13 May 2018

Success on VLF

Riccardo IW4DXW's EbNaut transmissions from Italy on VLF (8270.003Hz) have been decoded in Germany.

Heathkit today

When I was young (a long time ago!) Heathkits were the things to aspire to. I started out in radio with an electronics workshop from Heathkit one Christmas.

Heathkit is trying to make a comeback, but the kits so far have not exactly impressed me. This is a tough market to crack especially with cheap kits and assembled products available from China. A few years ago I bought a 40m CW transceiver kit from China (the Pixie) that was less, with free postage too,  than just one of the parts if bought in the UK. I liked Heathkits and hope the company succeeds.  I have my doubts though.

See https://shop.heathkit.com/shop

See also https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/elwk

Beacons on FT8?

With FT8 becoming so popular, I am surprised beacons on HF and VHF don't include this weak signal mode. Perhaps some already do and I have not heard of them! If you are aware of any, please let me know.

Bowcombe Creek - NOT amateur radio

We did a short walk here last week. It is a delightful spot, not far from Kingsbridge. Even when the tide is out it is beautiful. The tide turned as we were there and started to come in.

6m FT8 RX Es

6m FT8 RX at 0902z today
Since breakfast, I have been monitoring 6m FT8. There is clear evidence of Es, especially from Spain, but all over.

Best RX DX is EA8YV (2983km). in the Canary Is.

UPDATE 0902z: Already 60 unique stations spotted in 14 countries spotted today on 6m FT8!

UPDATE 1424z: 112 uniques in 15 countries so far today on 6m FT8. Quite amazing.

UPDATE 1915z: Best DX today on 6m FT8 is EA8JK (3022km).

Little Egrets - NOT amateur radio

Until the late 1980s little egrets (a sort of heron) were rare in England. With climate change (please tell Mr Chump) their range has extended further north and they are now quite common here.

My guess is cattle egrets will be next.

This little egret was spotted in Devon, although I have seen one fly over my house here in East Anglia. 30 years ago, such a sight would have seemed impossible.

Sunspots - Sunday May 13th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 11. A=12 and K=4.

At least Es is now good!

12 May 2018

MLS weekend deals

Most weekends MLS has special offers and this weekend is no exception. They have, I see, a dual band 6m/4m Moxon beam.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk

6m FT8

After a brief period on 10m FT8 (lots of Es from Europe), I have switched to 6m FT8 RX. Best DX spotted is SV1DH (2430km) near Athens, Greece. He was calling CQ NA. At first I was on the 10m antenna! Now I am using the V2000 vertical.

UPDATE 1605z: 7 unique stations in 4 countries spotted so far on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1804z: Now 60 unique stations in 12 countries with best DX 4Z5ML (3566km) in Israel.

UPDATE 1958z: although not the greatest distance S01WS (3043km) in Western Sahara must be the most interesting. At -4dB S/N this station was strong. 3 continents on 6m (VHF) FT8 today with just my V2000 vertical. Magic band!

QRPclub newsletter

This just came in from Oleg:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,
keep  your attention and have enjoy reading new issue of the Reporter
"QRP Vestnik" # 6 (May 2018) - FREE of course :-)
To download file visit Club 72 page or direct link -
http://club72.su/vestnik/qv6.pdf
Size 500 kB, 2 pages
Use Google or other translator to read Russian text, please.
Thanks Igor R2AJA for assistance!
My mailbox open for any feedback, also for articles, news, pics etc...

72! Oleg "Mr. 72" RX3G

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please."

Where we stayed in S.Devon - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned earlier, we have now got back from our break in Devon. This is a video reminder.

Rally in N.Ireland

13 MAY 2018 : LOUGH ERNE AMATEUR RADIO RALLY

Share Centre, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh BT92 0EQ,. Access M1, A5 & A4 (NI), M/N3 (RoI ). Doors open at 11.30am. David, GI4VHO, 078-4291-0076, calderwood110@btinternet.com www.learc.eu.

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

Sunspots - Saturday May 12th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number is 11. A=12 and K=4.

Back from holiday - NOT amateur radio

You may have guessed that we have been away for about 9 days. We are now safely home again.

11 May 2018

Sunspots - Friday May 11th 2018

Solar flux is 74 and the sunspot number 11. A=12 and K=4.

