Men to Mars? - NOT amateur radio

SpaceX test fires its big Falcon Heavy rocket next week. There are ideas to put men on Mars using this. There is a fair chance the launch will fail, apparently.

See https://gizmodo.com/spacexs-best-hope-for-sending-people-to-mars-will-launc-1822638923 .

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

At one time this was the dominant mode on all bands. With more stations and the advent of SSB, AM was widely scorned on HF as it took too much space and was not as effective or efficient as SSB. Actually there is plenty of space for AM on some bands.

On 10m there is plenty of space, with 29-29.1MHz (someone please tell the RSGB) as the best place to find AM. There are AM nets on 160m and 80m and there is plenty of space on VHF. For some reason AM is "out of fashion" on the VHF bands with FM the predominant mode. Certainly in the UK you can often get AM gear (ex Private Mobile Radio) at knock down prices. On 2m, AM activity can be found around 144.55MHz in the UK (again someone please tell the RSGB that AM usually takes less bandwidth than FM).

So, overall, AM is worth a go. Personally I would not use AM on busy HF bands, but there are bands where it makes good sense. I well remember not many years ago hearing beautiful AM from the USA and Canada. on 10m AM.

See www.amrally.com .
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/tenbox

Cambridge University Colleges - NOT amateur radio

Having lived in or near Cambridge for 47 years, one is in great danger of taking it all for granted. Every year people travel from all over the world to see things I can see for free every day.

Every week I walk past this college on my way to my lectures on Weather and Samuel Pepys as part of my University of the Third Age courses. I have to keep pinching myself and saying, "this is a beautiful city". This is Sydney Sussex College.

See https://www.sid.cam.ac.uk/ .

The slow march downwards

The latest solar figures have been published showing a steady decline in solar activity. We can expect a quiet period now for several years.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

More OFCOM

More exciting stuff from OFCOM.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/110718/3.6GHz-3.8GHz-update-timing-spectrum-availability.pdf

Sunspots - Saturday February 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number zero.  A=4 and K=0.

6m MSK144 RX

For a change I am not on 10m, but 6m MSK144 RX instead. In Europe, 50.280MHz remains a decent place to lurk. At the moment it is aircraft reflection, random MS and maybe tropo. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1335z: 3 spots so far. Best DX is GM6VXB (619km) quite strongly late this morning.

UPDATE 1706z:  So far 4 stations in 3 countries spotted. Although not the best DX today, SM7FJE (905km) was an interesting one. Random MS or aircraft?

Fuel prices creeping up? - NOT amateur radio

Certainly over the last month, UK fuel prices have been rising. Although the pound is stronger against the dollar, the wholesale price of oil has been rising faster.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/market_data/commodities/143908/default.stm

Rally on Sunday

4 FEBRUARY 2018 : CANVEY RADIO RALLY

Paddocks Community Centre, Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS80JA. Doors open at 10.30am and admittance is £3. There will be trade stands, RSGB bookstall and special interest groups. Catering is available on site. Vic Rogers, G6BHE, 07957 461 694, nvr1945@btinternet.com.

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

10m FT8 RX

At the moment, I am again on 10m FT8 RX.  In the daytime, this can be surprisingly productive. At the moment, nothing yet spotted.

UPDATE 1820z: No 10m FT8 spots today. It has been remarkably quiet today. Now time to QSY to 136kHz WSPR RX and OPERA RX.

UK Weather Forecasts - NOT amateur radio

Living where we do, forecasting the UK weather is a thankless task.

Every few hours, it seems, the Met Office, complete with its super-computers, satellites, radiosondes and remote weather stations needs to change the forecast. Personally, it seems the only reliable forecast is to look out of the window and see if it is raining!

We have friends over for lunch today and the forecast has changed so many times this week as to be totally useless. The only reliable thing you can say about UK weather forecasts is they are likely to be wrong and never, ever, plan an outdoor event on the basis of a UK weather forecast.

Yes, I know we are at a complex point where weather systems meet, but please let us not pretend we can forecast. Clearly we cannot.  Chaos theory reigns!

UPDATE 1140z: Guess what? The forecast has changed yet again for early afternoon!

Shack PC not charging

After being a bit worried, all is now well. To reduce noise I have been running the shack PC on its internal batteries when trying to receive on 136 and 472kHz. For some reason, the internal batteries refused to charge.

