73 magazine online

Just received this from Martin Mann in Cambridge. For some years Martin ran Cambridge Kits although I think he is now retired. When looking for a particular edition of 73, be sure to replace the year and month with the one you need. The year has to be changed in two places in the link!

"Roger, 

Have you heard of Bill Hoisington, K1CLL, now sadly a silent key?  He was a prolific contributor on UHF to 73 Magazine in the '60s and 70s and is still a good read today, at least for a dabbler like me.  No expensive ICs, ha.  There is a list of his articles at http://mikeyancey.com/73mag/listauthor.php?Author=K1CLL and you can download complete copies of each issue of 73 Magazine as at http://library.vss.pl/lib/mag73/1967/73%20Magazine%20-%201967-07.pdf .  The files are about 30MB and take about 5 min to download, the 73 server being rather slow.  For something a bit meatier the HICKMAN, I. (2002). Practical Radio-Frequency Handbook (3rd ed.) at http://worldtracker.org/media/library/Electronics%20and%20Communications/Electronics%20ebook%20collection%20II/HICKMAN,%20I.%20(2002).%20Practical%20Radio-Frequency%20Handbook%20(3rd%20ed.).pdfis pretty good and only 2 MB.  Do you know any other magazines with back issues on pdf ?  Hoping talking is easier for you now,  

Martin"

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot count today is 64 (modest) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". 10m F2 is possible. Es and GDX are still quite likely, although so far on 10m WSPR it has been quiet with just local G4KPX (14km) spotted strongly at -7dB S/N.

There are a couple of signals coming through for much less than 2 minutes that may be Es or even MS. So far, these have not decoded.

G0LRD (25km) has spotted me now at -13dB S/N.

UPDATE 1538z:   PT2WWV (8873km) has been spotted by F2 this afternoon. Earlier in the afternoon,there was Es from Spain.

UPDATE 1835z: Italians now being spotted by 10m Es - IK1WVQ (1084km) and IK3NLK (1136km).

UPDATE 1900z: PT2WWV (8873km) is again being spotted. Not sure if this pure F2 or a combination of F2 and Es. So far, the Brazilian has been spotted 5 times.

UPDATE 2025z:  PT2WWV has been spotted 11 times so far today.

UPDATE 2200z: PT2WWV  has been spotted 19 times on 10m WSPR today so far. I shall leave WSPR running overnight to see when this F2 opening finally ends. 8873km is a decent distance on 10m this long into the evening and darkness here.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Overnight, I ran 472kHz WSPR but only the same old stations spotting and being spotted.  After G3XDV last night, no new stations in the log. Even with 5mW ERP, I don't think I am missing much: this seems enough to reach most stations.

Have now QSYed to 10m WSPR.

Back on 472kHz WSPR - and a new reporter!

About 50 minutes ago, I returned to 472kHz WSPR and was rewarded by a report from a new reporter this summer G3XDV. In the last 2 weeks of MF operation I have been spotted by 16 different stations. A lot more stations, if active, would be in range. Activity seems low regrettably.

Early evening on 472kHz WSPR

UPDATE 2030z:  The last time I looked there were 41 stations active on 472kHz WSPR. This is more than I can ever recall.

Now back to 20m

As 10m was the same as before (plenty of Es) I have returned to 20m WSPR but will try 20m JT65 and JT9-1 shortly. 10m F2 propagation is being seen in S.Europe, but has been absent with me.

UPDATE 1422z:  Best report so far on 20m WSPR is LA9JO (2096km). Nothing outside Europe so far.

UPDATE 1555z:  Just spotted VK5MR (16144km) on 20m WSPR. He was spotted again a little later. This is the best DX today. VK5MR was -23/-25dB S/N with 10W. This means my 2W (ERP less) would be inaudible his end.  He'd need to be around -16dB S/N with me for a chance of him copying me.  In the past, I have been spotted in  Australia on 40m, 20m and 10m with 1W WSPR or less, but not today.

UPDATE 1745z: VK5MR has now been spotted 4 times.

