Steve, G1KQH, has alerted me to this video. Thanks Steve.
4 Dec 2020
Winter, definitely - NOT amateur radio
Just now, I had to go to the local post office to do 3 things (1) post a card, (2) post a parcel, (3) buy some stamps.
It was cold and wet and there was a big queue outside because of Covid-19. Stamps are expensive these days!
It is definitely winter.
uBITX V6
To those unfamiliar with this, the main PCB is supplied assembled and tested. This is assembled by a women's co-operative in India. The kit consists of putting the assembled PCB in the case and the various wiring harnesses that connect the things up. It was designed by Ashhar Farhan VU2ESE and is a model of a simple but effective design. It is available for $200. I am unsure what happens about VAT and duty.
Surprise - NOT amateur radio
15m FT8 RX
It is now 0921z. I am on 15m FT8 RX. So far, 13 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 0954z: 49 stations so far spotted on 15m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1122z: 126 stations so far spotted with the furthermost being ZS6LKF (9089km).
UPDATE 1527z: 301 stations spotted today on 15m FT8 RX (see map). Not bad with just the tiny indoor loop sitting on the shack windowsill. It is about 0.5m diameter and the wire is about 1mm across.
8m amateur band in Croatia
Southgate News reports that Croatia has given a 1 year permit to 9A6W to operate on the 8m band. Others may follow. It would be great to see others in other countries get permission.
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/croatia-gets-new-40-mhz-band.htm#.X8lXBmiTLrc
3 Dec 2020
2m FT8 QRP (Thursday)
Since 1845z, I have been on 2m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, just one station spotted - G8GXP (201km).
UPDATE 2100z: 8 stations spotted with the furthermost being DL6YBF (471km).
WSJT-X v2.3.0-rc2
For the last 12 hours or so, I have been using the latest "release candidate" version of WSJT-X, which is 2.3.0-rc2. Certainly on FT8 it appears stable and works well. The only thing I have found is an annoying pop-up box saying I do not have logbook of the world on my PC. I seem to recall this on an earlier version.
Winter - NOT amateur radio wife took this
15m FT8 RX
At about 0900z, I turned on 15m FT8 RX using the FT817ND and the tiny indoor loop. It is now 0915z and already 28 stations spotted including the Middle East and Asiatic Russia spotted.
UPDATE 1115z: 136 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX today so far. The furthermost is UA9Y (5055km).
UPDATE 1520z: 372 stations spotted so far today on 15m FT8 RX. See map. As you can see, plenty of North and South Americans spotted. It is hard to think this is not too far off sunspot minimum. What will it be like at the maximum?
2 Dec 2020
2m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
At about 2020z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni. 7 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX DL6YBF (471km). On TX, my 2.5W has been spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost being EI2FG (565km).
15m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
As 10m FT8 was looking rather quiet, I have QSYed down to 15m FT8 with 2.5W and the indoor loop. So far (at 1520z) 22 stations have been spotted on RX and 1 local station has spotted me on TX.
UPDATE 1803z: 35 stations spotted on RX. Just 1 local has spotted me on TX.
More Trump stuff - NOT amateur radio
It is still true that I have met not one person outside the USA, online or in person, who has a good word to say about President Trump. I appreciate this is not so in the USA where nearly half the people voted for him.
The more time passes the deeper hole he seems to dig at least for those of us outside of the USA.
Perverse? - NOT amateur radio
On the day a vaccine for Covid-19 was approved for UK rollout, the value of the UK pound against the major currencies such as the euro, yen and US dollar has fallen! OK I appreciate a BREXIT deal has still to be done, but I was expecting the pound to have a good day.
2m TEP
Southgate News has a piece relayed from EI7GL's blog about the 6000km trans equatorial propagation from Argentina to the Dominican Republic.
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/6000km-tep-path-on-144-mhz.htm#.X8di32iTLrc
10m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
At about 0900z my 10m FT8 QRP gear was turned on (2.5W and the indoor loop). So far, no-one has spotted me on TX and I have spotted 2 stations on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1427z: 4 stations spotted.
SPAM emails - NOT amateur radio
Every day I must get about 20 SPAM emails. My gmail SPAM filter is very good, so I rarely see these in my inbox. It is always worth checking as just occasionally (1 in 1000?) genuine posts end up in the spam folder.
It was good to know that my account has just been credited with over £200k. That should help in retirement.😆
Never ever click links you are unsure about. My passwords are regularly changed.
Sunspots - Wednesday December 2nd 2020
Solar flux is 104 and the SSN 46. A=2 and K=2.
