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Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

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472kHz WSPR RX with the Wellgood active loop

Posted: 23 Nov 2021 01:11 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/472khz-wspr-rx-with-wellgood-active-loop.html


My Wellgood loop is tiny and no attempt has yet been made to optimise the
size, position or orientation of the loop, which is just attached to the
shack window with Blutak.

Last night, 4 unique stations were spotted on 472kHz WSPR RX. My
impression is this is a few dBs down on the coax to my big wheel. Now, this could be activity, conditions, orientation, local noise, position etc. .

On 1840kHz (160m) FT8 it works well and is every bit as good.

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10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

Posted: 23 Nov 2021 12:37 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/10m-ft8-qrp-tuesday.html


After a very brief period on QRP TX (2.5W), I am now RX only. The gear was turned on about 0830z. It is now 0836z and, so far, no spots given or
received. It is a bit early.

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Sunspots - Tuesday November 23rd 2021

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:43 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/sunspots-tuesday-november-23rd-2021.html


Solar flux is 78 and the SSN 22 (again). A=9 and K=2.

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472kHz WSPR RX with the Wellgood Loop active antenna

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 11:05 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/472khz-wspr-rx-with-wellgood-loop.html


As an experiment I am on 472kHz WSPR RX using the Wellgood Loop. It will be interesting to see how this compares with the coax up to the big-wheel.

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ICOM IC-703

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 07:05 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/icom-ic-703.html


This is the radio that preceded the IC-705. I sold mine many years ago to a friend in Cambridge and regret it. If you are after a basic HF/6m 10W
radio, then you would be hard pressed to do better. It is the same size as
the IC-706 range, but hard to find these days. One advantage is the
auto-ATU, which matched my long wire on all bands from 80m to 10m. It would probably have done 6m too!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/icom-ic-703 .

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10m WSPR QRP (Wednesday)

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:43 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/10m-wspr-qrp-wednesday.html


As my 10m antenna is free, I am on 10m WSPR with my 500mW W5OLF beacon. At 1316z, 3 stations spotted with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km).
UPDATE 1428z: Still just the same 3 stations spotting me!

UPDATE 1842z: Still just those 3 stations spotting me. QRT soon.



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6m FT8 (Wednesday)

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:41 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/6m-ft8-wednesday.html


At about 1000z, I turned on my 6m FT8 running to 2.5W to the V2000 vertical antenna. I was very briefly on TX getting a couple of G spots. On RX 5
spots (mostly Gs) with the furthermost LB2WD (868km).
UPDATE 1840z: 6 spots of stations all day. Apart from the station in
Norway, all were Gs. QRT soon.

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472kHz WSPR RX last evening and overnight

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 12:13 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/472khz-wspr-rx-last-evening-and.html



18 stations spotted, which is the best yet this season. Furthermost was
again OH1LSQ (1733km). Antenna is still the coax to my 2m big-wheel tuned
with the ferrite rod ATU on the bench. Earth was just the mains. May try
again tonight with the Wellgood active loop.


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What is the best QRP transceiver ever?

Posted: 21 Nov 2021 11:09 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/what-is-best-qrp-transceiver-ever.html


Many of us enjoy the challenge of getting the most from the least. Some
define this as the fewest number of parts or the lowest cost.
What do you reckon is/was the best QRP radio design ever? Tell us all what
you think and why, and leave some links if possible.
Most designs are compromises. Ideally, I am looking for a rig that really
holds its own on TX and RX. As an example, the Pixie and Micro80 had
dreadful receivers. I am wondering if anyone has come up with a rig with a decent receiver?

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Sunspots - Monday November 22nd 2021

Posted: 21 Nov 2021 11:07 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/sunspots-monday-november-22nd-2021.html


Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 22. A=12 and K=3.

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472kHz (630m) WSPR RX

Posted: 21 Nov 2021 10:56 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/472khz-630m-wspr-rx.html



After dark, I switched to 472kHz WSPR RX using the coax up to my 2m
big-wheel antenna via a ferrite rod ATU and mains earth. It is now 1841z
and, so far, 5 unique stations spotted with the furthermost OH1LSQ
(1733km). It may be a stupid antenna, but it works!


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FY5KE - WSPR pirate?

Posted: 21 Nov 2021 07:43 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/fy5ke-wspr-pirate.html


When I go on 10m WSPR, I am frequently spotted by FY5KE. There was a
QRZ.com message earlier in the year to say there had been no FT8 activity
so far and if you worked FY5KE on FT8, this would have been a pirate. There
was nothing said about WSPR.
The reports I get are usually good, which makes me a bit suspicious.
Is this WSPR monitor genuine?

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10m WSPR QRP TX

Posted: 21 Nov 2021 06:47 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/11/10m-wspr-qrp-tx_21.html


As the 10m antenna was free, I decided to go on 10m WSPR TX using the
500mW W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon. Just 3 spots of me (2 EA8s and 1 local G). So
far, "the usuals".

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