For about 30 minutes (it is now 0828z) I have been on 2m FT8 with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far 7 spots of me and 1 spot of others. No QSOs.
6 Oct 2020
5 Oct 2020
OFCOM licences
OFCOM has announced that it is imposing some new conditions when it grants licences to ensure holders know they have to obey international EMF guidelines. See the OFCOM website for more details.
It would be good if OFCOM had a few people enforcing the law rather than just talking. Oh, silly me, that means people who understand RF.
FCC and 3.4GHz in the USA
According to Southgate News, the FCC has withdrawn the 3.4GHz amateur allocation in the USA. It would appear the FCC has as many brains as OFCOM in the UK.
Walk - NOT amateur radio
Back in the spring we had some great days with plenty of sunshine.
It seems they are building new houses on every available scrap of land.
The UK's world beating "Track and Trace" system - NOT amateur radio
The UK Prime Minister said that our Covid-19 "track and trace" system would be world beating. Yesterday we were told that 16000 people had been missed due to a technical glitch. The overwhelming impression is of utter chaos.
Our windmill in the 1980s - NOT amateur radio
Because of Covid-19 people have not been able to go up to higher floors this year sadly. Let us hope 2021 is better. The windmill is 200 years old.
6m FT8 (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni)
Although the Es season is well behind us, I again decided to try 6m FT8.
Although I have only been on for about 15 minutes, I have been spotted by a couple of Gs but no DX. On RX, just M0MVB (31km) has spotted me strongly. He is a serious 6m operator who worked some impressive DX this year on the band. By comparison, I am just playing.
UPDATE 1220z: Still just the 2 spots of me. On RX best DX is OZ3K (703km).
UPDATE 1402z: Even well outside of the Es season I am spotting signals from Spain and Denmark on 6m FT8. I think these are Es, but they could be aircraft.
Chinese transceivers
Steve G1KQH has reminded me about a new Chinese amateur radio HF transceiver.
Many of the things we buy are made in China. It is now hard to find things not made in China. All this is because we demand lower and lower prices. We exported our UK manufacturing base to China. When China gets too expensive, we will look elsewhere. Like King Canute, we cannot stop the tides, but in the end we have to question this on many levels: we are exporting our pollution for example.
Sadly, we live in a consumer driven economy that cannot last for ever. Things are designed not to last too long so we are encouraged to replace items and so fuel our "throw away" mentality. We are all guilty.
Not sure why, but I still have issues with Chinese quality control. In the end the Chinese will get better and their quality control will be as good as the Japanese. The real question is will the Chinese be attracted by the (relatively small) amateur radio market? There are a few players, but no-one has seriously taken on the Kenwoods, Yaesus and ICOMs of this world yet. If they do, I could see some leaving the amateur radio market.
Family collage - NOT amateur radio
This collage of members of our family summarises last week. Some photos have been on before but together they show our week.
4 Oct 2020
6m FT8
At about 1042z I decided to try 6m FT8 with the FT817ND (2.5W) and the V2000 vertical. It is now 1054z and no spots given or received yet.
There was TEP on 6m yesterday in the Americas, although I think we are too far north.
UPDATE 1443z: 1 spot of me 2 hours ago by a Spanish station EA5ISZ (1573km) who was worked too and 5 stations spotted on RX including 1 in central France. Even well outside the Es season DX to be worked on 6m with QRP and a simple antenna.
UPDATE 1950z: QRT.
Noise issues
At the moment I am fortunate in that I am not plagued by too much HF noise. It is high on 160m, 80m, 60m, 40m and 30m, but I have not had problems with FT8. Others have been less fortunate with a worsening HF, and sometimes VHF, noise floor. As time goes by, this could get worse. In the end, the only noise-free bands may be 70cm and higher.
One person who cured his problem is G4SWX, who had problems from the neighbour's LEDs on his patio. Many problems are due to substandard parts that don't meet EU regulations. Companies cut corners to save a few pence and get away with it as there seems little OFCOM enforcement. If I am wrong, please accept my apologies.
BREXIT - NOT amateur radio
With Covid-19, people have rather lost track of the trade deal negotiations between the EU and UK. Any trade deal has to be agreed before the year end. At the moment we seem some way from agreement with both sides hanging out for the best deal for them.
In the end, I am sure both sides want a trade deal. It is a case of who blinks first!
I hope in the end both sides accept compromise and both are able to feel it is fair. The EU does a lot of trade with the UK and vice versa.
2m FT8 - 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna
Since 0830z I have been on 2m FT8 again. 7 Gs have spotted me so far and I have spotted just one station F4EMG (193km) in northern France.
