My 13 year old grandson has a YouTube channel he has created. He is looking to get more subscribers. This is his channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4m_i-SRpAFX-iBtk9z8O4w
21 Mar 2021
Overnight on 160m FT8 RX
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| Overnight |
UPDATE 1000z:
Just 1 G being spotted now as the other map shows.
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| 1000z Sunday - quite different |
UPDATE 1245z: Still very quiet on 160m FT8 in the daytime.
UPDATE 1351z: QRP TX now on.
UPDATE 1611z: 2 G stations have spotted my QRP so far. Real DX has still not started to come through as it is still daylight here.
UPDATE 1700z: European DX has been coming through for about 30 minutes now. Spotting stations in Finland and Germany.
20 Mar 2021
Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio
This is a National Trust property about 5 miles away from home. We walk in the grounds most weeks.
Kombucha - NOT amateur radio
Until this morning, I had never heard of this. Today, I have come across it twice within about 6 hours! Firstly I saw that a radio amateur had made some and then it appeared in the BBC Good Food magazine.
As far as I can see, it is a form of fermented tea. In Japan it refers to tea made from kelp seaweed. I think you can get kombucha in various flavours.
Funny how you can go a whole lifetime without coming across it, then it appears twice! 😄
EMF and public safety
OFCOM is consulting about the dangers of exposure to RF by the general public.
It is intending to add something in the licence to make clear that radio amateurs have to ensure the public is safe.
OFCOM and the RSGB are working on calculators so that amateurs can work out if the RF produced is likely to be a danger.
Being able to show how any potential danger was worked out could be important if a station was to be inspected, for example in the event of interference to a neighbour's TV.
See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/214663/emf-implementation-update.pdf .
OFCOM limited power FM trials
OFCOM is to trial 10 limited power FM broadcaster stations for a year and is asking for volunteers to take part. It is wondering if such licences would be suitable for hospitals and army barracks for example. Rnage could be approximately 1km.
See https://www.ofcom.org.uk .
Antenna tuner for the IC-705
ICOM has released the auto ATU for the IC-705 (the AH-705) reports Southgate News. It is quite expensive and there are lower cost auto tuners that will work as well or better e.g. the Elecraft T1. This is also smaller and probably has a wider range. It is also, lower cost.
The AH-705 is £309.60, which is expensive. The answer is use resonant antennas or lower cost tuners!
160m FT8 QRP (Saturday)
At 1355z I turned on my 2.5W FT8 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I am calling CQ in the middle of the FT8 "window". All I am spotting currently is G stations. No DX is being spotted in the daylight. It is now 1402z. Just one, fairly local, station G4HPW (37km) spotting me this afternoon.
UPDATE 1659z: 5 stations (all G) have spotted my QRP TX this afternoon. 5 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost LY2BVB (1659km) in Lithuania. It is still very light here, although I guess it is darker further east. The European DX is just starting.
UPDATE 1749z: 26 stations now spotted on RX. Clearly European DX is now coming through as night draws in.
Victorian photo - NOT amateur radio
I hope to do one soon.
The earliest she has is one showing a relative who fought at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This is partly hand finished and probably dates from the dawn of photography in the 1840s.
Overnight on 160m FT8 RX
In all, 415 stations were spotted in 5 continents as the map shows on RX.
UPDATE 1100z: The DX is definitely a night-time thing on this band. Although I was spotting 5T5PA (3791km) at breakfast time, now I am only spotting Gs.
19 Mar 2021
160m FT8 QRP (Friday)
At 1850z I QSYed to 160m FT8 with 2.5W and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It is now 1856z. So far this evening, 4 stations have spotted me on TX and I have spotted 22 stations on RX.
UPDATE 2030z: 16 stations have spotted me on QRP TX on 160m FT8 today.
136kHz beacon tests
Last week I mentioned that I had, by accident, found my 136kHz CW beacon. I also found my battery operated E-field probe which fits on a car mag-mount.
At the moment, during lockdown, we are only meant to leave the house for defined purposes. Just going out for a 136kHz test is not allowed, so I shall have to combine my tests with a walk for exercise. I have a possible test site, but may be able to test as we drive around if my wife drives the car. The beacon can be switched to QRSS, but I want to test "by ear" with 10wpm CW.
On TX the beacon is connected to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far, I have never tried 136kHz TX outside the home. I did try 136kHz WSPR RX a few years ago.
Chionodoxa - NOT amateur radio
I thought they were bluebells.
Apologies in advance! - NOT amateur radio
I saw this earlier on Facebook so thought I'd like to share it here.
17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna
At 1345z the 17m FT8 QRP gear was turned on. So far today 22 stations have been spotted on RX and 3 stations have spotted me today so far on 15m FT8 QRP TX after just 10 minutes!!
UPDATE 1840z: 151 stations spotted on RX. 8 stations have spotted my QRP TX.
Red-legged partridges - NOT amateur radio
18 Mar 2021
Chinese electric commuter car - NOT amateur radio
The Chinese have launched a very low cost electric car aimed at commuters. It is a joint venture with General Motors. It is outselling Tesla cars by about 2:1. The standards in China are much lower than in Europe and the USA. At the moment it is only on sale in China.