Gone back to 10m

Since about 5 minutes ago, I have QSYed back to 10m WSPR.  OZ7IT and G4KPX are good signals currently. I may try JT65/JT9-1 later on 10m or 20m.

UPDATE 1400z: All very quiet on 10m now with just locals G0LRD and G4KPX.  I may QSY back to 20m?  SM67464 (999km) was the last Es spot before lunch. G8JNJ/A (184km) was spotted at lunch time presumably by tropo and aircraft reflection (GDX).

40m WSPR

For the last 40 minutes I have been on 40m WSPR with the very indifferent PAR end-fed. Plenty of spts given and received, as might be expected. Will QSY back to 10m soon.

40m WSPR uniques in first 40 mins

Mistakes

It must be my stroke, but I seem to make at least one typo with every blog entry that I later have to go back and correct. Sometimes it takes me a while to even notice the error. As an example, "handicap" was "hadicap" for some while in the last post even though the spell checker had pointed this out to me.

If you see typos please tell me so I can correct as soon as possible.

20m WSPR - too easy?

For a change, I QSYed to 20m WSPR where my low Par end-fed is even more compromised, Despite this handicap,  I seem to get 4-6 reports with each 2 minute WSPR transmission.  Reports so far have been all from EU stations.

I may try JT65 and JT9-1 on 20m before perhaps QSYing to 40m. I am getting a bit tired of reports from the same stations!

UPDATE 1032z:  Best DX so far is spotting R2DDX (2493km).

QSYed to 10m

After being on MF (472kHz) overnight, I have at 0815z QSYed to 10m. 472kHz was disappointing with the same reporters. Best DX spot by me on 472kHz WSPR was DH5RAE (995km).

Sunspot count today is 73 but 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be "poor". Sounds like an unlikely day for 10m F2, but we'll see.

10m WSPR early Saturday

UPDATE 0900z:   EA5CYA (1376km) already spotted by 10m Es at 0834z.

UPDATE 0944z: Now Sweden SI9AM (1503km).

472kHz power shown WRONGLY

Since turning on 472kHz WSPR earlier I have been showing the wrong power. On LF and MF (because antennas are usually so inefficient) it is convention to show ERP, not TX power. I simply forgot to change from 2W to 5mW ERP when I QSYed from 10m. This is such an easy mistake to make.

After 1440z the ERP is now correct. My TX power (from the transverter) is actually about 12W but the measured ERP is very low (around 5mW) as the antenna is so poor. I measure antenna current and calculate the antenna's effective height.

UPDATE 1820z: I am still surprised how few G stations are active on TX on 472kHz. G6AVK and G3WCB have both been received this evening.

UPDATE 1945z:  G4KPX has now come on and is being copied.

472kHz WSPR uniques in last hour

UPDATE 2130z: The same old stations yet again tonight. Still no new reporters on 472kHz.

472kHz continued

Still just M0LMH and G0LRD spotting me currently on MF. I shall (probably) stick on 472kHz WSPR for the rest of the day now. Things should liven up after dark.

472kHz WSPR

As 10m is behaving "normally" I have QSYed down to MF (472kHz) to see what daylight propagation is like. I am using the feeder to my 2m halo and V2000 vertical tuned against mains ground and one radial. The very first transmission got me reports from G0LRD (25km) and M0LMH (223km) and it is only 1150z.

10m Es - still good on WSPR

10m Es is good this morning with plenty from Scandinavia already (SI9, OZ and OH) spotted or spotting me.

Sunspot count today is 78 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation "fair". There is a chance of F2 propagation today. For several days G0LRD (25km) has spotted VKs around breakfast time on 10m. I have been later getting active, so missed these.

10m - quiet here so far today on WSPR

Sunspot count is 82 (disturbed) today and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "poor". It seems unlikely I will see F2 propagation today on 10m, but you never can be sure on 10m. My PC stopped WSPR running around breakfast time (more updates?) and on restarting the software just G0LRD (25km) spotting me so far. Es is always possible.

I may return to 472kHz later today if things stay quiet on 10m.

