Lilac - NOT amateur radio

Several years ago, one of our neighbours lilac trees blew down onto our path. We all thought that was it, so they gota new lilac and planted it a few metres from the old tree. What happened? The old tree sprouted again! We can now enjoy 3 lilac trees as the photo shows.

Disaster - NOT amateur radio

We had pasta for lunch, prepared by me. All was fine until the last minute when I accidentally tipped a whole jar of mixed herbs on it! It tasted, well, "herby".  I scraped a lot off, but it rather spoilt things. After the event we can laugh.

10m FT8

Yet again I am on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far today just being spotted by locals and just 1 G spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1300z:  4 spots so far with a couple of spots from Spain. 1 QSO (in the village!) and 11 spots on RX.

UPDATE 1840z: Just 5 spots of me today and 13 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. 1 QSO and he was in the village!

UPDATE 1935z: QRT.

Sunspots - Monday April 27th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 14.  A=6 and K=2.  Better sunspot numbers.

Zoom - NOT amateur radio

In these strange times we cannot see our grandchildren in person.

Once a week we have a family Zoom session so we can all see each other. It works well.

Yellow tipped - NOT amateur radio

My brother went for a bike ride earlier in Devon. He saw a yellow tipped butterfly (see photo).

Sporadic-E

About now it is almost like a switch being turned on. For the next few months bands like 10m, 6m, 4m and occasionally 2m will spring into life with plenty of short skip contacts. Occasionally these bands may support far more distant contacts via E layer propagation. Last year 6m opened up to Australia!! Anything is possible.

Spring - NOT amateur radio

Pretty sure this photo was on some weeks ago, but I hope you don't mind seeing it again. It shows the path up to our church some weeks ago. Most of the daffodils are now dead until next year.

Hedge trimming - NOT amateur radio

As we are busy in the garden it is unlikely that we will do a walk today. Cutting the hedge is far more tiring than I expected. As we are trying to cut the growth back quite a bit, I am having to use the mains powered trimmer that is quite heavy.

ICOM IC-705

This rig was expected to be released in Japan about now. Many were expecting the USA version to be released at Dayton. The last reports I had seen gave no European release dates.

The last I heard was this had no internal auto-ATU and it was expensive for a QRP radio. It would not surprise me if this was even more expensive now. To my mind an internal auto-ATU is essential in a QRP radio intended for field use, even if this made the box a bit thicker. Even the option of one is better than nothing.

At least the display can be turned off. I think this was as a result of feedback.

If you have any latest data, please share it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/ic705

10m FT8 for the day

At about 0805z, the 10m FT8 gear was turned on. Still using 2.5W to the indoor magnetic loop. This is positioned on a PVC pipe taped to a small table in the shack. This is now a much greater distance from the window.

So far, no RX spots, but M0HOJ (14km) has spotted my 2.5W on TX. This should be my poorest direction i.e. orthogonal to the loop.

UPDATE 0830z:  Now 3 spots so far this morning (all local) of my 2.5W 10m FT8 TX. Reports are better than yesterday, in line with loop orientation, which is encouraging.

UPDATE 1140z:  47 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX and 9 stations have spotted me with my 2.5W on TX. So far 1 QSO with a Spanish station. The indoor loop antenna certainly works!

UPDATE 1341z:QSOs today on 10m FT8 with Norway and Spain so far.

UPDATE 1735z : 12 spots of me so far and 141 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.  All Europeans.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT. The photo shows the stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Sunday April 26th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 11. A=5 and K=2. Sunspots return.

Our walk earlier - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we did a nice walk. We went around the village as the collage shows. In all, we walked about 3.5 miles.

Chicks - NOT amateur radio

Recently one of our grandchildren who keeps chickens had some chicks born.  He actually witnessed one coming out of the egg! The photo shows him holding one.

10m FT8

In a few moments we are going for a walk, so TX will be disabled. So far (turned things on about 15 minutes ago at around 0805z) my 2.5W to the indoor loop (see earlier post today) has been spotted just by 1 local G4WSZ (12km).

UPDATE 1152z:  When we came back from our walk the TX was turned on. 9 spots of me so far today with 6 from Spain. Es.

UPDATE 1450z:  23 spots of my 2.5W so far today.

UPDATE 2029z: 261 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX including 4 South Americans. 45 stations spotted my 2.5W to the indoor loop, all Europeans. One QSO with a station in Denmark.  Now QRT.

The new normal? - NOT amateur radio

Like many, our grandchildren are now enjoying schooling on the PC. This was one of our grandchildren yesterday.

Sunspot minimum?

The recent solar data has been disappointing. We have seen solar flux below 70 now for several days. We could be only now reaching solar minimum. With luck things could be better soon, but it looks like earlier predictions may have been optimistic.

Sunspots - Saturday April 25th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=3.

10m loop improvements

Yesterday, I modified my 10m loop to make it easier to tune. The measured capacitance at resonance was just under 40pF. I replaced the 365pF variable with a fixed 27pF in series with a fixed 27pF capacitor in series with a 5-65pF trimmer. Tuning is now much less difficult and the SWR on-tune very good. A quick test was spotted by 3 locals.

Cambridge Club (CDARC) Zoom meeting

As the Cambridge club cannot meet as usual every 2 weeks, it is meeting virtually instead. The last sessions were on the local repeater GB3PI with the prior approval of the repeater group. Tonight there is a talk with slides by Gavin M1BXF which is on Zoom.

UPDATE 2152z: It was excellent.

Not on the air today

All of today, I have not been on the air. Usually I go on FT8 on some band, but today I was busy with jobs so the gear has not been turned on.

Our local church - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows a view of our local church from our walk earlier.

