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Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

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Other G3XBM sites

Posted: 14 Feb 2022 04:11 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/other-g3xbm-sites.html


Periodically, I like to remind people of my other sites that may be of interest.
This blog is usually updated daily, whereas the other sites less
frequently. Often these other sites can be useful and have more project information.Video channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/G3XBM
Main site http://www.g3xbm.co.uk
This blog: http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/ Sub 9kHz
website https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/
The sub 9kHz site is badly in need of an update!

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2m activity contest results

Posted: 14 Feb 2022 03:45 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/2m-activity-contest-results.html


The results for this activity contest have just been released. This year, I
am donating my points towards the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC).
As I usually run 10W to an omni antenna for much less than an hour, because
of my poor voice, I doubt my points help much!
Most activity is on SSB and activity levels are usually very high.
See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=144MHz%20UKAC&year=2022 .

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Lightning

Posted: 14 Feb 2022 03:07 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/lightning.html


At this time of year in the UK, lightning is not usually a great risk. In
the summer months, although unlikely, lightning can be more of a risk. A
direct strike is very rare, but can be devastating.
More common are surges on power lines when lightning is near. For this
reason, I usually disconnect PSUs and antennas if there is lightning in the area.
Years ago, a colleague at work had his house struck and there was a lot of damage. I keep an eye on lightning maps to see how close storms are.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .

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10m QRP WSPR (500mW)

Posted: 14 Feb 2022 02:15 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-qrp-wspr-500mw.html


Later, I hope to turn on my 10m WSPR TX beacon by W5OLF. This is on TX
100% of the time, but changes frequency every cycle to prevent being
clobbered by a strong station. Usually I get spots from a local and the
Canary Is. Occasionally I get spots from South America and the USA as well
as Europe.
UPDATE 1005z: 10m WSPR beacon turned on at 0945z. At first, the crystal settles down so the drift is about 4Hz. After about 20 minutes things
settle and the drift is usually 0Hz (see table). So far, 3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km).


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Rybakov Antennas

Posted: 14 Feb 2022 02:20 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/rybakov-antennas.html


At the end of a long wire, the impedance is usual high. With a 49:1 transformer, the SWR is usually well within range of auto-tuners found in
most modern rigs. This usually means that a multi-band antenna can be
erected covering most or all HF bands. In many cases, the SWR is
sufficiently low that no tuner is needed at all.
For those unable or simply preferring not to make one, commercial antennas
or baluns are available. One that was available was the X80. I bought mine
many years ago. It worked well, but was only up for a few weeks as most of
my operating was on a single band - 10m. I swapped mine for an active RX antenna.
I think modern versions can come in fibre glass, but are more expensive.
If you are happy to make your own, all that is needed is the balun in a suitable waterproof enclosure with connectors and a long wire. I think the
wire is ideally not a multiple of half waves. There are several designs on
the internet I believe. If you are happy to experiment, you can try
different wire lengths. The X80, and its successors, looks like a CB
vertical. Often people put things inside aluminium ones to make them bend
less in high winds. I never did this.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/x80 .

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Sunspots - Monday February 14th 2022

Posted: 13 Feb 2022 11:26 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunspots-monday-february-14th-2022.html


Solar flux is 105 and the SSN 53. A=15 and K=2.

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VHF/UHF FT8

Posted: 13 Feb 2022 06:07 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/vhfuhf-ft8.html


As recent activity sessions have shown, FT8 on 2m and 70cm can be very effective. Although many QSOs are due to tropo, I am convinced that some
sort of scatter is often involved.
This maybe aircraft scatter or troposcatter. With FT8, scatter is possible
with far smaller stations. It would not surprise me if scatter was more
likely as the frequency is increased. It might be very effective at 23cm or higher with FT8, although I have no evidence.
If I had 23cm FT8, I might try some tests.

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10m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

Posted: 13 Feb 2022 12:13 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-ft8-qrp-sunday.html


After a brief period on QRP TX (2.5W and spotted well in Israel) I am now
RX only. At 1315z 52 stations spotted. I have been in for about 20 minutes. UPDATE 1358z: 91 stations spotted today.
UPDATE 1415z: 117 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX so far.
UPDATE 2011z: Now QRT. 287 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

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Yippee - GQ3XBM in June

Posted: 13 Feb 2022 04:24 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/yippee-gq3xbm-in-june.html


Well, I for one will not be applying for this NoV which allows me to add Q
to celebrate the queen's platinum jubilee in June 2022. If OFCOM's speed is
any guide, I might get it in 2024!!
See https://rsgb.org/main/operating/licensing-novs-visitors/online-nov-application/hmq-platinum-jubilee-nov/

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10FT8R 10m FT8 RX

Posted: 12 Feb 2022 11:51 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10ft8r-10m-ft8-rx.html



Once again 10m is good. On FT8 RX most days, most continents can be
received on simple low wire antennas.


When 10m is like this, it is quite useful to have a RX that does not tie up
the "big rig". One such simple RX is the 10FT8R, which I designed and made about a year ago. It was in RSGB RadCom and is on my website where a
clearer schematic may be found. The crystal needed was low cost. If a 14.037MHz crystal can be found then the inductor is series with the crystal
can be removed and the connection just shorted.

Despite its low cost and simplicity, it works really well. For "one offs" simple dead big construction is fine. As a club project a PCB would be
useful.
See
https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx

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Sunspots - Sunday February 13th 2022

Posted: 12 Feb 2022 11:50 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunspots-sunday-february-13th-2022.html


Solar flux is 111 and the SSN 54. A=13 and K=3.

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