UPDATE 1950z:  Well, 10m is always a band of surprises! CX2ABP (11127km) was copied several times after tea by N-S F2 and CT1JTQ (1843km) by Es. The PC was off (being swapped) most of the afternoon so I may have missed some of the action on 10m.

UPDATE 2000z:  Will be going QRT on 10m shortly.  472kHz (maybe) tomorrow night.

10m GDX and more F2 and Es

M0EMM (192km) has been spotted at 1114z and 1134z from  IO82sq square, presumably tropo with some aircraft reflections. This morning I am seeing GDX, Es and F2 propagation: this is why the band is so interesting.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Mogacapital.jpg/800px-Mogacapital.jpg

UPDATE 1412z:  Is this really meant to be a "poor" propagation day on 10m?  T5/T61AA (6960km) has been spotted many times since lunch. This is Ross (who was in Afghanistan) now in Mogadishu, Somalia, East Africa.

UPDATE 2035z:  Just G0LRD (25km) in recent hours. All DX, for now, has disappeared here.

10m F2 this morning and sunspots

FR1GZ (9724km) was be copied here first at 1056z this morning by 10m F2 propagation.There have beenseveral spots since and he has also spotted me.

Sunspot count today is 81 (disturbed) and 20-30MHz propagation expected to be "poor". Quite surprised to see Reunion Is in the log today, but  this 10m, a band filled with surprises every day.

There is already Es about on 10m with CT1JTQ (1843km) spotting me several times from 1024z.

Yet more stateside and some F2 and Es

What a remarkable day on 10m WSPR! This morning plenty of spots of FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is (Indian Ocean) and several USA stations coming through or spotting me, starting with KB1YMI (5156km) in FN43rl square at 1306z and later KD6RF (7526km) and ND6M (6914km). In most cases, spots were exchanged 2-ways. This is the 11th USA opening that I have caught on 10m this Es season.  I actually find it hard to believe this is really multi-hop Es. Maybe we are seeing a new sort of propagation? The (very brief) openings seem to be too regular for a form of Es.  It is getting late in the Es season now and these openings are just about daily.  Quite remarkable.

Despite the "6" call area, these "6" stations were in Texas and Tennessee. In recent years you can no longer assume "6" stations are in California for example. For non-USA stations (if not also for stations in the USA) this is a bad, backward step,  resulting in lots of confusion. The FCC does seem to be a bit short-sighted.

UPDATE 1915z:  I just noted that VE3GEN (5593km) was spotting me this afternoon at 1524z. As far as I recall, this is the first VE in the log this summer on 10m WSPR. There is still widespread Es on 10m from across Europe.

UPDATE 1935z:  I see WG2Z (5600km) was spotted at 1134z this morning. GM4SFW was also spotted today by Es. Transatlantic summertime propagation seems so common (suprisingly) that it is almost not worth reporting!

UPDATE 2120z:  VE3GEN (5593km) was logging me again at 2046z this evening.  Remarkable, albeit at - 28dB S/N (weakly) and no other transatlantic stations copied around that time. If I count unique occurrences, I think this is 13th (or is it 14th?) time this Es season that I have seen the 10m band open across the North Atlantic.

Sunspots and 10m Es

Sunspot count today is 112 (going lower and with blackouts) but 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "good". We should see F2 today on 10m.

Already on WSPR this morning there is 10m Es to LZ1OI (2153km) and IK1WVQ (1084km).  I suspect another decent day on the 10m band is in store.

UPDATE 0905z:  EA5CYA (1376km) now being spotted.

And again! N2OTO spotted on 10m last night

10m was open very briefly again last night transatlantic. Just single spots exchanged (each way) on WSPR with N2OTO (7088km) at around 2242z.  Local G0LRD (25km) also spotted him. This is now the 11th transatlantic 10m Es opening this summer by Es. WSPR certainly helps!

10m - transatlantic YET again today!

This lunchtime, 10m opened to the USA yet again with K9AN (6505km) and KC2GMM (5562km) being spotted here. I think this is the 10th time I have caught a 10m stateside opening this Es season. I am sure that WSPR is helping to discover these brief openings. 

