10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)

For about an hour I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. So far, spots of me from 2 unique stations at 1022z. 

UPDATE 1036z:  FR1GZ (9724km) is now spotting me too.

UPDATE 1241z:  7 stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 1448z:  The 10 spots of my 500mW so far today are shown on the map.

UPDATE 2020z:   14 spots of me today.

See http://wspr.rocks/ .

System restore - NOT amateur radio

As my PC was not communicating with my SignaLink USB since installing the driver for my SDR, I did a system restore. FT8 is again working. I shall try the SDR on a different PC!! 

Sunspots - Thursday January 5th 2023

Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 86. A=21 and K=1. 

SDR issues

About a week ago I bought an Neoelec SDR (highly rated) from Amazon. For various reasons, I have not been able to set this up.

It seems incredibly difficult to install the driver. In my view, the instructions were useless. I have now installed the driver, but it no longer recognises the SignaLink USB, so I cannot, at present, operate FT8. I am sure the solutions are relatively easy, but I was expecting this to be dead easy.

Although I have installed the recommended SDR software I have still not got it working.

It is all not helped by having brain fog as a result of my 2013 stroke. It is like wading through treacle and I cannot think clearly.

8m QRP FT8

 Much of the day, I have been on 40.680 MHz FT8 with 2.5W to a dipole. No spots. QRT.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

 

Stations spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR today

This morning I am again on 10m (500mW) TX. At 1210z,  6 stations have spotted me.

8m winter Es

 

This report came yesterday from Borut S50B in Slovenia. Signals were obviously just on the edge, but it shows even 2.5W to a low dipole is enough for winter Es on 8m FT8.

Sunspots - Wednesday January 4th 2023

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 89. A=6 and K=4.

2m activity contest this evening

Not sure about you, but I am all mixed up over the days of the week! I thought yesterday was Tuesday.  

Tonight is the first 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB. I usually stay on for less than an hour and enter the low power section with my ICOM IC-705 and big-wheel omni antenna.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=2mukac .

Chromebook - NOT amateur radio

This is being written on my Asus Chromebook. It has been owned and used for over 3 years. It still has a good battery life, boots up in seconds and does most things I ever need. 

When I first got it, I wondered if I was going to make a big mistake. Instead, it has been brilliant and I have no regrets at all.