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

Usually I see my first swifts at the end of April. This year, it was May 10th before I saw them and even that was in South Devon.  These are migrant birds and I suspect numbers are down. They have been seen for some weeks, but I had not seen any before yesterday.

Once I see them, they appear ubiquitous, screaming on the wing. Usually they are the most common bird seen in the spring/summer sky. They are here all May and June and then you just notice they have gone until next year. The skies are quiet.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift

10 May 2018

EbNaut tests from IW4DXW on VLF

Riccardo is busy again with VLF transmissions.

"Hi Stefan, Lubos, Paul, VLF

Ok Stefan :-), here we go!
I'm starting a series of EbNaut transmissions, from 0800 UTC (9 May) every 8 hours. Then 3 messages per day (0000, 0800, 1600 UTC). 

QRG: 8270.003
2 ch.
30 sec./sym.
coding 16K21A
CRC 28
duration: 8h 00'
antenna current: 600 mA

many thanks for reports"




Sunspots - Thursday May 10th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today. Sunspot number is 22. A=16 and K=3.

Window shopping? - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps they should lower the windows so gulls can get a better view?

My dad's house - NOT amateur radio

Salcombe Devon Home
100 years ago, my dad lived here. At that time these houses were small, dirty and with an outside shared toilet. Nowadays they are posh holiday lets.

In 1959 my mum and dad sold our house in Salcombe for £1.9k. It now is for sale for £625k!! No doubt the buyer will be a yuppy banker who will use it for a few weeks a year. Salcombe these days is a very up-market town.

Back then - in fact when I was young - it was a thriving all year around community.  These days the wintertime population is a fraction of that in the summer. The main street is almost exclusively posh clothes shops catering for the rich yachters. Already the only bank has closed. To me, it is a society that cannot survive unless it evolves again into a 365/7 community again.

Realtime HF predictions

Southgate News reports on a website that gives near realtime HF predictions.

See http://www.bandconditions.com/

9 May 2018

Radioworld will NOT be stocking the r828plus SDR transceiver

I contacted Radioworld about this HF SDR 10W radio to ask about their guarantee and was told:

"We will not be stocking the 928plus. as we feel that it is bad move for the original inventor."

Another supplier respecting the original inventor M0MKA.

Kits for the mcHF original are available from http://www.m0nka.co.uk/
 .

Sunset - NOT amateur radio

The sunset in the west last night in Devon.

The island is Burgh Island, made famous by Agatha Christie. King Edward VIII and Wallace Simpson stayed here too. There is a famous art deco hotel there and a sandbar which gets covered when the tide is in.

Rare square activation

This is probably more of interest to USA readers? According to Southgate News there is a DXpedition to a small island off New Orleans in square EL58hx. This is a very small uninhabited island that can only be accessed via a boat. No doubt the IOTA hunters will be pleased (NA-168).

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/may/el58hx-grid-expedition.htm#.WvHi2ExFzIU

2m WSPR

Although I have tried 2m WSPR it is not recommended. FT8 is much better.

On WSPR you are monitoring just a 200Hz window and most signals drift more than this.

On FT8 you are looking in a much wider window and the TX periods are just 15 seconds as opposed to nearly 2 minutes with WSPR. WSPR is theoretically able to work with weaker signals, but I find far more DX on FT8 than on 2m WSPR.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2mwspr

Trump and the Iran nuclear deal - NOT amateur radio

OK, I am an outsider looking in, but I find President Trump hard to follow on the international stage.

Exactly what does he expect to achieve? Most in the world think the Iran nuclear deal should carry on.  President Trump does not.

So what will Iran do? Further destabilise the Middle East? No, my personal view is this man is dangerous and is a loose cannon on the world stage. Does he ever listen to advisors?

Why did so many in the USA voted him into office? "America first"? Recreating the America of 1950 is a dream, not a reality. The world is an interconnected place in the 21st century.  King Canute tried to stop the tides and failed. Trump will fail and sooner or later and the good people of the USA will realise this.  Building a wall with Mexico? Stopping steel from China? At the moment the US government and president are the butt of jokes around the planet.

Where are the values that really make America great?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44049532

Wool - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we did a walk at Snapes Point near Salcombe.

