Earning a cup of tea - NOT amateur radio

Our son weatherproofing our garden shed yesterday. 

It looks much better now after a coat of preservative used for sheds and fences.  I shall ask him to do the garden benches soon.

Sunspots - Thursday March 25th 2021

Solar flux is 84 and the SSN 26.   A=10 and K=4.

472kHz WSPR RX

At 1844z, I QSYed to 472kHz (630m) WSPR RX. Once again, I am using the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2211z:  G0MRF has been a huge signal this evening. Furthermost is LA8AV (1012km).

UPDATE 2300z:  QRT

17m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

A few moments ago, I QSYed to 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. It is now 1111z. So far 6 stations have been spotted on RX with nobody yet spotting my QRP on TX.

UPDATE 1127z:  So far today, 15 stations spotted here on RX, and still nobody has spotted my QRP FT8 on TX.

UPDATE 1421z:  105 stations in 5 continents spotted on 17m FT8 RX today and nobody has spotted my QRP TX.

UPDATE 1806z:  139 stations spotted on RX. Nobody spotted me on TX.

EMF calculator (revised)

Southgate News reports that a new EMF calculator is now available from the RSGB.  If your EIRP is greater than 10W, you may have to use this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/march/new-rsgb-emf-calculator-available.htm#.YFsX-yuTLrc .

Suez Canal blocked - NOT amateur radio

The BBC reports that a large container ship has run aground in strong winds and blocked the Suez Canal. This is vital artery for world trade. It is already caused major tailbacks. Imagine being in charge of steering this ship!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-56505413 .

Spring - NOT amateur radio

Although we can definitely get bad weather still, it feels like a corner has been turned and spring has come as the photo shows. 

Daffodils are looking good in our village. 

The clocks change to British Summer Time (BST) this weekend. Next week it is lighter in the evenings and not dark until about 7.45pm local time. We change from "indoor mode" to "outdoor mode". Sadly, this means cutting the grass!

Overnight on 160m FT8

Stations spotted
last night on
160m FT8 RX 

Although I had another 160m FT8 QSO with 2.5W in the very early morning with a German, I was on 160m FT8 RX overnight. Again the antenna was the earth-electrode in the ground. 

272 stations spotted in 5 continents as the map shows. 

I was spotted by 47 stations across

Stations spotting
my 2.5W FT8
QRP last night 

Europe on QRP FT8 160m TX as the map shows. 

I remain amazed just how well this "antenna" works.  Considering nobody knows it is there, I cannot fault it.

UPDATE 1005z:  Back to daytime conditions! Nobody spotted in the last few hours.

Sunspots - Wednesday March 24th 2021

 Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 26.  A=11 and K=2.

Dad's seat - NOT amateur radio

When my dad first retired he got a job with the National Trust and was in charge of a team working on repairs to the coastal footpaths in South Devon. When he died they erected 2 seats on Bolberry Down in his memory. In the photo I am sitting on one of them some years ago. 

160m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

At about 1330z I turned on my 160m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the earth-electrode antenna in the ground. No spots yet. 

UPDATE 1708z:  Just 1 G - G3NSM (123km) has spotted my QRP TX and European DX is starting to come through on RX. So far, 7 stations spotted on RX.

More - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows what I think are storage batteries being erected near our electricity substation. 

Overnight on 160m FT8 QRP

Stations spotting my
160m FT8 2.5W

Once again I was on 160m FT8 with 2.5W and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.  My signal was spotted by 32 stations with the furthermost being R7MA (2859km). The map shows where my 2.5W 160m FT8 was spotted last evening.

One QSO on 160m FT8 QRP with a German shortly before midnight. 

Just 268 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight in 5 continents. I do not use 160m often enough to know if this is conditions changing or just a bad night. 2 North Americans and 1 South American spotted.

UPDATE 1009z:  Back to daytime and just 1 G spotted!

Sunspots - Tuesday March 23rd 2021

 Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 23. A=8 and K=4.

