Projects for the autumn/winter

For several years I have had an E-field probe that needs erecting in a nearby tree.  This should be a good RX antenna on 137, 472 and 1800kHz. It might also be effective on higher bands too. The antenna is very small.

I also want to erect either a wire dipole or inverted V for 10m, which is my favourite band and which should be better next year.

My problem is ladders. Since my stroke in 2013 I feel very wobbly on ladders! I have not ventured into my floored loft since 2013! I have a box of amateur gear up there waiting to be explored, HI. I have forgotten what it is in it.

I shall try to do these projects before the end of 2020.

Sunspots - Thursday August 6th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 13. A=5 and K=1.

2m FT8 (10W to the big-wheel omni antenna)

Just before going QRT on all bands I decided to try 2m FT8.

One CQ was answered by local G4NBS (22km) and I was spotted by 17 stations in 3 countries the best being EI2FG (565km).

On 2m FT8 RX the best spotted here was PE3T (361km) of the 11 stations in 3 countries.

Optical communications

Optical RX

Until my stroke in 2013, one of my joys was building and testing optical communications gear. Although I had a successful line-of site speech contact, my "thing" was weak signal communication over the horizon.

Even without any visible signals in the sky I was able to detect my beacon from home on 481THz (red optical) way over the horizon, even though it was firing through double glazing. Had I been able to carry on, there were so many things I wanted to try including higher powerLEDs, further distances and a better tripod.

Sadly, these days I am too wobbly to do this portable work. As all the gear can be built and tested in the "back of a garage" with simple test gear, this could appeal to those interested in serious, but low cost, experimentation. Over the horizon optical work could do with attention.

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

Solar Cycle 25

It would appear we have now passed solar minimum and the long climb has started. This was reported on the Space Weather site recently. This is encouraging, although it could be some years before we see a real improvement. The good news is the up-slope is faster than the down-slope.

Freed slaves - NOT amateur radio

Until I saw this photo I did not know the back story. As a child, I was brought up in Salcombe, Devon. Most people were white, but there was one black-skinned person, who was well respected in the town as a monumental mason. I remember him well.

What I did not know was that his family had settled in the area in the 1800s as freed slaves.  I wonder how many people today, perhaps unknowingly, owe their wealth to slavery centuries earlier?

Until recently I did not know that when slavery was abolished in the UK, slave owners received compensation for their losses! This debt has only recently been paid off. There must be some very rich people today who owe their wealth to this.

Personally I find slavery abhorrent.

6m FT8

At 0744z, the 6m FT8 gear was turned on. Again using 10W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. Just a single spot from of me from G4IFX (146km) so far.

UPDATE  0850z:  Just a little early Es today with a spot of me from Lithuania. In all 5 spots. On 6m FT8 RX just 2 spots so far.

10m WSPR

At 0744z, I turned on my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon. As usual, it is using the tiny loop in the shack.

UPDATE 1238z:  3 stations have spotted me today.

UPDATE 1930z: QRT now and no other stations spotting me today on 10m WSPR.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 5th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 12.  A=8 and K=2. Looks like the more active side of the sun is rotating out of view.

2m activity contest tonight

The next leg of the 2m UKAC acitivy contest starts tonight at 1900z for 2.5 hours. I usually use 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna and stay on for about an hour as my voice is poor.

Unlike many contests, this is good humoured. Although I usually submit a log and enter the contest, there is no compulsion to do so. Many just come on as there is plenty of 2m SSB activity.

UPDATE 2050z:  In all, 9 stations worked tonight. I stayed on one hour.

OFCOM news

OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly with the latest information. See the OFCOM website.

New normal - NOT amateur radio

We just walked at Anglesey Abbey owned by the National Trust. There were plenty of people having picnics. The photo shows the mobile café serving coffee and snacks as the main café is closed.

10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna

The main Es season is ending. I am on 10m FT8 with 4W and the indoor loop antenna. So far, several European stations have spotted me as well as one meant to be in the Far East. As most of his spots are European, I am suspicious of this one. If true, great.

UPDATE 1355z:  So far today, 1 QSO and 24 spots of my 4W to the indoor loop.

UPDATE 1710z:  Best DX on RX is VP8LP (12773km). On TX 29 stations have spotted my 4W with the indoor. 1 QSO.

UPDATE 2114z:  67 stations spotted on RX (including two in South America and one in the Falklands) and 30 stations spotted me on TX. Now QRT.

6m FT8

Since 0715z I have been on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni. So far, no spots. I have decided to go on 10m FT8 with 4W and the indoor loop instead.

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

It is now 0815z. For about 50 minutes, I have been on 10m WSPR. So far no spots.

VHF NFD results

The results of the RSGB organised VHF NFD have been published and I see that I was 38th in the AL (low power) section. I even downloaded a certificate! I only really came on to give a few points.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 4th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 23.  A=16 and K=4.