I find it amazing that 10m gets to the USA so often. If this is multi-hop Es (I think it is) similar openings are likely any summer Es season, even right in the sunspot minima.  Some even think Es gets better as we approach the minima, although I am unsure if this is true.

UPDATE 1425z:  EA5CYA (1376km) has been spotted several times since lunchtime by Es. Otherwise mainly locals G4KPX (14km) and G0LRD (25km).

UPDATE 1920z:   GM4WJA (624km) has spotted me several times this evening by Es.  OK2SAM (1283km) has been spotted on Es here at 1906z.

UPDATE 2133z:   LZ1OI (2153km) spotted at -18dB S/N on WSPR by Es at 2018z. There has been Es throughout the day, but it has been absent far more than "there". I guess this is how it is going to be now as we enter the quieter Es months.

Sunspots today and 10m this morning

Sunspot count is 128 with 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "good". This should be another good day for 10m F2 long distance propagation. I'd expect more Es too at some time.

So far today, just locals G4KPX (14km) and G0LRD (25km) spotting me and being spotted, apart from OZ7IT at breakfast time by Es.  No sign (yet) of F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1045z:  OK2UGG (1164km) has just spotted me by Es.

UPDATE 1050z:  G0LRD tells me I missed VK3KCX at breakfast time this morning by F2.  I think Dave's antenna on 10m is better than mine.

UPDATE 1208z:  No further Es (or F2) seen here since OK2UGG at 1032z.

10m - yet more transatlantic

Very late last night, 10m yet again was open across the Atlantic to the USA.  N2OTO (7088km) was spotting my 2W at around 2312z at -16dB S/N and a little earlier WB2TQE (7097km) was copying me slightly less strongly. Although most probably multi-hop Es, it is just possible it was F2 back-scatter from near the equator. 10m has opened to the USA very many times this summer. I think I have caught 8-9 openings now, and I will have missed a few.

These are just the sort of fleeting openings that regular WSPR operation will reveal.

10m - still being spotted in Brazil

PT2WWV is still spotting me at 2142. I suspect he will copy me even later too. This is now the 6th time he has spotted me this evening.

VLF experiments

My neurosurgeon believes I should now be driving again and so do I.   I am waiting to hear from the DLVA. It is now a year since I last drove or touched alcohol, because of my brain bleed and the op that followed it.

One of the first things I want to do is some 8.97kHz tests from the "new" QTH. I say new QTH, but we have lived there over a year now, although I was in hospital for 3.5 months. This test will involve driving to some local test  sites to see how strong (or weak) my 5W test signal from home is. The drives are quite short.

10m - my favourite band of all

There is something very special about the 28MHz (10m) band. It is hard to put my finger on why I enjoy 10m so much - probably it is the great variety of propagation - but it is, for most of the sunspot cycle, more fascinating than any other HF band. April-September 10m seems to support Es and there is a second Es peak at Christmas/January.  F2, especially over N-S paths seems to be present right to the sunspot minima. GDX (inter-G DX) seems to be possible by tropo or aircraft reflection at almost any time to at least 200km. Of course it is useful for local QSOs too. In all, it is a great band to be enjoyed all year around and at any time in the sunspot cycle.  In the quieter years it behaves more like a VHF band but not completely so with F2 still possible. Es seems to enliven the band for quite a bit of the year too. Another bonus is that antennas are small.   Please, never give up on this splendid band.

UPDATE 2100z: There is still 10m Es and 10m F2 propagation.  PT2WWV (8873km) has recently spotted my 2W WSPR (2050z) at a very strong -9dB S/N.

Yaesu launch FT991 in Japan

Ever alert Steve G1KQH has spotted that Yaesu launched the new FT991 at the Tokyo Ham Fair in Japan as a replacement for the FT897D. See http://qrznow.com/yaesu-ft-991/ .

This looks a very neat, small, multi-band, multi-frequency rig, as long as the price is sensible. In Jaoan, they usually sell a QRP version too. It would be good to see a 20-30W version in Europe too. This would compete well with the (now stopped) IC703 rig by ICOM.

http://qrznow.com/yaesu-ft-991/

The image is linked from the http://qrznow.com/yaesu-ft-991/ site. The image is NOT resident on this site. Please follow the link for details of this rig. I have no further details.

