Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 30. A=5 and K=2.
26 Dec 2020
25 Dec 2020
472kHz (630m) WSPR
At the moment I have not tried 472kHz (630m) WSPR TX for a while as I need to replace the wire in my earth-electrode "antenna". In past winters I have had lots of fun overnight with low ERP WSPR. I really should try again during January, February and March.
I still have a quiet noise floor on 472kHz WSPR RX. With AM on 160m, 80, and 40m, the noise floor is S8. WSPR being a narrow-band mode seems to do much better.
The magic of Christmas - NOT amateur radio
These are some of our grandchildren, and my wife, with some of their presents.
2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni (Christmas)
Whilst Christmas is going on I am on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far today I have been spotted by 9 stations with the furthermost being G7RAU (461km) on 2m FT8 TX. On 2m FT8 RX just a couple of Gs spotted. It is now 1045z.
UPDATE 1853z: 15 stations have spotted my QRP on TX and I have spotted 12 stations on RX with the furthermost DL6YBF (471km). As most spots of me are G and near France, these could be flat band tropo.
UPDATE 2220z: QRT.
Christmas Day - NOT amateur radio
Christmas can be a magical time for children.
As an old man, I find Christmas hard. It is a time when we are expected to be happy, whereas I find everything amplified and pain harder to take. To me, I am glad when it is all over.
This year is particularly hard with Covid-19 and many unable to meet loved ones and give them a hug. Next year things should be more normal. I hope so. In the next few months we have some hard times ahead. Then we should start to see the light.
Whatever your situation I wish you a happy Christmas.
2m and 70cm activity contest results
Both the 2m and 70cm activity contest results, run every month on Tuesday evenings and organised by the RSGB, have been published.
These show very credible scores in the low power (AL) sections, considering I usually stay on for under an hour and just use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. No beams or rotators here!
See the RSGB contest website for details.
Sunspots - Friday December 25th 2020 (Christmas Day)
Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 25. A=8 and K=0. These figures were correct at 2245z Christmas Day.
24 Dec 2020
Gecophone crystal set
It is in a polished wooden case and looks magnificent. They don't make things like this nowadays.
BREXIT deal done - NOT amateur radio
So, a deal has (eventually) been done between the EU and the UK. No doubt in the days ahead we will hear the details. I expect, and hope, that both sides compromised and came away feeling the deal was good for all.
In the 2016 referendum I voted "remain", although I do appreciate that the EU can be protectionist and slow. Whilst we in the UK have vaccinated 500,000 people against Covid-19 the EU has not even started! I can understand the UK does not want to be burdened. On the other hand, the EU has been a power for good.
In my heart I expected a last minute deal: a deal is in the interests of all and there was a degree of brinkmanship to see who would blink first.
Online carols - NOT amateur radio
It is available on YouTube, but perhaps not yet.
Sunny walk - NOT amateur radio
We did a walk around the village. The boat in the photo was seen at one point. You can just see the 2 ducks.
Often on this walk we see Muntjac deer, but none today.
Croatian 60m 100mW beacon
This may be worth listening for. 9A5ADI/B is a beacon on 5288.8MHz sending 100mW CW from Croatia (JN95).
2m FT8 QRP overnight and daytime December 24th
By accident, I left my 2m FT8 QRP station running overnight. I meant to turn it off. No more spots since last night of my QRP signal. Staying on overnight is not worth it. When we go for a walk shortly, I shall be RX only on 2m FT8. As usual, still using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 1520z: Since before lunch I have been on TX as well as RX. So far today I have been spotted by 14 stations with the furthermost being a spot by DF0MU (475km). If you want DX at any time, try 2m FT8. Interestingly, 13 stations in just 2 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. I get the impression more people are monitoring and not transmitting.
Birthday breakfast yesterday - NOT amateur radio
It was a cooked breakfast with fruit.
Austria gets 60m and 630m
Southgate News reports that Austrian amateurs will have access to these bands.
23 Dec 2020
2m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
As 15m has been quiet for a while I QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP at 1800z using the usual 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. At the moment (1805z) 4 stations have spotted me on TX and I have spotted nobody yet on RX.
UPDATE 1945z: 7 stations in 2 countries have spotted my QRP on TX and I have spotted 3 stations in 2 countries on RX.
15m FT8
It is now 1005z and I have just turned on 15m FT8 RX. So far, 5 stations spotted on RX with the indoor loop and FT817ND.
UPDATE 1207z: 37 stations spotted so far with the furthermost 9K2OW (4639km) in Kuwait.
UPDATE 1352z: 76 stations in 5 continents spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX today. Furthermost is HC1DAZ (9256km) in South America.
UPDATE 1651z: Now 136 stations spotted.
Birthday - NOT amateur radio
The photo shows me opening my present from our younger son.
22 Dec 2020
ICOM (UK) warranty?
