Strange weather - NOT amateur radiio

We had a lovely April and May, but June has been mixed. We mostly avoided rain on our walk this morning but is a real "sunshine and showers" day today, more typical of the UK in April.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

In the last few "lockdown" months we have done far more local walks. Today was no exception. We chose a path which clearly was not well known. We saw just 3 people walking their dog and we all had plenty of space.

My wife took a photo of this flower, which I think is related to the pea. It is a delicate flower called the sainfoin, I think. If you know better, I am happy to be corrected!

10m WSPR TX today (500mW to the indoor loop)

Just G4KPX (14km) spotting me today so far. It is currently 1407z. Early days yet.

UPDATE 1448z:  Just 11 spots by G4KPX so far today.

Sunday on 6m FT8

A few minutes ago 6m FT8 was turned on with 10W and the vertical omni antenna. So far, 24 stations have spotted me (it is now 1405z). Most of these are Europeans via Es. Fewer stations spotted here.

UPDATE 2115z:   Several stations are calling and working Caribbean and USA stations.

Yesterday on 10m WSPR TX (500mW and the indoor loop)

Much of the day I was on 10m WSPR, although storms forced early closure. No great DX spots.

Yesterday on 6m FT8

Much of the day yesterday I was on 6m FT8, although thunderstorms caused me to go QRT on several occasions.

Sunspots - Sunday June 7th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 15. A=3 and K=2.

Portable operating in the 1980s

The photo shows me operating portable from my parent's garden in the 1980s I think. It is just possible it is the early 1990s. Most of my hair is still there!

Cornwall - NOT amateur radio

Searching through an old box, we came across this old photo of St Ives in Cornwall. I have no idea why we have it or its origin.

Sunspots - Saturday June 6th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 13.  A=4 and K=1.

Thunder risk - everything disconnected

The skies have turned dark and it is windy and rainy. Thunder storms are about 30 kilometres away, so I have disconnected all antennas and plugs.  I am QRT.

If the threat passes I may reconnect things later.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

UPDATE 1452z:  The storm seems to have bypassed us for now, so everything reconnected for now.

UPDATE 1504z: Well I got that wrong! Lightning, hail, rain - the lot! QRT again. After about 30 minutes I reconnected things.

English weather - NOT amateur radio

April and May have been very pleasant here with lots of sunshine. In fact this was the best spring (sunniest) on record. In the last day, the weather has changed: it is much cooler and more showery.

This good weather coincided with our lockdown. We have done some lovely local walks, in fact more than usual. We have paid more attention to nature this spring.  Now the weather is more changeable, it makes walks less attractive. The ideal weather would be rain at night but dry, bright days!

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

At about 0800z, the 10m WSPR beacon was turned on and already spots from Germany by Es as well as local G4KPX (14km). DJ9PC (825km) has  spotted me a couple of times already by 0824z).

Yesterday, I got 4 different stations spotting me  all day. Today looks more promising.

UPDATE 1112z: Altogether a much better day with spots of me by 9 different stations so far.

10m WSPR unique station spots of me today

UPDATE 1445z :  QRT as thunderstorm risk.

UPDATE 2120z: After about 30 minutes everything was reconnected. Now QRT.

6m FT8

As of about 0800z, the FT8 gear was switched on. So far (0829z) 31 spots of my 10W to the omni vertical on TX and 25 stations spotted on RX. So far, all EU.

UPDATE 1138z:  So far today, 123 stations have spotted me, but no QSOs yet. I am auto sequencing and answering whoever calls me first, which is my normal operating style. I monitor things very regularly on another PC and can be in the shack in just a few seconds.  110 stations spotted here so far. Most stations are in Europe with a handful of near Asians.

UPDATE 1445z:  QRT as thunderstorm risk.  About minutes later everything was reconnected.

UPDATE 2125z:  In all, 145 spots of my 10W to the vertical omni. This is quite poor for recent days.

More rally news

The following rallies have been cancelled or postponed.  The precis is the Rochdale and District ARS rally is cancelled, but it may be rescheduled to November. The Spaldng DARS is cancelled. The Lough Erne rally has been postponed.

Again, if the background makes this hard to read, I apologise. This is how I receive this.


Saturday 6 JUNE : CANCELLED but hopefully rescheduled to November

ROCHDALE & DISTRICT ARS SUMMER RALLY. St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open to the public at 10.15am, with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is £2.50, under 12s free. Pitches are £5 if you have your own table or £10 with a table provided. Refreshments are available including bacon and sausage butties. Details from Robert, M0NVQ, on 0777 811 3333 or m0nvq@outlook.com.


