Sub 9kHz amateur radio

These days a dedicated bunch of amateurs continue to "push the envelope" by experimenting below 9kHz. At one time though getting outside the garden would be seen as amazing with the small antennas and low powers possible by amateurs. In actual fact amateurs have crossed the Atlantic! Although I don't claim to be always up to date, I try to be on my sub-9kHz website. If you are interested, take a look.

One myth is you need big antennas. On TX this helps with radiated signals, but on VLF RX they can be very small. An E-field probe just a few centimetres long can be very effective.

XBS Telecom

Every month I get an email from this EU company.  Prices include VAT and warranty and are always lower than the prices from UK dealers. Although I have never bought from them, they look good value.

See https://www.xbstelecom.eu/shop/en/12-ham-radio

Climate change - NOT amateur radio

There is little argument that our climate is changing, although people still argue about whether this a natural cycle or worsened by the actions of man. Personally, I am more than convinced that what we do has a lot to do with rising temperatures and rising sea levels.

Although recyclable sources of energy are now far less expensive, most of us still drive around in cars powered by fossil fuels. At some point when electric cars have better ranges and are less expensive we will all change and drive these; much like flat screen TVs and digital photography, we will change and quite quickly. Cathode ray tubes and photographic film seem so outdated now.

Likewise, we will eat less meat and think nothing of it. Speaking as someone who eats and enjoys bacon, sausages and beef it would not really bother me if I had to eat less, or no, meat. By the subtle power of advertising we will all think eating healthy food will be wonderful.

At some point we will change our habits. Only a few years ago, nothing was recycled. Now we all do it. We have lots of plastic packaging - this will change.

If we do nothing the Earth may be in grave danger, although I think we will change, even in those nations that do our polluting for us like China, India and the USA. Let us all hope we change sooner rather than later. I am as guilty as anyone.

2m SSB

These days 2m SSB is nothing new, but back in the 1970s there was no VHF SSB commercial gear until the Liner-2. After the Liner-2 came the IC202 followed by the IC202S. These were military styled handhelds. The FT290 came later followed by the FT817.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/ic202

Sunspots - Monday December 16th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN still 0. A=5 and K=0.

472kHz (630m) WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

For a change I am on 472kHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Already 9 unique reports with best DX being a spot by PA3FNY (330km). It seems only a few moments since I connected up things! I hope there are some stations in Norway active on RX tonight.

FT817, FT817ND and FT818

When the FT818 appeared I was disappointed. The FT817 has been popular for many years and the FT817ND and FT818 seem to have built on that reputation.

In truth the FT818 just got rid of difficult to source parts and offered customers little new. Had they added a few extras they would have sold thousands. It would appear ICOM's IC-705 will do this instead. In my view, Yaesu has lost its focus and could leave the amateur market. ICOM seems more likely to survive.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ft817

Pathfinders - NOT amateur radio

During WW2 my dad was an RAF Pathfinder. Like many, he rarely talked about those dark days: I suspect they made a deep impact on him and those around him. My great regret was not finding out more from him about what it was really like. It must have been so frightening.  He died in 1987.

At heart, he was a simple man, who hated hurting anyone. I suspect he had deep sadness that innocent men, women and children were killed as a result of his actions. On one occasion he crash-landed in Kent on the way back from a night raid over Germany. In his heart he did not want to hurt a fly. This was wartime and things were so very different.

It is perhaps not surprising that so many who lived through WW2 never wanted to share these dark days. I guess it must have been strange to know that every flight had the very real danger of death, burning or capture. Looking back, I don't know how they did it again and again.

These days we are friends with people in Germany and WW2 seems a long time in the past. May peace continue. There is no place for hate in our world.

Chrome OS - NOT amateur radio

As it is a few weeks since I bought a Chromebook, an update is in order. I am very pleased with it. What I can't get over is how it immediately comes on: no waiting - it is just there. I am using it now. For all I want to do in the lounge it is perfect. The battery lasts me all day on a charge. At the moment I have absolutely no regrets at all.

Windows? Who needs it?

Reflections - NOT amateur radio

Most months we go for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. We were expecting to see the first daffodils out, but these were still a few weeks off. It was a cold, but bright, day.

We have had some very wet days. It has been very wet over here in East Anglia, which is normally the driest part of the UK. This photo shows the mill leat.

The collage was created by my wife. It show various things at Anglesey Abbey. We are lucky having this so near.

More on 2m FT8

This mode continues to "blow me away". On 2m FT8 if I call CQ with 2.5W to the big-wheel I frequently (probably every time they are on) get copied at great range, irrespective of conditions. Some DX is copied every day as a result of aircraft reflections, but most DX is there all the time, so is what I call "flat band tropo". As a example (at 0952z) 22 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX including Eire, Germany and Scotland.

UPDATE 1121:  Now 41 stations in 7 countries spotted this morning on 2m FT8 RX. 2m!

