m FT8 is amazing with 9 stations in 2 countries already spotted (0852z). I suspect these are normal "flat band" tropo and aircraft reflections. Best DX so far is PA3EWP (291km).

UPDATE 2120z: 38 stations in 5 countries spotted in the last day on 6m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted here on 6m FT8 RX here in 

the last day using the V2000 vertical omni antenna

Sunspots - Sunday April 14th 2019

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 14. A=8 and K=2.

Very tiny VLF TX antenna?

Just possibly this research could lead to compact (inches only length) VLF transmitting antennae. This link was sent to me by Jay W5OLF, who designed my 10m WSPR beacon, which is still working fine.

See https://phys.org/news/2019-04-slac-compact-antenna-radios.html

Breakfast - NOT amateur radio

Our son cooked breakfast on his recent visit. Very enjoyable.

Captain Lapthorn - NOT amateur radio

On Thursday my wife took one of our sons and grandsons to the air museum at Duxford. The photo shows our grandson on (I think) Concorde.

Interesting blog - EI7GL

John EI7GL in southern Eire has a very interesting blog and he usually posts the DX he is copying there on 10m. This is lots of other stuff too.

Judging by his results, I suspect my antenna is several dB down on his, at least in some directions.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/

6m FT8 RX today

After yesterday's success, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. As someone said, some of the signals copied here may have been aircraft reflections. Some may have been ordinary "flat band" tropo. As yet, no spots received here today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1315z: So far, 7 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX OH0Z (1498km) in the Aland Islands.

UPDATE 1652z: So far today 18 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Mostly G plus a couple of EU stations, probably Es but just possibly aircraft reflections.

Stations spotted here today on 6m FT8 RX 

with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

UPDATE 2140z:  In all, 26 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Saturday April 13th 2019

Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number 14. A=8 and K=3.

If we really are on the way down still, these are still pretty respectable numbers at this part of the cycle. Are the experts really correct?

New amateur ULF distance record

Paul Nicholson posted this on a Facebook group earlier:

"After much computing effort by Jacek Lipkowski SQ5BPF, Stefan's 2970.1 Hz message sent on 6th April was successfully decoded from well beneath the noise in Warsaw, 975km away - a new amateur radio distance record at ULF. Eb/N0 was -0.4dB."

Stefan DK7FC is in Germany and is a great VLF/ULF experimenter.

Wow! - NOT amateur radio

Today my wife took one of our our sons and one of our grandsons to the Zoology Museum in Cambridge. As you can see he was blown away!

This museum was recently refurbished. It is very child-friendly with free entry.

G3RJV - special SPRAT

As you may recall, the Rev George Dobbs, one of the founders of the GQRP club died recently. To many of us he was an inspiration. Certainly I owe him a lot.

This morning I received a very special SPRAT, the magazine of the GQRP club. This special edition was filled with tributes to this great radio amateur. As the years roll on, I hope we can continue to work QRP in his honour.

See http://www.gqrp.com/

Slowly creeping up?

Every few days I take a look at narrowband activity on the geostationary Oscar 100 satellite using the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall. Although activity seems to be slowly creeping up, activity levels are much lower than I expected.

A few minutes ago I counted 8 SSB transmissions. Some were CQ calls and some QSOs. OK, at first it is bound to be microwave enthusiasts and it will be some time before traditional HF types wake up to it.

I suspect some will never join the fun unless there are commercial offerings equivalent to a "shack in a box" starting to appear. After all, if you can afford several thousands for a rig, a tower, beam, rotator and linear, then an Oscar 100 set up with 1 or 2 small fixed dishes with no noise or neighbour issues is a bargain. Don't forget DX from South America to SE Asia is available at any time without QSB. A few watts and a small satellite dish are all that are needed.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/  .

Solar minimum

So the experts disagree! This sounds like BREXIT. One prediction thinks the solar minimum could further deepen. Another thinks we are already past!

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/solar-minimum-will-be-long-and-deep-experts-predict.htm#.XLCd5PZFy00

6m FT8 RX surprise

Today, I am on 6m FT8 RX on 50.313MHz.

I was quite expecting to spot no-one at all. Instead, 6 Gs spotted so far. My antenna is the V2000 vertical omni with low cost (lossy!) CB cable.

UPDATE 1415z: So far today 17 stations in 3 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX HB9SHD (761km).

UPDATE 1846z: 22 stations in 3 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Far better than I was expecting. The photo shows the stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

Spring garden - NOT amateur radio

Our back garden is probably at its best in spring with blossom and fresh green leaves as the picture shows. Blossom is ephemeral: it lasts a few weeks and then is gone.

Sunspots - Friday April 12th 2019

Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 13. A=7 and K=1.

6m FT8

This evening is the 6m leg of the RSGB organised activity contest. So I QSYed from 10m FT8 RX to 6m SSB. With my vertical antenna, I heard nothing at all in the short time I was on, so I QSYed to 50.313MHz FT8 RX. It must be nearly a 9 months since I was on this mode on 6m. Although I shall remain on all night and tomorrow, it is quite possible nothing will be spotted.

UPDATE 2037z: Although not uploaded to PSKreporter (don't ask me why) I see that G4FKA (207km) has been spotted. I am calling him, but doubt this station will copy me. G4FKA is now on PSKreporter.

UPDATE 2117z: Now 6m FT8 RX only.