Sunday 7 JUNE : CANCELLED

SPALDING DARS ANNUAL RALLY. It is with regret, and following extensive talks, taking advice, that we announce that this years Spalding Rally in June is unfortunately cancelled...We look forward to seeing traders and visitors again in 2021... Holbeach Community Sports Academy, Pennyhill Lane, Holbeach PE12 7PR Doors open at 9.30am and admittance is £3. The venue offers easy access from the A17, large area for boot traders and modern hall for indoor traders. There will be a Car Boot Sale, RSGB Book Stall, Special Interest Groups and trade stands. Catering is available on site and there will be a prize draw/raffle. Contact Graham Boor, G8NWC, 07754 619 701, rallysecretary@sdars.org.uk.


Sunday 7 JUNE : POSTPONED

LOUGH ERNE RALLY. SHARE Centre, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh BT92 0EQ Doors are open at 11.30am and there is free parking. Entry is £5.00 or €5.00 on the door. Free tables for trade and special interest groups. There will be a bar and café with cooked lunch available. The RSGB will be in attendance. The raffle is included in the door entry price. Bring & Buy is free. For updates visit website www.learc.eu.


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

Sunspots - Friday June 5th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 12. A=4 and K=1.

RF interference levels

At the moment, I am quite rare in having a quiet RF noise level. Others are not so lucky and HF operating is all but impossible. Southgate News reports on an IARU submission to CISPR on this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/rising-rf-noise-levels-iaru-submits-paper-to-cispr.htm#.XtkLr4jYrrc

70cm yagi

Unless I am mistaken the photo shows the homebrew 4 el yagi I made about 7 years ago for use in portable activity contests.

I still have this antenna in the back of the garage. It has not been used in recent years. The mast is just a PVC tube trapped in the car door.

Zoom jazz gig - NOT amateur radio

As reported a few days ago, my son is a professional jazz pianist. He plays at all the very best venues in London and around the UK and has appeared on the BBC and other radio stations and has done tours overseas.

Currently, with venues closed, he is unable to play live gigs. Last night he did a Zoom performance with people buying tickets. It was a great success.

Not so modern technology

This photo appeared as a memory earlier. Looks good stuff, although I doubt it will ever catch on, HI.

10m WSPR TX

After a very disappointing day yesterday ( no spots) I have just turned on my 500mW WSPR TX beacon using the tiny indoor loop antenna.

UPDATE 1055z:  Just G4KPX (14km) spotting me currently.

6m FT8

At about 0600z my 10W 6m FT8 to the V2000 vertical was turned on. So far today just 2 G spots.

UPDATE 0845z:  54 spots of me so far, mostly EUs via Es.

UPDATE 1456z: 137 spots of me and a few QSOs so far. On RX 100 stations spotted so far. Best DX is an OD5. on both TX and RX.

Sunspots - Thursday June 4th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 12.  A=4 and K=1.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Once again I am on 10m WSPR TX using 500mW to the tiny indoor loop. No spots of me yet today.

UPDATE 1111z:  Still no spots so far today.

6m FT8

Usually I go on 6m FT8 to have QSOs. Sometimes I just want to TX to find out on PSKreporter where my 10W is being copied. Calling CQ works, but confuses people who call me. Is there a way to TX and appear on PSKreporter that makes it clear to others that I am sometimes not after QSOs?

UPDATE 1113z:  A few Es spots so far today on TX. On RX, very few Es spots so far today.

UPDATE 1355z: On occasions, I want to just look on PSKreporter to see where I have been spotted, but without calling CQ, which can cause confusion. So far, I have not found a way unless I put in a fictitious callsign. Evertyhing I have tried so far does not appear on PSKreporter. Any suggestions?

OFCOM updates

OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly for June. This has the statistics for June. See their website for more information.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=1.

Short range devices (SRDs)

I am very ignorant of the rules in the UK and EU around SRDs. OFCOM has announced making bands at 800 and 900MHz license free. I am not sure what other bands are available for SRDs or whether type approvals are needed or the ERP limits. Can these bands be available to radio amateurs for modes like WSPR or FT8? We might have a legal way to access other parts of the spectrum.

6m FT8

About an hour ago, I turned on 6m FT8 with my usual 10W and the V2000 vertical.  It is now 0800z. So far, 223 stations have copied me. On 6m FT8 RX 114 stations spotted.