There is no sign of a replacement for the FT817ND rig. I think Yaesu must have abandoned plans, which is a shame.

10m in good shape yet again

Today Es has been good again on 10m. FR1GZ (9724km) was spotted this morning and PT2WWV (8873km) was by spotted by F2 several times already by WSPR.  I have been monitoring 10m most of the day and will continue this evening.

Sunspot count is a decent 124 and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". I was NOT surprised to see PT2WWV a little while ago by F2.

I have been spotted by several stations around Europe today (Es). Today seems like another excellent day on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1945z:  Still plenty of Es about on 10m WSPR.

10m F2 again this evening

Recent 10m WSPR spots

Right on schedule PT2WWV (8873km) was spotted 4 times (already) after tea today on 10m WSPR (1904-1928z).  I think this is pure F2, but there is an outside chance it is Es and F2 combined (first hop Es then F2) as EA5CYA was also putting in an appearance by Es on 10m WSPR. Conditions on 10m have been good N-S of late.

UPDATE 1945z: PT2WWV again spotted. Plenty of 10m Es too.

UPDATE 2020z: PT2WWV has been spotted 9 times already by 2012z.

UPDATE 2115z: PT2WWV has been spotted 14 times so far this evening here and he has spotted my 2W already 3 times. I am afraid that 630m (472kHz) has been abandoned for a few nights whilst 10m is so good. 10m WSPR will be left running during the night.

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 139 (good) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal" so there is a fair chance of F2 today on 10m.

10m Es today

The main (N. Hemisphere) months for Es are May, June and July but Es has been good on 10m right through August and I suspect September will still be quite good on 10m. Actually, I suspect 10m Es will be present probably every week throughout the year but at a much lower level.  If stations "stick with" 10m into the quieter months, I suspect far more openings will be detected than in the past. Of course this coming autumn, winter and spring we'll still have F2 to enjoy, probably to all parts of the world on 10m.

10m F2 this afternoon/evening

Not unexpectedly, FR1GZ (9724km) was spotted here by 10m WSPR at 1520z. I was expecting to spot him earlier. OK2SAM (1283km) has been spotted by Es many times this afternoon. LU7YW is on and may spot me later with luck. He seems to be RX only.

UPDATE 1925z:   PT2WWV (8873km) was spotted by F2 3 times after teatime. He has spotted my 2W once.

UPDATE 1940z: As 10m is still open to South America, I have decided to stick with the 10m band and NOT move to 472kHz until later tonight, if at all.

UPDATE 2105z:  PT2WWV (8873km) is still coming through at 2056z. He has spotted me 5 times and I have spotted him 14 times this evening so far. I suspect the band will be open a while longer. There is still a lot of Es around too. Today 10m has been very good.

LNR Precision 5 band HF transceiver - the LD-5

Steve G1KQH has found a link to this new transceiver https://www.facebook.com/pages/LnR-Precision-Inc/229134337165152?hc_location=timeline. It looks a bit like the Elecraft KX3 but I hope it is much less expensive as it only covers 5 bands on TX.

LNR are the people that make the Par line of antennas now. They hope to start taking orders in September. Apparently they had quality issues in China with the 4-band version.

10m, 6m, 630m (472kHz ) WSPR

Overnight, I was on 472kHz but spots (given and received) were from people I'd seen before. No new reports/reporters. After a very brief pause on 6m (just G4IKZ spotting me at 18km) I have now settled on 10m for the day. EA5CYA (1376km) was spotted at 0940z and 0954z by Es. Otherwise quiet so far.

Sunspot count today is 128 (decent) and 20-30MHz propagation is "good".  I think today it is likely we'll see F2 propagation on 10m WSPR today as long as there are WSPR stations active in the right places.

UPDATE 1035z: EA5CYA still there on 10m Es.

UPDATE 1206z : The 10m Es opening is now quite widespread with several different central and eastern European countries in evidence.

