Thunderstorms?

It has been hot all day. According to the weather forecast we could have thunderstorms later. If so, everything will be disconnected in the shack.

UPDATE 1845z:  QRT on all bands as it looks stormy.

UPDATE 2025z: Just a very slight rain shower. I think the storms passed us by.

Lunch in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Today the temperature is 32 deg C right now. Lunchtime we ate in the garden. This is me tucking in to pasta. We came in later as it was too hot.

QSY to 2m FT8

Stations spotting my
10W FT8 on 2m today

At least for the moment, the 6m Es here seems to have stopped, so at 1358z I QSYed to 2m FT8.

So far, my 10W to the big wheel omni antenna has been spotted by 16 stations in 4 countries (it is now only 1406z) with best DX a spot by GI6ATZ (479km). Not bad in just 8 minutes with low power!

MLS IC-705 unboxing video

MLS has got hold of an IC-705 ICOM transceiver. On the "something for the weekend" video they do an unboxing. See the MLS website.

Distant Kings - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier this morning we could see Kings College in the far distance.  The university library is also visible. Sorry the photo is so poor!

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

At 0833z, the W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. Already spotted by a Swiss station by Es.

UPDATE  1409z: Spotted by 3 unique stations so far.

6m FT8

At 0833z, my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on. So far, I have been spotted by 8 stations already, many by Es.

Early walk - NOT amateur radio

As today is supposed to get very hot, we did a very early morning walk. We set off at 0545z! The photo shows me on the walk around the nearby village of Reach. This is a delightful walk with a mix of views. At one point we could just make out the roof of Kings College Chapel, about 10 miles way in Cambridge.

Gone? - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was hot in the east of the UK yesterday, we spent some time in the garden in the late afternoon. What was different?

In May, June and July the screaming sound of swifts feeding on the wing was very common. Yesterday was different. In nearly an hour I saw just 1 swift.

The impression is that younger swifts hav seen overheade already started their migration back to central Africa. Normally most adult birds leave by mid-August spending just a few months here to return next April/May.

They are ephemeral birds: when they are with us they are very common - usually the screaming is heard first - then they are gone again and the skies are quiet. On better evenings 20 plus birds can be seen overhead.

To me, they are symbols of a UK summer and I miss them when they go and eagerly look forward to their return next spring.

UPDATE 0840z:  6 swifts seen overhead this morning.

Sunspots - Friday July 31st 2020

Hopeful signs. Solar flux is 73 and the SSN still 11.  A=4 and K=1.

2m FT8

Just after 1900z, I QSYed fron 6m FT8 to 2m FT8. I am using 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna. So far (it is now 1908z) My signal has been copied by 19 stations in 3 countries. Best DX spot of me was by GD3YEO (384km).

G4CLA (106km) is getting me at an incredible +14dB S/N.  I suspect he must have a very big antenna and a superb take-off. In most 2m and 70cm activity contests he works me even though I only run 10W and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 2052z: QRT.

Wineberries - NOT amateur radio

On our visit to nearby Anglesey Abbey we noticed these berries. They looked like raspberries (perhaps a bit smaller) but were in clusters. Investigations suggest these are wineberries which came from Japan. I am told they are edible (but do check as I am no expert!). I had not seen them before.

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

At about 0845z I turned on my little W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon. Yesterday was amazing. Nothing yet so far today.

UPDATE 1145z:  11 unique stations have spotted me so far this morning. Not bad.

6m FT8

At about 0845z, the 6m FT8 gear was turned on (10W to the V2000 vertical omni). Already there is lots of Es around. Already spotted by 6 stations in southern Europe.

UPDATE 1145z:   So far this morning I have been spotted by 15 stations and I have spotted 30 stations. Just 1 QSO so far.

UPDATE 1417z:  The Es seems to have stopped for now. 16 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 and I have spotted 36 stations.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

This photo (shown before) shows where I come from in South Devon. We owned some land here in the 1400s.

Oscar 100 - SO quiet!

Yesterday lunchtime I took a listen on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite. When I listened to the narrowband transponder on the web SDR at Goonhilly I was amazed how quiet it was. The only QSO was one between a G and an F.