I left the PC on mains power and see it was part way through (yet another) Windows 10 update. This has now fully installed and the batteries seem to be charging OK now. So I put this mystery down to the (partial) update. Why does Windows 10 seem to have updates so often? I thought it was meant to be wonderful?

As the battery was so flat I cannot go on 136 or 472kHz until this evening.

630m and 2190m RX

Last night I did not go on LF or MF as my shack PC was playing up. I intend to go on 136kHz WSPR RX and 136kHz OPERA RX tonight. I  need my shack PC on battery power otherwise noise is chronic.

UK Pound versus Japanese Yen - NOT amateur radio

Why has the UK Pound appreciated so much against the Japanese Yen?  At the moment it is over 156 Yen to the UK Pound. Not too long ago it was the low 120s Yen to the UK Pound.  That is a lot of difference.

Every day, it swings quite widely, but I find this, and the dramatic appreciation, hard to understand. On the face of it, goods made in Japan should get less expensive in the UK.

Perhaps an economist can explain what is going on?

Sunspots - Friday February 2nd 2018

Time seems to rush by! Already it is the second day of February. In the evening it is an hour later getting dark compared with mid December. Even the mornings are noticeably lighter.

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1.

DX on 10m is now much harder to find, but with FT8 it is still there on many days. In the last week, South Americans have been spotted several times on 10m FT8, even with my useless 10m antenna. Never give up! For several years it is going to be "challenging".

OFCOM

Gosh! How exciting.

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/B242DC6C6238010C2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

EU sour grapes? - NOT amateur radio

Although I voted to remain a member, I detect a note of "sour grapes" on the part of the EU. Do I detect a note of bitterness that the UK will no longer pay some of the budget?

It seems perfectly reasonable to me that the UK wants the same policy to apply to all people who wish to live and work in the UK irrespective of the nation they come from.

It also seems quite reasonable that we would want to start work on trade deals whilst we are in the transition period.

No, I am beginning to detect an air of "sour grapes" on the part of the EU. In the end I think the EU will regret this.

All we really wanted was more control over who lives and works here on this small island. We will still trade with EU nations and others as we choose.

Sub 9kHz amateur radio

Although far from perfect, I try to keep up with the latest news about amateur radio below 9kHz. Quite a lot is happening.

Surprisingly, large antennas are not needed for receive and all the software you need is free.

This is one of the true frontiers in our hobby and access is easier and far less expensive than you might think. A perfectly fine RX setup can be made for a few cups of coffee in a café.

Most activity is just below 8.3kHz, which remains unallocated in many countries.

See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/

Help with nests - NOT amateur radio

One of the joys of an English spring is seeing the world "come alive" again with fresh green leaves, blossom and birds singing. We can help birds by making sure they have a variety of things for nest building in our gardens. OK, it is only February, but the signs are there.

See https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/homesforwildlife/b/gardeningforwildlife/archive/2018/01/26/helping-birds-build-a-happy-home.aspx#utm_source=notesonnature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feb18

Bill Bryson books - NOT amateur radio

If you like travel books try Bill Bryson. There is a laugh on every page. They are light-hearted and he is very perceptive. He has a dry sense of humour that appeals to my small brain.

It is probably 20 years since I read, "Notes from a Small Island" (about the UK) and I have certainly forgotten it.  So, I ordered a copy from Amazon for 1p plus postage. It came today (hardback) and I have already started it.  These books are so funny.

Hackers again? - NOT amateur radio

Well, I know my blog has not suddenly attracted loads of new genuine visitors today and I note the very high visitor numbers from Ukraine. It seems more than a little co-incidental. Bots or hackers most probably doing the regular trawl.

Sun in the trees - NOT amateur radio

As the sun was shining, we visited Brandon Country Park this morning. As it is winter the trees are bare so you can see more. Not much life stirring yet.

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1347z: Just a single spot late this morning of EI7HDB (478km) which I reckon was aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1616z: Apart from local G4AWP (19km) no other new 10m spots today. Dire!

UPDATE 1912z: Well, although not uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps I spotted PU4ISA (GG89) in Brazil.

630m last night

In the end I just remained on until the shack PC's battery went flat. This was just after 0300z. The batteries last a long time! 

On WSPR G3XIZ, G8HUH and 2E0ILY were copied and G3XDV copied on OPERA. If I am honest, I was disappointed.