UPDATE 1256z:  The 10m Es opening seems to be towards Scandinavia now with spots from SM67464 and LB9YE.

UPDATE 1315z:   OZ7IT and I are exchanging 10m WSPR spots.

Back on 472kHz again

Since about 1930z I have been on 472kHz WSPR using the strapped feeders to my V2000 VHF/UHF vertical and 2m halo. So far just the usual suspects spotted and spotting me i.e. no-one new.

It is likely that in the next week my amateur radio operation will be compromised as we'll have grandchidren here and their parents. For some of the time my shack will be a bedroom. I shall try to run 472kHz WSPR until Tuesday if I can. 10m by day and MF evenings and overnight.

472kHz unique WSPR spots in the last hour.

10m - closed now?

It is now 1857z and there has been no Es here now for over an hour. In the periods I was monitoring 10m, no F2 propagation was spotted. No GDX seen either in the last few hours.

I will QSY to 472kHz shortly I think.

I was thinking of buying a dedicated 10m rig, but unless my voice rapidly soon improves  (SSB, FM and AM are hard work for me because of my stroke) this is probably a waste of money at the moment. For now I shall stick with 2-5W on digital modes, which I can manage with the FT817 rig. JT65 and JT9-1 are my best bets. PSK31 is quite hard as it requires (near) real-time keyboard skills. I rather dislike PSK31 with macros -  you can usually tell when someone is using macros - I much prefer real QSOs. At least JT65 and JT9-1 use very formulaic formats for minimal data QSOs. QSOs are very very basic, but for me this helps at the moment. One reason I enjoy WSPR is it tells you about conditions on a given band and once set up, it just runs with minimal intervention. Some will (rightly) say it is computers talking to computers. At the moment, this is close to what I need. JT65 and JT9-1 are proper 2-way modes.

New band tried with "compromise" antenna.

This afternoon I tried 80m WSPR with the "compromise" antenna (V2000  + 2m halo with strapped feeders) with some success. On 80m I copied M0BLP and PA0WMR although there were very few stations active. I was not copied by anyone. I was going to try 160m but decided there was too little activity.

Later I used 40m and 20m with the Par end-fed.  On 40m, just one transmission resulted in 10 spots in 7 countries. The next transmission resulted in not a single report, probably because I was sitting on the frequency of a very strong station who was TXing at the time?

I later returned to 10m, and spotted EA5CYA (1376km) and LZ1OI (2145km) by Es around teatime. The Spanish station was pretty strong but the LZ was much weaker.

Sunspots and 10m

Current sunspot count is 89 with 20-30MHz propagation "normal". There may be some 10m F2 around on 10m today.  Just QSYing to 10m WSPR now.

Although there will still be 10m Es propagation, I doubt it will be as good as in May, June and July.

UPDATE 1130z:  Already 10m has been open by Es WSPR to CT1JTQ (1843km) and SI9AM (1503km) as well as GDX to G4HZW (209km). Not a bad start and it is not even lunchtime yet.

472kHz WSPR - overnight again

At the moment I am still on 472kHz WSPR having kept the WSPR running through the night. Same stations in the logs - no new reporters sadly - and again GM4SLV (896km) is still giving me daylight spots. Currently I am using the V2000 VHF/UHF vertical and 2m halo both with strapped feeders as my "compromise" 472kHz antenna. Ground is mains earth plus one shortish radial with single ground stake. I may give this antenna a try on 160m and 80m, just for fun.

These are the results in the last hour on 472kHz:

Recent 472kHz WSPR spots

Later I shall QSY to 10m as daytime 472kHz activity is very low.

Spoiling the natural environment, or not?

The beautiful Kingsbridge Estuary

The petition to NOT allow water skiing in the Kingsbridge Estuary is gathering momentum. The last time I looked there were 851 supporters of the "no" vote. If you want to support the campaign, then go to the link and vote. The more people who support the "no" campaign, the better chances we have of preventing this precious habitat and SSSI being ruined forever.

UPDATE 2015z:  856 votes now.  Keep voting!