Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=4.
16 Feb 2021
15 Feb 2021
8m beacon
At some point we will be allocated some frequencies at 40MHz. In the coming Es seasons I can see many more applying for limited access to the band. These may be spot frequencies with limited power. Small first steps.
There is a beacon which may be worth checking in the Es season S50ZMS. This is ideally placed for Es to EI and the UK.
472kHz tonight
Hopefully, my transverter works. I shall try later.
Whatever happens, I intend to be on 472kHz (630m) this evening. If the transverter works I shall go on TX. Otherwise RX only.
In both cases, I shall be using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, that gave good results on 160m FT8.
UPDATE 2044z: I tried my transverter again and still no sign of any 472kHz output, so I decided to go on 472kHz WSPR RX only. Just LA8AV (1012km) spotted so far. If I was fitter I might be able to fault find. With my health as it is, I think this is beyond me sadly.
Oil prices up - NOT amateur radio
Before too long we will all be driving cars that are powered by non-polluting energy. We must also ensure that these energy types are also not produced from polluting sources and are sustainable.
In the end there needs to be a breakthrough in battery technology and energy storage so that fuels like electricity produced by solar and wind can be stored.
For now, oil prices are a bellweather of the economy. Oil prices have doubled in the last few months and fuel at the pumps has gone up in price. I guess this suggests more optimism for the year ahead.
Covid-19 vaccines - NOT amateur radio
At the moment, the UK is doing quite well on the vaccination of vulnerable people. I think we are 3rd in the world. Much of what we have done in the last year was poor and this is one area where we have done well.
As long as the rates of virus circulating in the world are high, there is a chance of importing a variant that spreads easily, is more deadly and evades vaccines. There is an adage "until the world is vaccinated we are all at risk".
I hope all the world is vaccinated soon.
15m FT8 QRP (Monday)
In a few moments I shall be turning on my 15m FT8 QRP using 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna.
UPDATE 1112z: 15m FT8 gear now on. 13 stations already spotted on 15m FT8 RX and spotted by SV2BRA (2154km) on QRP 15m FT8 TX.
UPDATE 1152z: 30 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX and 2 spots of my 2.5W to the indoor loop on TX with the furthermost RZ4HO (3291km).
UPDATE 1449z: 73 stations spotted so far today on 15m FT8. |
| Stations spotted on 15m FT8 today |
Remarkable - the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8 RX
As reported last evening, 31 stations across Europe spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on TX.
Overnight I left it connected on 160m FT8 RX. In all, 328 stations were spotted including very many in N. America as shown on the map.
UPDATE 1024z: Apart from VE3PJ (5492km) at breakfast time (0722z), all spots now are UK on 160m FT8 RX.
1908 harsh winter - NOT amateur radio
In 1961, my wife's grandmother wrote a letter to the Sheffield Star newspaper about the harsh winter of 1908 in the UK. We don't know how lucky we are and how hard life was.
14 Feb 2021
160m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
As an experiment, I am trying my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8 using 2.5W. Immediately, stations across Europe were copied on RX. Already spotted strongly in Oxford on 160m FT8 QRP TX. Furthermost on RX is R9GM (3499km) in Perm.
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| Stations spotted on 160m FT8 so far with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground by 1830z |
UPDATE 2225z: So far, 263 stations spotted on RX and 31 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being OE9GHV (869km). Not bad with antenna you cannot even see with just 2.5W from the FT817ND!
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| The 31 stations spotting my 2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" on TX on 160m FT8 this evening |
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