It seems to me they have got their marketing spot on. In the west we have not got our electric car marketing correct. Our cars have (generally) got insufficient range for long distances and yet are far too expensive.
In what appears to be a stupid move, the UK government has today reduced the grant on electric cars under £35k and withdrawn it totally for cars over £35k. So much for encouraging us to go green!
In my view, the UK should launch a no frills electric car that fits the commuter range and can be charged at home. The government could actively encourage sales of these by strongly subsidising low cost electric cars made in the UK designed for commuters and local shopping trips.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56178802 .
Spring....nearly
Once the primroses are common we know spring is really here. My wife took this photo yesterday.
10m dipole
One of the simplest antennas is the dipole made of wire.
On 10m this is quite small being only about 5m long. Although I have been very impressed with my tiny indoor loops, an outside dipole should be several dBs better in the best directions.
Whereas, in the past, erecting this would have been a trivial task, my ladder days are largely over, so I depend on others now for erection. Hopefully my son can help in the coming weeks.
It would be good to have this up before the Es season starts, late next month. By the autumn I think we can expect the USA to come through regularly on 10m, even on 10m AM just above 29MHz.
I have an idea on where to hang it. This should be good for North America and Europe.
Echolink update
An advantage of Echolink is network radios can be used. As long as you have the internet, then you can gain access.
Kind bee - NOT amateur radio
My wife took this photo yesterday.
Fen landscapes - NOT amateur radio
The photo shows the fen landscape just to the north of us. Just visible as a white dot is Wicken windmill.
17m FT8 QRP (Thursday)
At 0830z, I turned on my 2.5W QRP FT8 to the indoor loop on 17m. So far, no spots on PSKreporter even though there are several stations spotted.
UPDATE 1215z: 101 stations spotted on RX. 5 stations have spotted my QRP TX.
UPDATE 1348z: 7 stations have spotted my QRP today on 17m FT8 with the furthermost being AJ1AJ (5264km). 167 stations spotted on RX.
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| Stations spotting my 2.5W QRP on 17m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop |
UPDATE 2118z: QRT.
17 Mar 2021
Astra- Zeneca Covid-19 Vaccine - NOT amateur radio
I am deeply puzzled by some EU nations. I voted to stay in the EU in 2016, but am now convinced we did the correct thing leaving! They seem protectionist and slow beyond words!
Both the European Medicines Agency and the WHO have declared the AZ vaccine safe, yet still some nations insist on a pause. In the meantime many people will die and even more will be more vaccine-averse in months to come.
Surely investigate if you must, but do not in the meantime pause vaccinating people who so desperately need it. This stinks of crass stupidity on a massive scale. Sour grapes?
15m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)
Shortly, I hope to go on 15m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. It is now 1412z.
UPDATE 1701: Just 4 stations spotted on RX and no spots of me on QRP TX.
UPDATE 1930z: 27 stations spotted on RX and 2 stations have spotted my 2.5W on TX.
UPDATE 2030z: QRT. In the end 29 stations spotted on RX.
Kings, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio
X6 is on the left of the photo. The river is the Cam.
OFCOM Auction
OFCOM has announced the results of the first stage of its recent spectrum auction. See the OFCOM website for details.
Yet again the big mobile phone companies have paid a lot for spectrum. It seems all OFCOM is interested in really is ££££££!
What happened to the GPO and enforcement?
The recent announcement about safeguarding the public from harmful EMF rings hollow.
Spring lambs - NOT amateur radio
This photo shows lambs a few years ago at a nearby National Trust property. It appeared as a FB memory today.
16 Mar 2021
Mother's Day in the UK - NOT amateur radio
My wife got some nice gifts from our sons as the photo shows.
2021 Friedrichshafen in June ON but Dayton cancelled, UK Hamfest - maybe
Southgate News reports that plans for an in-person Friedrichshafen in June are still going ahead. I do hope so. I think there is an online event too. This is one of the biggest amateur radio gatherings in the world.
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/march/friedrichshafen-june-25-27.htm#.YFDDJiuTLrc
On a sadder note, the ARRL reports that the Dayton Hamvention is being cancelled for the second year. In the USA there is a great danger of a new spike in Covid-19 infections, so this is probably sensible.
The UK organisers of the National Hamfest is making a final decision in June.
Simple, low cost, digital mode transceivers
These are SSB rigs sold by Midnight Design Solutions. I had not seen these before, nor the QST review. They sell for $55 which is pretty reasonable. My design would have been considerably simpler, but was DSB.
This is designed by Dave Benson K1SWL, so should be good. As an SSB phased design this is more sophisticated. Dave's design also allows you to choose an alternative frequency and offers more power. They should sell many when their supplier problems end.
See https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/
UPDATE 1420z: Just ordered a 10m kit. Due May. I see the SMA parts are pre-fitted.
UPDATE 1620z: Someone asked me if I had given up on my ultra-simple DSB project. No, definitely going ahead still!
Shadows - NOT amateur radio
The windmill and sails are due for a repaint soon. Normally the 200 year old, fully restored, mill is open for visitors April-October.
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