House Martins - NOT amateur radio

A year ago we were in Brittany and saw these nests above the bakers shop.

Article in RadCom

The photo shows the August edition of RadCom which has an article of mine on QRP.

See https://rsgb.org/

OFCOM consultation

More news about the upcoming auction of UK spectrum for 5G. See the OFCOM website for more information.

10m WSPR beacon (500mW to indoor loop)

Since about 0530z, I have been running my little 10m WSPR beacon. Apart from a couple of early spots by local Richard G4KPX (14km), no spots. There is certainly no early Es evident here today on 10m.

UPDATE 0923z: No Es here yet today.

UPDATE 1822z:  Just G4KPX spots today and no Es here.

6m FT8

Just before breakfast, my 6m FT8 kit was turned on. As usual, I am running 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

So far, just a G and GW copied on 6m FT8 RX and not a single spot on TX. I re-did a time re-sync just in case the internet had gone off and I had lost timing. It can happen. Very quiet so far today. Just now I restarted the PC too and did another time re-sync.

UPDATE 0920z:   Just UK spots today so far on 6m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1823z:  8 spots of me today. Some late evidence of Es in the last hour or so.

8m tests

John EI7GL has news on his blog of 8m tests using FT8 with stations in Europe.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2020/08/ft8-experiment-on-40-mhz-1st-to-15th.html

Where we used to live - NOT amateur radio

We moved to our present home seven years ago. Recently I came across this aerial photo which shows where our old house was built when it was still a field.

Behind us was Spring Close meadow which has the remains of a Roman villa as well as the remains of Burwell Castle from the time of King Stephen about 1000 years ago.

Sunspots - Monday August 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 22.  A=9 and K=4.

Windmills - NOT amateur radio

We live next door to the only remaining windmill in our village. At one time there were four.

More accurately, some of these were windpumps, not windmills, as they were used to pump water and not grind corn. The photo shows two of these that have now gone.

Sunspot minimum

My favourite site for solar data has changed the wording giving the months when sunspot minimum occurred.  Previously it was hedging bets using works like "probable". 2 dates are given as the date depends on how the averaging is done.

The climb begins....

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png for a graph showing how the transition to the start of the next cycle is expected pan out.

See also https://www.solen.info/solar/ for more general information.

Isleham walk - NOT amateur radio

This morning we did a nice walk around the village of Isleham. The photo shows a cut cornfield.

10m WSPR TX

About 10 minutes ago I turned on the little W5OLF 10m WSPR TX beacon which runs 500mW to the indoor loop. It is now 1100z. Just a single spot by local G4KPX (14km) so far.

UPDATE 1320z: 4 spots of me so far today.

UPDATE 2050z: In all, I was spotted by 18 stations. Now QRT.

6m FT8

At about 1045z, I turned on my usual 6m FT8 gear (10W and the V2000 vertical). It is now 1056z. So far, 4 stations have spotted me and 2 Hungarians spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1325z:  15 spots of my 6m FT8 today so far.

UPDATE 2100z:  In all, I was spotted by 30 stations today across Europe. Now QRT.

Facebook memory - PW

7 years ago there was a review of mine in Practical Wireless. It was quite a surprise to see my bald head and garden on the cover!  Since then PW has changed owners.

See https://www.warnersgroup.co.uk/hobbies-crafts/practical-wireless/

Wicken windmill

The photo shows the windmill in Wicken village. We went for a walk around the village recently.

Sunspots - Sunday August 2nd 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 22.  A=3 and K=1.

Busier Oscar 100

Just a few moments ago I took a peak at the narrowband section of Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. Last time I looked it was exceptionally quiet. Today, at a weekend, there were 7 QSOs going on which is typical of the last year.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Patio rose - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of the roses on our patio earlier. My wife took the shot.

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

The 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 0843z. So far, nobody has spotted me.

UPDATE 1149z: 4 stations have spotted me so far today as the table shows.

UPDATE 2007z:  5 stations spotted me today. Now QRT.

6m FT8 (10W and the V2000 vertical omni)

At about 0842z, I turned on the usual 6m FT8 gear. So far, at 0846z, just one G has spotted me.

UPDATE 0900z: Just 2 spots by Gs of me, with no signs yet of any Es. 1 G spotted on RX. No QSOs.

UPDATE 2007z :  QRT.

Short-term Aims? - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps this is a natural feature of old age? I seem to have aims that are more short-term these days. Perhaps I am more aware of the finality of life than I was and every day is a gift to be enjoyed. Life is never perfect or easy, but there is so much to be thankful for.

International Short Wave League (ISWL)

For two periods I was an ISWL member. When I first joined in the 1960s it was a thriving club. I rejoined many years later but then must have had far fewer members. These days it must be struggling unless it has had an influx of new members, that I doubt. In its day it served a real purpose.

Sunspots - Saturday August 1st 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 23.  A=4 and K=0. Past the minimum?