We are just rolling out 5G. Already there is talk of 5.5G and 6G! I cannot imagine what this would be.
Southgate News has a piece about an upcoming talk.
See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/march/5-5g-and-6g-for-2030.htm#.YGXV12jYrrc
1 Apr 2021
IC-705 on the air
 |
| IC-705 |
In the coming days I want to try FT8 and D-star.
The RX seems to work well even on LF with good reception of DCF77 on 77.5kHz with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It, so far, fits my operating well. I was surprised to get so many GPS satellites with the rig indoors in the usual operating position.
ICOM has done a great job.
I have ordered the Radio Today guide to the IC-705 from the RSGB.
Solar data
My favourite site for solar data is usually updated very early in the month. This usually happens on the first or second day of the month.
See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .
UPDATE 1011z: I see the page has just been updated.
UPDATE 1910z: See http://www.solen.info/solar/images/comparison_recent_cycles.png . At the moment we do not look on track for a great cycle 25. It looks very similar to the last cycle.
Outside King's - NOT amateur radio
Usually Cambridge is a "must see" for foreign visitors. This year things are very different without visitors from overseas. It is good to see people social distancing.
31 Mar 2021
Another view - NOT amateur radio
The photo shows another view of Moulton village, this time with the famous packhorse bridge. At one time this was the main route from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds.
Radioshack
At one time, Radioshack was very big in the USA. I was told about a comeback, although most of the products look as if they were made in China.
Maplins, that was a near equivalent here in the UK, closed some years ago. These days, many people buy direct from China!
At one time Radioshack sold a nice single band 10m SSB rig. The name escapes me.
Heathkits
Way back in 1961 I was bought a Heathkit electronics workshop for Christmas. Little did I know then that this was to be the start of an absorbing hobby and career. Heathkit is trying to make a comeback although the offerings I have seen have definitely not been impressive. These kits are overpriced and I am surprised they are still around. They must have some very loyal customers!
See https;//shop.heathkit.com/shop
See also https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/ew on my very old (not maintained) website. The links of the left cannot be relied upon.
30 Mar 2021
Succumbed
It was far more expensive than I wanted to pay from a UK dealer, but I rarely buy gear and I probably haven't that many years to enjoy it. It should give me years of fun. I cannot see the prices falling any time soon. The IC-7300 hasn't dropped in years.
In the end, the review by Peter Hart in the latest RadCom persuaded me. So, I have succumbed. At the moment I am still reading the manual and will probably try it later.
More later....
Lunch in the garden - NOT amateur radio
Moulton walk - NOT amateur radio
This morning we did a nice walk around the village of Moulton as the photo shows.
British humour - NOT amateur radio
This character may be familiar to many in the UK. He features in a well known comedy programme on TV.
29 Mar 2021
Club Log
As many will know, I am not a great DX chaser these days. If I work DX great, although I rarely go looking for it. To some, it is an important aspect of our hobby. Working rare DX on multiple bands can be a source of great excitement.
If I remember correctly, I achieved DXCC on 10m SSB QRP way back in the 1980s. My greatest thrill was working New Zealand with 10W SSB on 10m early one morning with a simple sloping wire dipole. The other thrill was working a VP8 in Antarctica.
If you are a keen DXer you may like Club Log. It seems an ideal resource for keen DXers.
FT8 dominance
In the last few years, FT8 has become the dominant mode on many bands.
Unlike speech modes, FT8 is definitely not a chatting mode. Basic QSO data only is exchanged. To use FT8 needs special software like WSJT-X that can be got for free on the internet.
Whilst this mode is great for simple stations and those who find talking hard (like me), it is not a mode that you just stumble across. Many years ago I "found" amateur radio by chance hearing AM stations on 160m and 15m.
In the end FT8 and similar could kill our hobby. What I am advocating is FT8 should be seen as complementing speech modes, not instead of speech modes. I hope, as HF conditions improve, more people will use SSB, FM and AM again.
Coming on - NOT amateur radio
After many years, our old bank is being converted to commercial units. One of these is to be a hairdressers. People who know me know that I cannot take advantage of this!
English humour - NOT amateur radio
This was on Facebook earlier. It will appeal to British humour, although I am not sure what others will make of it.
FT8 QRP today
Shortly I hope to go on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop.
At present (0820z) I am on 160m FT8 RX. As we have daytime conditions, there is no DX, in fact no spots at all!
UPDATE 0836z: 17m gear turned on. 10 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost 5Z4VJ (6858km) in Kenya. Nobody yet spotting me on TX.
UPDATE 1228z: 246 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost YB7OO (11788km). On TX my QRP has been spotted by 2 stations with the furthermost R2ASY (2426km) near Moscow. 1 QSO today.
UPDATE 1420z: 326 stations spotted on 17m FT8 RX and 4 stations spotting my QRP on TX.
UPDATE 1720z: 465 stations spotted on 17m FT8 RX and 6 stations have spotted my QRP TX.
160m FT8 overnight
Overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX. 193 stations spotted including 3 USA stations. No South Americans last night. The antenna is still the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
28 Mar 2021
160m FT8 RX (Sunday)
Since about 1930z I have been on 160m FT8 RX. It is now 2005z and 42 stations have been spotted. The antenna is still the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.