Vomit inducing - NOT amateur radio

On Facebook there is an advert running for an oxygen monitor. Not only is the company cynically playing on Covid-19 fears, but they have an "in stock" counter which encourages you to buy before stock runs out. If you wait, stock magically goes up!! Sickening. Should be banned.

Musee des Beaux Arts - NOT amateur radio

This morning I was reminded of W. H. Auden's poem called Musee des Beaux Arts.

Whilst an ambulance was taking an old neighbour dying of bone cancer to a hospice there were 2 young girls being videoed by mum and dad on their bikes. Life goes on.

The poem highlights how Icarus fell from the sky, but most people just carried on.

See http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/auden.html

Loop changes

As my newer loop is very sharp tuning, I may modify the tuning so that I can tune it to resonance more easily. I need to think how to do this best whilst keeping the Q high. Luckily with QRP the voltages at the high impedance points of the loop are not so high which makes the changes easier.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago, I bought a Chromebook. To say I am impressed is an understatement.

I have created a webpage on my main website. Over time, I may add to this. It does all I ever want and boots up in seconds.

Although mine can be used as a tablet, I have not used this mode yet.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/chromebooks

Sunspots - Friday April 24th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Another rally cancelled

I have just been notified of this. Again, apologies for the white background, but this is how I received it: this makes it hard to read in some browsers. The precis is the Norbreck rally is cancelled.

Sunday 26 APRIL : CANCELLED new date 25 April 2021


NARSA - NORTHERN AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETIES ASSOCIATION EXHIBITION. (Blackpool Rally) Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. There will be a talk-in station and plenty of car parking. There will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Doors open at 10.30am, or 10.15am for disabled visitors. Catering is available on site. Dave, M0OBW 01270 761 608 dwilson@btinternet.com www.narsa.org.uk

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

That 10m indoor loop (again)

Later today, all being well, I intend to finish the rebuild of my loop for 10m.

I have still to decide on WSPR or FT8. Before doing it, I shall try to (roughly) cut the coax capacitor to close to the correct length, having found out what capacitance I need from the online loop calculator.

My capacitance meter that has not been used for about 7 years! The battery probably needs replacing! I hope it has not leaked.

UPDATE 1035z: The gods are with me!  Some time ago, I must have removed the battery to use it somewhere else. I just put a new battery in and the capacitance bridge is working fine. According to my calculation I need about 43pF with a 0.6cm thickness pipe with a circumference of 2m. I shall recheck the pipe cross-section. It is thin bore copper pipe used in central heating systems. If I cut the length slightly long, I can snip a bit off until it hits resonance. The very most I can run is 20W (most times 500mW WSPR or 2.5W FT8) so I am unlikely to have problems with high voltages. In the past I even used a dead ordinary 365pF air spaced variable without issues in a loop antenna.

UPDATE 1535z: The loop is now finished and operational. In the end I decided on FT8 and used a 365pF airspaced variable to get to frequency. It is very sharp! This is a good sign. It seems a few dB up on the other loop judging by local reports. Using the airspaced variable C means that the loop antenna can be used on other bands. The photo shows the completed loop. It was much harder than I expected. Years ago it would have been trivial.

UPDATE 1749z: Just 2 locals have spotted me so far today on 10m FT8 TX with my 2.5W to the better indoor loop antenna.

Rowan Blossom - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier we saw this blossom.

Living in the moment - NOT amateur radio

We live in strange times. One thing we are all learning is to live in the moment and enjoy what we see. Most mornings we do a walk. It is surprising what beauty is all around us if we look.

The next solar cycle

We are very close to the solar minimum and next year we can expect solar conditions to get better. This will be the first solar cycle in which FT8 will be used near and at the peak. As FT8 is better than SSB or CW, it will be interesting to see how this alters things. SSB and CW activity could be lower.

Sunspots - Thursday April 23rd 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=1.

10m magnetic loop

Many years ago I made a loop antenna for 10m using central heating copper pipe. Bits for this have been in the garage for about 7 years! For the capacitor I used a length of coax cut to resonate.

Since my stroke things are much harder. I am trying to rebuild it as it should be much more efficient than the loop I am currently using. Rebuilding it is much harder than I expected. If on WSPR it can be left on the air 24/7 using my beacon. FT8 might be more productive even if less sensitive.

15m FT8

Rather earlier than usual, I am on 15m FT8 with 2.5W and the 45cm indoor loop. It is now 0615z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 0922z: No spots.

UPDATE 1040z: One G spotted on RX and one G spotting me so far.

UPDATE 1215z:  5 stations in Europe and North Africa have been spotted on 15m FT8 RX. So far, just the 1 station has spotted my 2.5W.

UPDATE 2011z :  QRT.

Birthday boy - NOT amateur radio

One of our sons is 42 today. This photo of when he was 35 appeared as a FB memory today.

The second photo shows them today.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 22nd 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=9 and K=3

Notre Dame - NOT amateur radio

We just got this lovely pop-up card from 2 of our grandchildren.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

Most mornings we do a walk before it gets too hot. The photo shows our walk earlier.

It was about 3.5 miles.  These regular walks must help to keep us fit!

15m FT8

After breakfast I intend to go on 15m FT8 (2.5W to the indoor loop).

UPDATE 0730z:  All turned on at 0720z.

UPDATE 1032z:  Although 3 Europeans spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX, no-one has yet spotted me.

UPDATE 1140z: 7 Europeans spotted so far and 1 spot by LA6RJA (794km) of my 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop antenna.

Stations spotting me to 1253z

UPDATE 1253z:  Quite a few spots of my 2.5W to the tiny 45cm indoor loop mainly from Scandinavia. 17 spots on RX.

UPDATE 1932z:  On 15m FT8 RX a total of 72 stations were spotted and 13 Europeans spotted my 2.5W tiny indoor loop.

UPDATE 2151z:  QRT.