UPDATE 1206z: The map shows the stations spotted here on 2m FT8 RX this morning.

UPDATE 1328z:  Now 55 stations in 8 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1457z:  In the last day, 93 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX being DF7IW (612km).

UPDATE 1632z: A recent 2.5W CQ with the big-wheel omni antenna was spotted by 5 stations in 3 countries (no QSOs) with the best DX being GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 2100z: In the last 12 hours 75 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. A recent 2.5W CQ was spotted just by a couple of Gs.  Soon be time to go QRT on 2m FT8.

New uBITX

Steve G1KQH reports on his blog about the new version of the Indian uBITX HF transceiver.

See https://g1kqh.blogspot.com/2019/12/ubitx-v6-turns-up-heat.html?spref=fb&m=1

Find OPS-SAT

Southgate News has a piece on finding this satellite due to be launched December 17th.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/calling-radio-amateurs-help-find-ops-sat.htm#.XfUraOiTLnE

Sunspots - Sunday December 15th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0.  A=3 and K=2. Numbers suggest we are right at the bottom of the solar cycle.

Yaesu prices

Steve G1KQH informs me that some Yaesu prices are increasing.

Winter sun - NOT amateur radio

As we often do and as the sun was shining, we went for a walk at Anglesey Abbey.

As the photo shows, a lovely winter day. Cold and a bit windy, but great.

More IC-705 pictures

A few pictures I had not seen before are on this blog. This link is already on my IC-705 page.

See https://qrpblog.com/2019/08/icom-ic-705-hf-vhf-uhf-portable-transceiver-announced/

IARU Newsletter

Southgate News has a piece on the IARU newsletter with the outcomes from WRC-19 in Egypt as it effects amateur radio.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/iaru-r1-vhf-uhf-microwave-newsletter.htm#.XfS9aeiTLnE

Old friends - NOT amateur radio

We have old friends who moved from our village to the Cotswolds about 10 years ago.

They go home today and left us a lovely set of plants that they potted.

As old friends, we just pick up as if they had never left.

2m FT8 Saturday

Being a weekend, there may be a little more activity today than in the week when many are working.  As of 1010z 8 stations in 3 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX with best DX IK2OLD (976km) near Milan. Again using the big-wheel omni.

UPDATE 1233z:  So far today 13 stations in 5 countries spotted on 2 FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1819z: Now 59 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX today.

Sunspots - Saturday December 14th 2019

Solar flux is 69 (i.e. less than 70) and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

Wallet - NOT amateur radio

It's funny what we have in our wallets The photo shows what was in my wallet this morning. All the usual stuff is there including a couple of credit cards.

2m FT8

At the moment I am still on 2m FT8, mainly RX. So far today, 3 stations spotted with best DX on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel antenna DJ9IE (515km).

UPDATE 1100z: A recent 2.5W FT8 CQ was copied by 1 G only. On RX 6 stations in 3 countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 2115z: Now 31 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UK General Election - NOT amateur radio

So the Conservative party has decisively won the UK General Election. I cannot deny they won a big majority although I feel this is as much about stopping the paralysis over BREXIT as anything else. I now expect the leader of the opposition to leave soon. His left wing policies were not liked.

Sunspots - Friday December 13th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=2.

4m website

Although I have not been on 4m for some years there are more and more rigs with 4m coverage and more countries than ever with 4m access. 

One place with lots of data is the 4m website. Assuming the price is sensible I expect to buy an IC-705.  In Europe, this rig covers 4m.  4m should be a useful band for inter-G contacts and Es in to Europe. On FT8 I would expect most of the UK to be within range at any time irrespective of conditions.

Solar doldrums

It is now some while since we saw sunspots, with none even with the more active region of the Sun swinging in to view. The solar flux has been in the low 70s, as far as I remember, for some weeks and it has not dipped in to the 60s for some time. This, at least, is slightly encouraging.

It very much looks to me as if we are right at the bottom of the solar minimum. Only time will tell. If we are at the bottom, we can expect improving conditions for the next few years. Let's hope so!

2m FT8

A few moments ago I QSYed to 2m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially. Nothing yet copied on RX, but 3 spots on TX with the best being M0NPT (125km) in Nottingham. I am using the big-wheel omni antenna. It is a truly miserable day with rain.

UPDATE 1243z: 6 stations in 3 countries so far this morning on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2142z: In the last day 69 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

160m FT8 RX last night

160m FT8 spots overnight with the
earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Another amazing evening and overnight on 160m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with 496 stations in 5 continents spotted with best DX ZS1LS (9738km).

UPDATE 1102z: KV4FZ (6764km) spotted at 0922z. This looks classic greyline with the Caribbean in darkness. A VY2 was also copied on 160m FT8 RX this morning, but this did not reach PSKreporter for some reason.