1 Dec 2020
2m activity contest - December
OFCOM updates
As usual, OFCOM has updated its statistics in its Communications Monthly. See the OFCOM website.
QSY to 2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
At 1850z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost G4HGI (244km).
UPDATE 1941z: 7 stations have spotted me so far on TX. Nothing spotted on RX yet.
UPDATE 2155z: 9 stations have spotted me on 2m FT8 QRP TX in 4 countries with the furthermost being GI6ATZ (479km).
SAQ Christmas VLF CW transmission cancelled
There was a posting on the SAQ website saying that their Christmas Eve transmission on 17.2kHz CW has been cancelled. See their website. Hopefully better next year. This is often a good time to test your VLF system.
See https://alexander.n.se/the-radio-station-saq-grimeton/saq-transmissions/?lang=en
A very simple PC based receiver for SAQ and VLF is available from SM6LKM. This is simple to install and works very well. I installed it years ago. There may be even better ones around now. You now have more time!
See https://sites.google.com/site/sm6lkm/saqrx/
Looks like there are even better RXs! I have not yet tried this one.
10m antenna: Homebase-10
For most, the explanations are clear, but if not please let me know so I can make them clearer. It was used for many years at my old QTH.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/homebase .
10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
In a few moments (it is now 0914z) I hope to go on 10m FT8 QRP with my 2.5W to the indoor loop. For this time in the sunspot cycle conditions are quite promising.
UPDATE 0924z: 10m FT8 gear turned on.
UPDATE 1027z: Just one spot of a Polish station SP8BZX (1078km) so far on 10m FT8 RX today.
UPDATE 1258z: As our Internet has been off some of my spots will not have got to PSKreporter.
UPDATE 1438z: Just 4 stations spotted today with the furthermost NR1DX (7107km) in Florida.
30 Nov 2020
QSY to 2m FT8 QRP (Monday)
At about 1716z, I QSYed to 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni. There have been no new spots on 10m FT8 now for some while. Just a 2 spots of me so far - G3ZSS (178km) and nothing spotted yet on RX.
UPDATE 1824z: Just 3 spots of me so far today. On RX, just 3 stations spotted here so far.
UPDATE 2300z: QRT. Generally a fairly quiet day with spots of me by 8 stations in 2 countries.
Christmas card alternative? - NOT amateur radio
This Christmas, especially with Covid, many people are choosing not to send Christmas cards. Some are instead donating to a charity. Some look forward to a card, I know, but cards are expensive as is the postage. Maybe you can send some people this alternative? It is an animated GIF.
Direct Conversion RXs
There is no doubt that direct conversion receivers can be both low cost and effective. This page (linked from Hot Iron 110) has some interesting discussion. In the past, I have used direct conversion receivers in many designs.
See https://www.raynetrepair.us/circuit-design/some-practical-design-approaches.htm .
Hot Iron 110
Peter Thornton G6NGR has just sent me the latest PDF copy of "Hot Iron". One topic (amongst many good ones) is receivers on a chip. Things have moved on quite a lot since we got excited by the ZN414 in the 1970s! The one linked below is an example. There must be many more.
See https://www.silabs.com/audio-and-radio/multiband-radios .
10m FT8 QRP (Monday)
It is now 1129z. I have been on 10m FT8 with 2.5W and the small indoor loop for about 15 minutes. So far, nobody has spotted me and I have spotted a couple of Russians on RX. Surprisingly I am spotting less than yesterday.
UPDATE 1510z: So far today, no-one has spotted my QRP, but I have spotted 5 stations including 1 in the USA and 1 in the Caribbean.
Overnight on 2m FT8 RX
29 Nov 2020
QSY to 2m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
As 10m is quiet, I QSYed to 2m FT8 at 1834z. As usual, I am running 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. Although I have copied some stations, for some reason these did not appear on PSKreporter. On TX, 3 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1935z: So far this evening 19 stations in 5 countries have been spotted with the furthermost being F6DBI (501km) in Brittany. On TX, I have been spotted by 8 stations in 2 countries with the furthermost being F6EGD (461km) also in Brittany.
Spitting Image - NOT amateur radio
Quite a few years ago this show was on UK terrestrial TV. It has just come back (on Britbox I think). It takes off people in the news as puppets.
House plants - NOT amateur radio
Parks on the air (POTA)
Not sure if this is popular in Europe, but I know some in the USA enjoy this. I know Summits on the Air (SOTA) has its followers. There are some YouTube videos on POTA activations.