Sunspots - Thursday February 1st 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 13. A=6 and K=0.

LF RX

At the moment I am monitoring 136kHz WSPR RX and OPERA RX. As yet, nothing copied.

UPDATE 2006z: G3XIZ copied on 136kHz WSPR.

Backscatter

From Southgate News I see that back issues of Backscatter (the microwave newsletter) are available free online as pdfs.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/backscatter-available-as-free-pdf.htm#.WnHmYUx2vIU

OFCOM

I am really trying hard to contain my excitement following the earth shattering news from OFCOM today. If you have a weak heart, maybe you should not read it.

OFCOM today published the details of when forms to be used by applicants who wish to bid for 2.3 and 3.4GHz spectrum need to be returned and the deposits.

Now, get back on your chair and get a strong cup of tea. Gosh, this is so exciting! Contain yourselves, please.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/110487/application-date-deposit-notice.pdf

LF disappointment

Yesterday evening and overnight I was on 136kHz WSPR RX with a preamp in circuit. Only 2 stations were spotted - G3XIZ (46km) and G8HUH (250km) and, if I am honest, the preamp made little difference, whereas I was hoping for much more.

With G3XIZ there may have been a slight improvement but with G8HUH he was no better. I am not quite sure what this is telling me. I think it means external noise is the limiting factor at this QTH. Unless I take further steps to reduce the external noise I am unlikely to spot many more stations. There was one station on OPERA (G3XDV?) who was quite strong, but I did not have any OPERA software running. I shall try again tonight. If possible, I'll run both WSPR and OPERA software at the same time.

10m FT8 RX

Well, I have been on since breakfast and have spotted 4 stations in 4 EU countries. Best DX was CT1LT (1436km). Not bad so far today.

UPDATE 1425z:  G4CJC (74km) spotted.

UPDATE 1538z:  ZS6BUN (9130km) spotted. Real DX.

UPDATE 1932z: No further spots today. I was expecting to spot South Americans. Soon be time to QSY to LF.

Sunspots - Tuesday January 31st 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number is 15. A=5 and K=0.

Random Kindness - NOT amateur radio

In the news we tend to hear about bad things, but rarely good things.

Well, in my experience there are far more kind people than bad ones. Since my stroke over 4 years ago I cannot remember all the kind things people have done for me.  Only today I received something in the post totally free that a kind person had sent me.

It was heartening to hear of other acts of kindness by total strangers on the BBC Breakfast TV programme.

Always remember this: we tend to hear about bad things, but rarely good.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-42872907

136kHz WSPR RX

Thanks to the great kindness of an individual who shall remain nameless, I am looking on 136kHz WSPR with better sensitivity. This amateur did not want me to pay, but gave it in the true spirit of amateur radio. There are some very kind people out there. In my experience, the true spirit of our hobby is alive and well - thank you.

At some point in the future I hope I can be as generous to someone as many people have been to me in recent years. A great many people have shown me kindness and I am so grateful for their help in so many ways.

False alarm? - NOT amateur radio

We had a police car outside our house for an hour (we thought they just wanted a nice, quiet spot to eat lunch) and then the bomb disposal guys came. Normally it is very quiet. I suspect they had a new exhibit at the museum and wanted to be doubly sure it is safe. All gone now and back to normal.

OFCOM - clearing 700MHz

Today OFCOM showed more about its plans to reallocate 700MHz spectrum.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/information/transmitter-frequency?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=700MHz_clearance

10m FT8 RX

Will today be a repeat of yesterday? Having been on since breakfast my only spot is of G0OYQ (177km) in the Hull area. This is probably aircraft reflection or it could be tropo. If it turns out like yesterday, this could be it! However, I am always hopeful and you never know.

UPDATE 1205z: Well, I was right to be optimistic! DK2BL (990km) in Bavaria has been spotted.

UPDATE 1412z: No further spots.

UPDATE 1835z: SQ4OJD (1357km) spotted strongly.

Sunrise - NOT amateur radio

After the rain yesterday, we had a glorious sunrise today. This was the sunrise earlier in our close. It is still sunny.

Sunspots - Tuesday January 30th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today (low). Sunspot number is still zero. A=4 and K=2.

630m

Last night I did not go on 630m WSPR RX. The rigs and PC were rested overnight. Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX.

Shack

This is a view of my operating position. Nearby, but not shown, is the bench where I do any building.