Quakers - NOT amateur radio

Although I cannot confess to having a faith these days, I admit to being an agnostic, I have a great deal of time for the Quakers in the UK. They seem to be the one group working for equality and peace. Unlike some religious groups they believe in faith in action and think there is "something of God in everyone". Most (all?) believe in simple living. Their business ethics are based on honesty and justice, something we are lacking in the UK and many countries currently.

See https://www.quaker.org.uk/

OFCOM

OFCOM is consulting on some short range wireless devices operating in the 800 and 900MHz regions. See their website for further details.

UK election day, Dec 12th - NOT amateur radio

If you live in the UK, today is the day we vote in a General Election. For the first time in nearly 100 years this is being held in December with dark evenings. Many in the UK are bored with BREXIT and leaving the EU.

The election outcome is very unpredictable. If the ruling Conservatives win an outright majority, they will press ahead with their BREXIT deal. As likely is a hung parliament with minor parties holding the balance of power.

UPDATE 1104z: I have voted. Deciding where to put my cross was not easy.

Sunspots - Thursday December 12th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number still 0.  A=6 and K=1.

160m FT8 today

This evening and overnight, I think I'll stick with 160m QRP FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In the last 30 minutes already 23 stations have been spotted with best DX being RW0AR (5585km) in Asiatic Russia.
.
UPDATE 1900z: On 160m FT8 RX 144 stations spotted so far this afternoon. With 2.5W TX just 1 G spot so far. In the last day 773 different stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX. Quite staggering.

UPDATE 2017z: A 2.5W FT8 CQ just now was spotted by 4 stations in 3 countries (no QSOs) with best DX being a spot by DK1BN (540km). On 160m FT8 RX now 200n stations spotted in the last 6 hours.

UPDATE 2045z: WU1ITU (4831km) in Maine,USA, is already coming though! 244 stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX in the last 6 hours.

What IS a QSO?

Earlier I had an interesting email from a friend in the village about what was a QSO. To him, unless there was a 2-way voice contact it was not really a QSO. He did not like FT8 contacts because these could be done PC-PC without a human even being present. These days, using systems like Echolink, one can talk to handheld stations on the other side of the world.

His email got me thinking. I use FT8 mainly because I use QRP and my voice is poor these days. I can still use voice modes, but it is hard work both for me and those at the other end!

Having said that, I like being able to assess conditions with WSPR and FT8. These systems work with weak signals and are far better aids to seeing if a path is open than SSB or CW can ever be. For a start, using the internet databases, there are lots of people monitoring and they are all monitoring the same small chunks of spectrum. Last night, for example, there were 17 FT8 QSOs on 160m in just 2kHz of spectrum. Being weak signal modes, brief openings are caught. On 2m FT8 I can be consistently copied at great range with 2.5W to a simple omni antenna. On 2m QRP SSB I struggle to work over 200km. With FT8 double or more distance is possible with QRP irrespective of conditions.

To me, Echolink QSOs are not "real" QSOs as most of the way the internet is the bearer.

I guess all we can conclude is a QSO is different for different people. Old timers (like me?) still like DX contacts by "real" radio, whereas these days this is arguably unimportant. To me, the challenge is propagation. For some it is the joy of just talking to people.

Tax Returns - NOT amateur radio

About this time I get around to submitting a tax return to the UK's Inland Revenue. In the USA I think this is the IRS. I forgot my Government Gateway ID and spent about an hour going around in ever decreasing circles. You would think they would put this on last year's tax return! No, this is too obvious. In the end I found the old one and successfully logged in.

Next year I think I won't have to do a tax return although I expect I still will have to tell them about gift aid. Not everyone has to do a tax return. In the past it was necessary if you had income from shares or houses. I have neither.  I hate doing tax returns.

160m FT8 overnight

Amazing! Since turning on 160m FT8 RX early last night I have spotted 691 stations in 5 continents. On 160m FT8 TX I was spotted 13 stations in 5 countries with the best spot by DK2LO (650km) with 2.5W.  The earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground certainly works for me!

Stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX using 

the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Sunspots - Wednesday December 11th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=2.

160m FT8

For a change, I am trying 160m FT8 with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. An FT8 CQ was spotted by no-one, but I was blown away by the high number of stations spotted on RX. There were so many! Best DX so far on 160m FT8 RX is UA4HBW (3300km) in Samara. In about 30 minutes 51 stations already spotted on 160m FT8 RX. Quite staggering.

Stations spotted on 160m
FT8 RX in first hour

UPDATE 1947z:  17 stations occupying just 2kHz of band! Best DX on 160m FT8 RX now R9GM (3499km) in Perm. 127 stations spotted already in the first hour on 160m FT8 RX.  A recent 2.5W FT8 CQ on 160m was spotted by 5 G stations with best being G0KTN (211km).

70cm activity contest tonight

Starting at 8pm UK clock time is the 70cm activity contest, held monthly. As I have no 70cm antennas up currently, I use the 2m big-wheel omni antenna 10W SSB. Despite this compromise set-up I often get over 100km despite being on for far less than 1 hour, because of my poor voice.