Lancasters - NOT amateur radio

In WW2 my dad (he died in 1987) was a flight engineer in a Pathfinder Squadron flying Lancasters. He rarely wanted to talk about his war, but looking back he must have been so brave and so scared.

Today my wife took our younger son and one of our grandsons to see the Lancaster, and other planes, at Duxford. The photo shows 3 generations: my dad, our son, and one of our grandsons.

UK Rallies this Sunday

Sunday 14 APRIL : WEST LONDON RADIO & ELECTRONICS SHOW (Kempton Rally)

Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5AQ. A talk-in station will be on air. Car parking is free and doors open at 10am with df disabled visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy as well as special interest groups and lectures. Catering is available on site. More details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351, info@radiofairs.co.uk. www.radiofairs.co.uk.


Sunday 14 APRIL : HACK GREEN BUNKER RALLY

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, French Lane, Hack Green, Nr Nantwich, Baddington, Cheshire CW5 8AL. Sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. Doors open 10am, there will be refreshments available onsite. Contact 01270 623 353, coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk www.hackgreen.co.uk.


Sunday 14 APRIL : RIPON RADIO RALLY

Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, HG4 2PT. Doors open 10am. Refreshments will be available on site. Information and table booking form on the website www.ripon.org.uk Contact rally@ripon.org.uk for further information.


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

Return to 10m FT8

A few minutes ago I returned to 10m FT8, calling CQ (2.5W) initially, then RX only. No spots!

UPDATE 1157z: 9 stations in 6 EU countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1437z: 10m FT8 RX springs back to life! So far today, 53 stations spotted including 3 South Americans . There was also a 6W (Senegal) that did not get uploaded to PSKreporter. Certainly the best day here this year already.

UPDATE 1619z: Now 57 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. 10m seems to be returning to life. The photo shows the stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX (to 1619z). Not sure if the South Americans are F2 or F2+Es. There was reasonable Es in the right direction at the time.

Sunspots - Thursday April 11th 2019

Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 13. A=14 and K=3.

Night off

For the first time in several days, I was not on last night. We have family here , so they take priority. Usually I go on 160m FT8 RX or 630m WSPR transceive evenings and overnight. Shortly, I shall be on 10m FT8.

Garden bench - NOT amateur radio

Our garden bench is very old, so we bought a new one that was delivered today. Of course it came flat packed, so we had the "joy" of assembling it. It actually was quite easy to assemble and looks good. The photo show the partially assembled bench.

10m FT8

There are tentative signs that 10m is returning to better times. The Es season in the northern hemisphere is just starting and there are some N-S "real DX" paths opening more often. Even poorer stations like mine are catching N-S "real DX".

I have been back on 10m FT8 RX since about 0805z, although no spots as yet.

UPDATE 1415z: So far today, 17 stations spotted in 8 EU countries. Es seems to be back.

160m FT8 RX overnight

Not a bad night with 4 North Americans and 1 South American spotted with best DX spotted PY7RP (7457km).

Stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX overnight 

using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 10th 2019

Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 12. A=10 and K=4.

160m FT8 RX

Using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, 91 stations spotted so far this evening with the best DX spot being RV0AR (5577km) in Asiatic Russia.

70cm activity contest

This evening was the monthly UKAC 70cm activity contest. Using 5W and the 2m big-wheel omni and being on for about 50 minutes, I made 5 QSOs. Best DX was G8DVK (135km).

70cm QSOs this evening in the UKAC

OFCOM - Welsh board member

With a name like David Jones he could hardly be a board member for Scotland!

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2019/david-jones-appointed-first-ofcom-board-member-for-wales?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=David%20Jones%20appointed%20as%20first%20Ofcom%20Board%20member%20for%20Wales&utm_content=David%20Jones%20appointed%20as%20first%20Ofcom%20Board%20member%20for%20Wales+CID_6f6620a0d34f2dc5447a98220b4c1e5b&utm_source=updates&utm_term=news%20release

Turing Plaque - NOT amateur radio

Alan Turing is perhaps the most well known code breaker of WW2. There were others, arguably even more important, that we hear little about such as Bill Tutte. This plaque to Alan Turing is on a wall in Cambridge, not too far from Kings.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._T._Tutte

Move to the right? - NOT amateur radio

In recent years we have seen a move to more right-wing political parties. This has occurred in several European countries, in the USA and Israel to name just a few.

Generally people are frustrated with their politicians and are voting for parties that might, just might, do something about this. Now, my political position is centralist. I am a floating voter and am all for moderate leaders and policies. I am definitely not right wing.

Personally, I see the move to the right as an existential threat to the EU. It may not happen overnight, but I can see countries in the EU electing right wing governments and a "let's make our country great again" attitude. We can never go back to the 1950s. We live in a connected world, more interconnected than ever.

In my view, nations need to be more aware of this drift.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

Even though the season is ending, I went on 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP) again overnight. 6 stations spotted me and I spotted 4 stations.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

10m FT8

Rather later than usual, I have turned on 10m FT8. At first I called CQ (2.5W) getting no spots, but now I am RX only. So far just G4CJC (74km) spotted. There are several G stations I regularly spot on 10m FT8. I suspect these are normal "no lift" tropo.

UPDATE 1130z: IT9FSH (2051km) spotted. Es?

UPDATE 1515z: As well as 29 EU stations ZP4KFX (10278km) is also being spotted here on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 9th 2019

There are indications/hints that we are now past the worse of the solar minimum and starting the long climb.

Solar flux is 78 (higher than for some time) and the SSN 12.  A=13 and K=2.