Scam bating - NOT amateur radio

If you are like me, you are getting more scam calls that originate abroad, but use UK numbers to actually fool punters. TPS, which we have, cannot stop these I think. 

We have tunes on our phones so we know when genuine people are calling: different friends and family members have unique tunes. Everyone else is asked to leave an answerphone message. Most scammers just hang up. We work on the assumption that if it was really urgent they would leave a message or call again.

I have asked for a package on Virgin Media that may help. It is free for 30 days. We will see.

Apparently someone is working on software to waste scammers time. Great!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-56458267.

160m FT8 QRP (Monday)

About 15 minutes ago, I turned on my 2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8 TX. No spots yet. 

UPDATE 1605z:  Still no spots on RX or TX. The Europeans should start appearing soon.

UPDATE 1625z:  The first DX from Europe came through at 1614z on 160m FT8 RX. There are others starting to be spotted. Still nobody spotting me on QRP TX.

Photobooks - NOT amateur radio

Every season, my wife makes a photo book. Altogether we have 53 in addition to old albums. 

It is amazing to see how much the grandchildren have changed over the years. 

Shack sunset

The photo doesn't really do justice to the wonderful sunset last night. This was the view out of the shack window last night.

In the foreground is the shack PC with WSJT-X monitoring 160m FT8 RX. 

As you can see, there were plenty of European (later transatlantic) stations being spotted on the earth-electrode antenna at about 1845z. 

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Stations spotted
on 160m FT8
RX overnight

Still stations in the Americas again on 160m FT8 RX last night as the map shows.  Overall fewer stations spotted though. 

Stations spotting
me last evening
on 160m QRP FT8

On TX, I was spotted by 21 stations (2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) with the furthermost OE9GHV (869km), before going RX only overnight.  The other map shows the stations spotting me last evening.

Spring flowers - NOT amateur radio

The flowers in the photo were spotted by my wife a few days ago. 

We are now officially in spring by any measure. The UK Met Office counts March 1st as the first day of spring whereas the traditional start is the spring equinox.

In the weeks ahead we will see migrant birds like swallows returning.

The UK clocks change to British Summer Time (BST) next weekend.

Sunspots - Monday March 22nd 2021

 Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 12.  A=24 and K=3.

Walk - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we did a walk around the village with our elder grandson as shown in the photo. 

Covid-19 Vaccines - NOT amateur radio

Some countries seem further ahead with vaccines than others. This puts in doubt the ability of our daughters-in-law to visit their parents in France and Australia this year. This is such a pity.

Moxon antennas

Someone today asked me if I still have my coat hanger Moxon for 70cms. Moxons (as the page shows) can be easily made and work well. I have not seen the antenna for many years, so I doubt I still have it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/70cm_moxon .

My grandson's video channel - NOT amateur radio

 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

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Overnight

Overnight I again stayed on 160m FT8 RX. As before, stations from 5 continents spotted in numbers approaching 400 as the world map shows.

UPDATE 1000z:

1000z Sunday - quite different

Just 1 G being spotted now as the other map shows.

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.

Devon - NOT amateur radio

This is near where I come from in South Devon. 

Sunspots - Sunday March 21st 2021

Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 12. A=29 and K=5.

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! 😄

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha .

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!

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/march/ah-705-hf-50-mhz-automatic-antenna-tuner-for-the-ic-705.htm#.YFYBKyuTLrc .

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.

UPDATE 2214z: 215 stations spotted on160m FT RX as shown on the map. 19 stations have spotted my QRP on TX as I have been on RX much of the evening. QRT soon, then on RX only overnight.

Victorian photo - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of my wife's ancestors. It was taken in the late 1800s. She is presently making books with some early photos of her relatives. 

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.

See https://www.snapfish.co.uk/home

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows near Kings College in Cambridge 2 years ago. 

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Amazing. Overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 

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.

Sunspots - Saturday March 20th 2021

Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 14.  A=6 and K=3.

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.