UPDATE 1040z: 11 stations, all G apart from EI2FG (565km), have spotted me so far and 4 stations spotted on RX with best DX F0EYI (465km) in Brittany.
Duet - NOT amateur radio
3 Oct 2020
Skateboarding - NOT amateur radio
The FT7 HF transceiver
The first HF transceiver I ever owned was a 10W FT7 by Yaesu. With this, with low wire dipoles, I worked DXCC on SSB including a station in New Zealand. From memory, this was mostly on 10m. I sold it years later to a friend. It was VFO controlled, no memories, no synthesisers. It was a great radio - very quiet and a joy to use. It was one of the very best transceivers I have ever used.
For about 20 years we have had 5W multi-band, multimode, transceivers (including VHF and UHF) in the form of the FT817 and FT818 handhelds. These are about a tenth of the size of the FT7, but with the battery.
Later Yaesu made a higher power version, the FT7B (50W) which is shown in the video below.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ft7
Medieval graves - NOT amateur radio
2m FT8 Saturday
Since 0817z I have been on 2m FT8. As usual running 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 0920z: 7 spots of me so far with EI2FG (565km) as best DX. 2 stations spotted so far on RX here with best being DL9BBE (476km).
UPDATED 1400z: 21 stations in 2 countries spotted with the best being DB9VE (551km). 10 stations have spotted me and 1 QSO.
UPDATE 2215z: QRT.
2 Oct 2020
Best Man - NOT amateur radio
It was good to see him. We see him most years. To think, next year it will be 50 years married!
The photo is in our front garden.
OFCOM
OFCOM has announced it is changing some of the fees for Wireless Telegraphy licences. See their website for full details.
Borrowed time? - NOT amateur radio
As we get older (I am 72 in December) we have a different perspective on life.
Years ago life seemed to be endless. Nowadays we are more aware of our limited time. Some of our close friends have died in recent months. One of my wife's closest friends has gone in to a care home for people with dementia. A year ago she was fine.
Every day is a precious gift. Tomorrow we could be dead or we could live for another 30 years. I guess the message is count every blessing. We go from children to old people very quickly! We look back and wonder where the years went.
At G3XBM
In all, I have been in the hobby since the early 1960s. It is not possible to do everything, but I have tried quite a bit over the years. Normally I use QRP powers. Using high power, and big beams would certainly make some things easier, but for me the fun is seeing how far low power and simple antennas get. Each to their own. Thank goodness we are all different.
2m FT8
At the moment (it is now 0842z) I am on 2m FT8 with the FT817ND and the big wheel omni antenna. So far, 4 Gs have spotted me and I have spotted nothing yet on 2m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1543z: 9 spots of me today with the best spot being ON6LEO (392km). On RX 28 stations spotted here with the best DX being EI5ASB (494km).
OFCOM opens access to EHF frequencies
OFCOM has announced access to 18.2GHz of spectrum in the 100-200GHz spectrum. See the OFCOM website for details.
Another rally cancelled
As mentioned on previous weeks, this is as I receive it. The white background may make the post hard to see on some devices.
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rall
Sunday 4 OCTOBER : CANCELLED
HAMZILLA RADIO RALLY. Dover ARC striving to alter the date for 2021 and are hopeful for March 21st 2021.A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rall
1928 sketch - NOT amateur radio
This sketch of Salcombe in Devon where I come from was drawn nearly 100 years ago. For those that know the place, it shows near the Ferry Inn.
1 Oct 2020
20m FT8.
Most of the day, I have been on 20m FT8 RX with the indoor loop and the FT817ND. For the last few minutes (it is now 1542z) I have been on TX with about 2.5W to the indoor loop. 196 spots on RX and nothing yet of me on TX.
UPDATE 2212z: QRT.
Outside Peterborough Cathedral - NOT amateur radio
Peterborough Cathedral - NOT amateur radio
We went here today. It is where Catherine of Aragon is buried. It has a fine entrance.
ISS - SSTV
Although I have never tried, I understand there may be some SSTV from the ISS this afternoon (October 1st 2020). Not sure of the pass times. You can get free software for smartphones. I believe the transmissions are expected to be on 145.8MHz PD 120.
East Anglian skies - NOT amateur radio
Compared with some parts of the UK East Anglia is flat with few real hills. But we do get some great skies!
IC-7300 5 years old?
Southgate News has a piece on the impact of the IC-7300 on amateur radio. I find it hard to believe it is that old.
Solar data
September was very disappointing in terms of days with sunspots. Usually my favourite site for solar data updates its numbers early each month. It has just been updated.
Tree: what is it? - NOT amateur radio
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