Especially with so many at home, I was expecting it to be quite busy by now. I think people lose interest after they make their first QSOs.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

Sugar beet (I think) 

Most days since Covid-19 forced us to stay at home, we have tried to do a walk.

Yesterday was no exception so we walked up to the Devil's Dyke, an ancient man made structure in Cambridgeshire built about 1400 years ago. It is about 7 miles long and is a defensive earthwork. How did they get the manpower?

There is another earthwork with the same name near the south coast of the UK.

On our way we saw fields of sugar beet (I think) and sweetcorn. Years ago you would not have seen sweetcorn. Nowadays you see fields of sunflowers and sweetcorn. These are crops that grow well here due to the climate warming.

Because of my giddiness, each walk seems a lot longer. All the time I feel as if I am about to fall so I have to watch each step. This is particularly hard on pavements (sidewalks) as it seems as if I am about to fall into the path of cars. When cars are coming up from behind it is particularly unnerving.

70cm activity contest results

The results of the RSGB organised activity contest have published.

It shows my position in the low power section has improved.

I am only using 10W and my 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Because of my voice I stay on for less than an hour.

Sunspots - Thursday July 30th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 22. A=5 and K=1.

Zoom meetings - NOT amateur radio

Since the lockdown many of us have had to rely on Zoom to see friends and family.  I have been impressed. The photo shows a Zoom meeting earlier.

What a difference a day makes!

As yesterday, my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Yesterday no spots all day yet already several from Norway even though it is only 0742z.

UPDATE 1110z:  10 unique stations have spotted me so far.

UPDATE 1857z: Today is the best day this season on 10m WSPR TX with 34 unique stations spotting me so far. Nothing yesterday at all, then today!!

UPDATE 2140z:  QRT.

6m FT8

This morning I made a very early start on 6m FT8 turning on the gear at 0644z. At 0605z 5 stations had already spotted my 10W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. There is already some Es.

UPDATE 0720z:  Plenty of Es spots of me today already on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1200z:  Several QSOs had, mainly with stations in Spain. 55 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 90 stations including transatlantic VO1HP (3744km).

UPDATE 1907z:  432 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX and 151 stations have spotted my 10W to the V2000 omni vertical.

UPDATE 2150z:  QRT.

Elecraft July newsletter

Elecraft has released its latest newsletter which mentions a virtual expo and the latest news on the K4 transceiver. See their website.

Growing up fast - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows our "London" grandchildren next to a yew tree almost 1000 years old. Quite humbling to think it has stood here that long. It puts their age in context.

Pye Telecom PF8 transceiver

This radio, that I helped to design, has gathered a cult status over the years. It was the radio used on the UK TV series called "The Professionals".

Some have been converted to use on 70cm. Before anyone asks, no, I cannot help you find one!  They are rare these days. I do not possess one and neither do my old colleagues.  My best advice is keep your eyes skimmed in case any appear on eBay or at rallies. Looking back, we did not sell that many. We made more pagers in one night, than the total number of PF8 units sold.

That was the trouble with PMR radios. Once we faced significant price competition, we just could not compete. These days you can buy UHF PMR transceivers for a fraction of the price 40 years ago.

On my website is a .pdf version of the manual.

In its day, way before cellular radios, it was quite ground breaking.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/pf8

Shopping - NOT amateur radio

Every Tuesday morning my wife drives to a nearby supermarket in their "geriatric hour" (between 7-8am). It is always very safe and very quiet when she goes.

She now has to wear a face covering by law.

20m WSPR buoy

Some weeks ago a High School group in the USA launched a marine buoy with a 20m WSPR beacon on board. It moves with ocean currents.

I am not sure if it has been copied in Europe or what power it runs. It is in the Pacific Ocean off California.

It can be tracked using https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FKQ6RS-1&others=1&timerange=604800&tail=3600

Sunspots - Wednesday July 29th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 22.   A=4 and K=2. Encouraging signs or just a blip?