We had to cross a field with several sheep and lambs. There was a lot of wool on the grass. Of course, this is raw wool. There was lots of wool on the fencing too.

HF Conditions

As mentioned yesterday, the next solar peak is likely to be similar to the last one, although these are just educated guesses at this stage. In a few years time, we may have a better idea.

Es is often a good second best and some really long paths are worked on 6m every year by Es. 6m JT65 was very good last year and this year 6m FT8 should be worth a try.

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

Beetle - NOT amateur radio

This was another insect seen on our recent Devon walks.  Although probably a very common sort, I have no idea what this beetle is.

Despite the recent hot weather in the UK there were lots of muddy paths. These were mostly in shaded spots. This one was on a dry path.

A built 10W SDR HF transceiver for less than £400?

A friend, Steve G1KQH, has passed this link on to me. This was the transceiver (imported from China) that MLS decided not to sell as it was a rip-off of a UK design that the inventor failed to register. At this price, it is hard to ignore. It is called the r928-plus.

See https://www.radioworld.co.uk/hf_transceiver/radioworld-hf-transceiver/r928-plus-full-hf-with-sdr-portable-qrp-transceiver

Sunspots - Wednesday May 9th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today. Sunspot number is 25 (the highest for a long time). A=14 and K=3.

8 May 2018

Maybugs - NOT amateur radio

By Jost Jahn - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
w/index.php?curid=56033607
Two things today got me thinking of cockchafer beetles. As a child, these were a regular sight on May evenings in the UK and I recall one morning (May 1960?) when we had about 50 caught in spiders webs.

I spotted a dead one earlier today. Also I read in the paper that the nickname of the bumble bee was dumbledore, which I always assumed was the country name for the cockchafer beetle. Apparently, that is the doodlebug, so there you go!

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockchafer

That elusive sunspot cycle 25

We still have a few years to run before cycle 24 ends (around 2020), but already there are new cycle 25 spots appearing. These are high latitude spots and only clear to those who know.

The "experts" seem to be saying cycle 25 will be similar to cycle 24. As with all these things experts are often wrong and it may be several more years before we get more meaningful predictions. I hope I am around to see it.

Chris Lorek G4HCL dead

A couple of people sent me a message to say Chris Lorek G4HCL had died suddenly. Many years ago I worked with Chris. Apparently he picked up an infection in Morocco and died of septicaemia in Goa.

See https://www.facebook.com/theRSGB/posts/1899999773624537

Es'hail 2 amateur satellite

It is some time since I last heard news of this satellite from Qatar. As far as I know it has not yet launched. It was due to carry a geosynchronous amateur satellite. It was due to be launched (I think) in late 2016, but was delayed.

River Avon - NOT amateur radio

There are several Avons in the UK. This is the Avon in Devon at Bantham. It is believed tin was floated down from Dartmoor and traded with continental people here 1000 years ago. At one time, Bantham was a busy port. There are remains going back to the Iron Age nearby many thousands of years ago. A few hundred years ago it was a centre for smuggling.

Yet more amateur VLF TXing from Italy

Near 8.27kHz is the frontier these days! News has come in of yet more tests from Italy close to this frequency by Riccardo. BTW Lubos is in the Czech Republic.

"Lubos,

many thanks for your report!
I'm testing the coil for long transmissions; I have observed, for my first time, that atmospheric conditions affects antenna current: for example, today it's been a sunny and dry morning, in fact I reach 625mA; in the afternoon the sky was so cloudy and I have measured only 570mA. Now the value is stabilized around 590mA (relative humidity's still high: 86%).
I'm preparing an EbNaut setup for next days: I will announce details soon."

Feeding from my hand

Last night, we went to my brother's house for a meal. It was great to be able to feed wild pheasants by hand in his garden (see photo). There is something rather wonderful when a wild bird trusts you enough to eat food directly from your hand. I have never been so close to live pheasants ever.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 8th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 14.  A=17 and K=3.

7 May 2018

Another Bouvet Island DXpedition

DXpeditions rarely excite me.

If you have a mega station, the thought of calling and calling in the hope of being heard does not "float my boat". Some, however, love this aspect of the hobby and get very excited when a few keen individuals cross oceans to activate a really rare place. Take for example Bouvet Island. This team has a very swish website and is asking for financial support.

See https://bouvetoya.org/