Yesterday I was spotted in the mainland USA on 6m FT8 by K4MVL (4360 miles).

Spots of my 10W
to 1730z today

UPDATE 1737z: So far today 548 stations have spotted me on 6m FT8 TX. Most were EU stations by Es with a small number of Africans and near Asia.

10m WSPR TX

As yesterday, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW and the indoor loop. Quite a few spots already. It is now 0859z.

ICOM response on lack of 4m on IC-705

I wrote to ICOM UK about 4m not being included and asked if it would be in a letter firmware update. I got a reply that looks like it was generated by a computer. BTW, I did not ask about previous models!

"Thank you for taking time to write to us regarding the 4mtr band on the new IC-705 as well as your comments on previous Icom models.

We apologise for the news released recently regarding the band not being included in our new radio. As passionate Radio Hams and keen users of the band, we share your disappointment.

We are passing all messages back to the sales, production and design teams at our HQ in Japan

We remain at your service and any news regarding this subject or other information will be transmitted via our web and social media channels

Kind Regards

ICOM UK LIMITED.
HAM RADIO DEPT."

Sunspots - Tuesday June 2nd 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 11. A =6 and K=2.  Clearly sunspots are back and the active side of the sun is coming in to view.

Solar data page updated

My favourite page for solar data has been updated and this now includes the data for May as well as the latest thoughts on the date of solar minimum which is showing December 2019 as a possible date.

It still shows a pickup in sunspots this year. Hope this is correct!

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png

See also https://www.solen.info/solar/

Online jazz gig - NOT amateur radio

My son is a professional jazz pianist. He has been on the BBC and other radio stations and usually plays at the very best jazz venues in London and around the country. He has had gigs abroad several times. He is very good.

As these venues are closed, he gets no income. Instead he is trying to sell tickets for an online gig this Wednesday. Even if you cannot listen, please consider buying a ticket.

To buy tickets go to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/307363236932197

To see the gig go to:

See https://www.tickettailor.com/events/greensandjazz/378245/o/c5ddfb5

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

An encouraging start today.  After just a few minutes, 7 unique stations spotting me with most Europeans via Es.

UPDATE 1213z: So far today 15 unique stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1627z: 39 10m WSPR spots of me today.

6m FT8

Although I have still to get to the bottom of my internet time sync issue I think I have reset the PC clock and synchronised it to internet time resyncing every 500 seconds. It looks like it is better at first, then off later. If anyone has my timing now (i.e. early Monday - it is now 0754z) I'd be grateful.

So far, 96 stations have spotted me. There is plenty of Es from Europe and some in Western Europe are working Japan again. So far, nothing from Japan or the Far East here on 6m FT8 RX or TX.

UPDATE 1800z: So far today 1081 stations have spotted me. This includes 1 station in mainland USA. Not bad for 10W and the V2000 vertical omni.

SOTA spots

Some people choose their amateur radio the hard way. Some like to combine hiking to high spots to do "activations". These activations are part of summits on the air (SOTA).  I believe there are awards for summits worked.

If this is your "thing" you may like https://www.on6zq.be/p/swf/index.html#/spotfilter which shows activations. At least you can work these stations from the warm and dry!

DX is relative

As an old timer of advancing years now, some may well disagree with my "grumpy old man" statements. Tough, I shall say it anyway!

Today, I want to say that DX is relative. Some must run the full legal power (or more), have a big tower and a big beam and rotator to work that last DXCC entity that half the world is shouting at. He or she probably thinks little of spending many thousands on the "hobby". To me, this is plain ego stroking.

For me, DX is what comes my way. Usually I run QRP and with this I obtained DXCC mostly on 10m SSB long ago. If I get QSOs with distant stations, fine.  To me, working these stations means as much (or more) than those who choose to spend big on the "hobby".

I often tell newcomers that you can have much fun spending very little as the "grown-ups" who want to splash the cash. Rigs like the uBITX can be quite inexpensive, but are capable of working the world with modest, low, wire antennas.  Of course, if you build your own rigs you can get on the air for even less. One USA company is selling very low cost DSB FT8 transceiver kits that cost less than a single meal out (remember those?).

See https://qrpguys.com/

CQ-Serenade

Apparently you can listen to Southgate News on CQ-Serenade on the radio. Frequencies and times are shown on the Southgate News pages. What I did not know was that a record was made between 1965 and 1970 called CQ-Serenade. I had never heard it before. You can hear it at: https://www.on6zq.be/w/index.php/Audio/CqSerenadeEn

Sunspots - Monday June 1st 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.