One UK dealer is selling the ICOM IC-705 with a 5 year warranty at extra cost. At one time (still?) these were "grey" imports that would not be serviced (I understand) by ICOM (UK) but by ICOM (Europe) if the dealer could not fix the issue.
Another UK dealer is making a "thing" about the IC-705s it is selling being "genuine" UK versions with 5MHz enabled.
My question is what is the standard ICOM (UK) warranty?
Should I buy one, I want to be assured the product could be repaired by ICOM (UK) should the dealer leave the market or go bust. In these troubled times these things could happen.
UPDATE 1847z: A quick check on the ICOM (UK) webpage suggests it is 2 years for amateur gear. See https://icomuk.co.uk/Icom-UK-Warranty.
Reach - NOT amateur radio
The photo shows the Lode (waterway) today.
OFCOM updates
On the OFCOM website are notices of changes to the licencing of short range radars and DAB multiplexes.
Where I was born - NOT amateur radio
These days it is retirement flats, so you could die in the place where you were born!
2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)
At 0810z my 2m FT8 gear was turned on again with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, at 0837z, I have been spotted by 3 stations and I have spotted nobody yet. No QSOs.
UPDATE 1016z: Spotted by 5 Gs so far this morning on TX. 7 stations in 3 countries spotted so far on RX with no QSOs. Furthermost spotted on 2m FT8 RX is DL6YBF (471km). He is spotted every day.
UPDATE 1141z: 1 G QSO just over an hour ago. Back on QRP TX again now. 11 stations spotted so far here today on 2m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1950z: Several QSOs today, all with UK stations so far. On 2m FT8 RX, 33 stations in 6 countries spotted with the furthermost EI8KN (512km). On TX I have been spotted by 15 stations with the furthermost G7RAU (471km).
21 Dec 2020
Another Covid-19 cartoon - NOT amateur radio.
We have certainly had a bad year. We all hope 2021 will be much better. We have a few hard months first. Christmas gatherings in the UK could lead to a January spike and the latest mutation is making a bad situation worse.
And there is BREXIT!
OFCOM and 700MHz reallocation
OFCOM has announced a review of its plans to clear this part of the spectrum. See the OFCOM website for more details.
Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) and Zoom
Like many, CDARC has been using Zoom video calls to continue lectures and, last week, for a quiz. I have been very impressed.
At first, I wondered how this would be, but with 15-30 people typically and screen sharing it has been every bit as good as attending in person. In my case it saves a 26 mile car journey in the dark. Instead I can take part from home.
The club has even shared meetings with a club in Northern Ireland and last week we had someone in Canada.
Several Zoom meetings with old work mates have also happened with Zoom. Although some are complaining of Zoom Fatigue, I can't agree. To me, Zoom has been an eye opener. I hope CDARC continues to stream lectures by Zoom, when the pandemic is a memory.
Covid chaos - NOT amateur radio
It is now 1041z. As I write, several countries around the world have banned travel from the UK as they are spooked by the latest Covid-19 mutation which seems to spread more easily. The countries are trying to prevent it entering their countries. It may already be too late.
2m FT8 QRP (Monday)
It is now 0930z. In a few moments my 2m FT8 gear will be turned on: 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 1024z: In the end the gear was turned on at 0935z. So far nobody spotted on RX but I have been spotted by 2 stations on 2m FT8 QRP TX. The grabber at G0LRD (26km) is still useful. See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/ .
UPDATE 1351z: Still on 2m FT8 TX with 2.5W and the big-wheel with the furthermost a report by GI6ATZ (479km). 9 stations have spotted me today so far.
20 Dec 2020
2m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
Since 1758z, I have been on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 6 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km) and I have spotted 4 stations on RX. It is now 1843z.
Christmas - NOT amateur radio
10m FT8
Since 0920z, I have been on 10m FT8 RX with the indoor loop. On TX I was getting some RF feedback, so I am RX only at the moment. Much to my surprise, a couple of Italians already spotted. Winter Es?
UPDATE 1317z: Nobody has spotted me, but 7 stations spotted here on RX.
Last evening on 2m FT8 RX
Even though I had plenty of TX reports, I was puzzled why none of my RX spots were appearing on PSKreporter, so I checked.
For some reason, the PC thought I was still on 6m, so my RX spots were being reported on the wrong band. This could be human error on my part. Of course, TX spots of me would not be affected as others would be reporting me
Pye PF1
When I started work a test was to convert the PF1 units to 12.5kHz channel spacing. The PF1's were widely used by the UK police.These were relatively QRP and the RX and TX were separate units. I think the police had to have base stations quite often. Still, it revolutionised policing in towns and cities.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/pf1
19 Dec 2020
2m FT8 QRP (Saturday)
At 1815z I QSYed from 6m to 2m FT8 QRP. As usual, I am running 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. At 1820z, 3 stations have spotted my QRP and on RX I have spotted nobody.
UPDATE 2055z: 10 spots of me so far on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel. Nobody spotted on RX which is odd.
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