UPDATE 2245z: 90 stations spotted this evening.
FT8 slots
In the last few years FT8 has taken off like crazy. It is very sensitive and works with very weak signals, much weaker than SSB and CW. It is not a chatting mode. It allows the minimum details for a QSO to be exchanged. There is a spin-off called JT8call that does allow free form messages, so chats could be had.
Sadly FT8 has resulted in fewer speech mode chats. Although not a QRP mode per se, it does allow worldwide QSOs with QRP and simple antennas. Most find far less than 100W is sufficient to work the world.
One thing I have noticed is just how busy the narrow FT8 slots get. Although the transmissions only need about 50Hz, it is quite possible to find 20 or more stations in the FT8 window. The advantage is all signals get decoded by the (free) software and split operation within the FT8 window is encouraged.
There is a case of several FT8 slots in each band. The disadvantage is you may have to monitor more slots. There is a case for 2 or 3 FT8 slots on each band. This is still narrower than a few SSB signals.
UK and Covid-19 - NOT amateur radio
Rules within the UK nations vary, so what follows applies to England only. At the moment, the plan is to cautiously relax some rules on March 29th. This is part of a roadmap to complete relaxation of the rules.
Dates could slip, although at the moment things are still on track. A lot depends on how people behave, vaccines and the 3rd wave in Europe and of course variants emerging.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56553128 .
Friedrichshafen 2021 - off
Although I have looked quite hard, I have failed to find out if this years grand show in June is definitely cancelled.
2022 is on and I would be extremely surprised if this years show was on, especially with rising Covid-19 cases across Europe. Putting on a show would be expensive and it is unlikely many would want to be there in big crowds with the pandemic, even if they could travel.
The last definitive information I saw was that Dayton, USA was cancelled and Friedrichshafen 2021 was to be decided still. However, Southgate News is reporting that it is cancelled this year.
It is definitely not happening in 2021. I have found the official announcement of this. A pity, but understandable.
Notice the word "suspended" . There is an online event June 25th - 27th 2021.
17m FT8 QRP (Sunday)
At 1109z I went on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop on the shack windowsill. It is now 1116z and so far today, 18 stations have been spotted on RX with nobody spotting my QRP on TX.
UPDATE 1425z: So far today, 2 spots of my QRP with the furthermost being UW5ZM (2317km) from the Ukraine on TX and 185 stations spotted on RX. At some point I shall remember to convert BST to GMT. Give me a few days!
27 Mar 2021
Lode - NOT amateur radio
Lode is a sleepy village about 5 miles from Cambridge. Buses are every 2 hours in the weekdays with none on Sunday.
17m FT8 QRP (Saturday)
For most of the day I have been on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far (it is now 1510z), just 1 station has spotted me on TX and I have spotted 267 stations on RX with the furthermost YB3EDD (12235km).
Village cottages - NOT amateur radio
Burwell (our village) has a total mix of old and new homes. These cottages are on the main High Street. I am not sure how old these are, but I guess most date from the 1800s.
Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite
Every few weeks, I give my impression of activity on the narrowband transponder of this satellite as seen by looking at the webSDR at Goonhilly.
As said many times before, this is not a scientific look. It is more of a "quick peek" impression, in this case looking mid-afternoon on a Friday in Europe.
My impression is activity is very slightly up on the last time I looked. There is still plenty of room.
26 Mar 2021
Spring colours - NOT amateur radio
/P and contests
According to Southgate News, the RSGB is to accept /P entries in contests from March 29th. They state you have to obey local Covid rules, but the "stay at home" message is to be replaced (we hope) by "stay local" in England. This would mean /P operations would be legal if local.
OFCOM plan of work
I am definitely a grumpy old man!
OFCOM has just posted its plan of work for the next financial year on its website. If I was still working and not retired I would have been told the statement is full of "motherhoods" !
Personally, I would prefer if they concentrated on real enforcement and less on such statements.
It is very easy to criticise, but the impression this gives me is a total lack of RF knowledge and a bunch of children, trying to be "grown ups". Your views may well differ, and these are my impressions only.
As I was always told "don't judge a book by its cover".
See the OFCOM website and make up your own minds.
17m FT8 QRP (Friday)
At 1217z, I turned on the FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the windowsill tiny loop. It is now 1222z and, so far, 20 stations have been spotted on RX but no spots of me on TX.
UPDATE 1435z: 127 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost YB8ADX (12413km). On QRP TX 2 stations have spotted me so far today.
UPDATE 2212z: Now QRT. Altogether, 204 stations spotted on RX and 2 stations spotted my QRP on TX.
Rainbow - NOT amateur radio
25 Mar 2021
Perspectives on old age - NOT amateur radio
Next birthday I shall be 73. Both my dad and granddad died in their sixties. I could die tomorrow or live for many years.
On the balance of probabilities I probably have not got many years left. Certainly I am more aware than ever that the years are passing by.
Some of the things I could so easily do are now impossible. I am giddy all the time and driving is no longer a pleasure.
Someone once advised me to enjoy things before it is too late. Maybe they are right. One thing is certain: the future is unknown.
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