2m FT8

As the Es seems to have stopped on 6m, I have QSYed to 2m FT8 instead. I QSYed at about 1800z. Already spotted by 9 stations, all in the UK.

UPDATE 1928z:  Now spotted by 29 stations in 6 countries with 1 QSO with a French station. Still just running 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. Best DX on TX is a spot by DK1VC (503km). Not bad with 10W and an omni antenna! Although some put this down to aircraft scatter I am definitely not convinced. These sort of ranges seem possible at any time, not when there are aircraft in the right place at the right time. I think this is some other form of scatter made possible by running FT8.

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

Since very early, I have been on 10m WSPR TX. Even at 1753z, I have had not a single spot today so far.

UPDATE 1930z:  Still no spots of me! This must be one of the worst days for me this Es season. I think chances are better with FT8. There is far more activity on FT8 than WSPR these days.

UPDATE 2045z:  QRT. No spots all day.

6m FT8

Since before breakfast, I have been on 6m FT8. It is now 1748z. In all, I have been spotted by 67 stations with a few QSOs. On RX 82 stations spotted.

By accident I seem to have deleted my earlier blog piece about 6m FT8 along with Keith's comment.  Please accept my apologies!

Keith G0RQQ had said...

"I managed to work TF8KY on 6m, both FT8 and SSB around 1:00pm. At times he was S9 here, although my antenna is only an end-fed half-wave for 40m about 1.5m agl. He and his son TF8TY are the only amateurs in grid square HP83."

Shack

The photo, which has been on before, shows the shack as it is currently. The 10m magnetic loop is on the left. It has been on 10m WSPR TX all day (500mW) , but has not been spotted yet. Hopefully there will be some spots before I go QRT later.  It works far better than expected. 

Operating is from the desk on the right and what building I do (little these days sadly) is on the work surface straight ahead. 

Local bakers - NOT amateur radio

Every Tuesday at 7am I do a trip to the local bakers. At that time it is very quiet. I usually buy rolls and pasties. The photo shows the shop just as it opened.

OFCOM and trains

OFCOM is trying to improve broadband on trains and is considering releasing some more microwave frequencies (sorry, airwaves) to enable this. See the OFCOM website for more details.

I see they always have this in Welsh too. Why not Urdu or some African languages too? Or Gaelic maybe? Translating from English to some strange language would keep someone busy and beat real RF work any day.  Oh, make sure the person has a different colour skin and one leg and is non-binary. This gives you even more browny points for diversity.

Cynical? Me?

Chinese lanterns - NOT amateur radio

These plants are usually associated with autumn, but we saw these on our walk on Sunday, which is pretty early in the year.

They are very colourful and attractive plants.

DXCC news

Many years ago I ceased chasing DX. If I work DX then great, but I am not prepared to invest in high power rigs, towers, linears and beams as well as hours and hours calling. Life is just too short. If this "floats your boat" that is fine. Each to their own. Just count me out.

A useful list of current DXCC entities is shown on the Southgate News website.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/july/dxcc-report-26-07.htm#.Xx8dQIjYq00

Sunspots - Tuesday July 28th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 11. A=4 and K=1.

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

Whilst on the East Cambs 2m net,  I had the 10m WSPR beacon running. I was getting spots from Denmark.  It is now 1945z and it is still on.

UPDATE 2030z:  5 unique stations spotting my 10m WSPR tonight. I have only been on for about 90 minutes.

Fungus - NOT amateur radio

We saw the fungus in the photo on our walk yesterday. It was on an old tree stump.

Swifts (birds) - NOT amateur radio

Swifts are migratory birds that spend a lot of time in Africa. They breed in the UK. These birds sleep on the wing and are a common sight in UK skies in early summer. These stay for only a few months. For several weeks these birds can be seen screaming in the skies above our heads. Quite suddenly we realise they are not there any more. The skies are quiet. They usually arrive here in late April and early May.  The arrival of the first swift is always significant for me.

The only time they land is to breed.  Numbers have fallen as their nest sites are disappearing. The RSPB is trying to encourage us to erect swift nestboxes to reverse this. I hope it succeeds.

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