XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.space, uk.radio.amateur XPost: free.uk.amateur-radio

Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

///////////////////////////////////////////
8m NoV - nothing heard!!

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 03:01 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/8m-nov-nothing-heard.html


It is now about 3 months since I applied for a low power, 8m permit to TX during the Es season. So far, I have heard absolutely nothing! Am I
surprised? No. You would have thought by now, they would have said "no"
or "yes" or asked a few questions.
OFCOM obviously has a hard job allocating me a low power, time limited,
permit to carry out valuable research, when they can allocate 2MHz
of "precious" VHF spectrum, seemingly indefinitely, for DATV experiments!
My opinion of OFCOM remains low. Unless it is going to make them billions,
they are not really interested.
Come on boys and girls - playtime over.

///////////////////////////////////////////
10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 04:13 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/10m-ft8-rx-wednesday.html


At 0945z, I turned on my 10m FT8 RX gear. At 1005z,10 stations spotted. UPDATE 1047z: 16 stations spotted with the furthermost 5B4AIF (3197km).
UPDATE 1212z: Just 22 spots so far. Pretty poor.

///////////////////////////////////////////
2m activity contest (UKAC) last evening

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:03 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/2m-activity-contest-ukac-last-evening.html


Last evening I took part in the UKAC activity contest organised by the
RSGB. Running 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna, I managed 5 QSOs before I
had to stop after about 45 minutes because of my poor voice.

There is a 2m FT8 activity contest this evening starting at 1900z for 2
hours. As my voice is not involved, I may try this with 2.5W.

///////////////////////////////////////////
Oscar 100 - activity very low!

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 11:20 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/oscar-100-very-low.html


Every few weeks I take a very unscientific look at activity levels on this geosynchronous satellite. The last peek was at 1250z on Tuesday. Most
activity seems to be from Europe and this was probably not the best time to look as it was in the middle of the working day.
However, activity seemed to be at an all time low with just 1 QSO taking
place! My impression is people either find accessing this too hard or they
are just not interested. I wonder what activity is like in the evenings in Europe?

///////////////////////////////////////////
Sunspots - Wednesday January 5th 2022

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 11:14 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/sunspots-wednesday-january-5th-2022.html


Solar flux is 86 and the SSN 12. A=6 and K=2.

///////////////////////////////////////////
70cm FT8 (Tuesday)

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 01:50 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/70cm-ft8-tuesday.html


As 10m was dead, I am again on 70cm FT8 QRP with the V2000 vertical omni antenna mainly RX. After about an hour, no spots.
A reminder that there is a 2m digital contest tomorrow evening. I need to
check times and rules.
UPDATE 2149z: No spots on RX and TX.



///////////////////////////////////////////
10m FT8

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 08:30 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/10m-ft8.html


At the moment I am on 10m FT8 RX. A brief TX period (2.5W QRP) with just
G3UEG (55km) spotting me, I am now RX only. Just one spot of EA4DUA
(1423km) so far.
UPDATE 0958z: 10 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost ZS6AF (9156km). UPDATE 1245z: 32 stations spotted today so far.
UPDATE 1630z: Just 35 stations spotted today. QRT soon.

///////////////////////////////////////////
2m activity contest tonight?

Posted: 04 Jan 2022 01:11 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/2m-activity-contest-tonight.html


Later I need to check, but usually the first Tuesday of the month is the 2m UKAC. If it is, I shall go on although because of my poor voice I rarely
manage to stay on long. Most times I run low power and my big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 0906z: The activity contest is on tonight.

///////////////////////////////////////////
Chocolate box village

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 11:43 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/chocolate-box-village.html



Dalham is a real "chocolate box" village not too far from here. It has lots
of very attractive thatched cottages which would be ideal on the cover of a
box of chocolates. You can imagine that a century ago these were hovels for working folk with no sewers or running water, and probably without a
bathroom. These days these are pads for the well heeled with big prices. It
is probably the most attractive village in the area.


///////////////////////////////////////////
Network radios

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 11:40 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/network-radios.html


It is becoming an increasing issue that some amateurs can no longer enjoy
their hobby as they are not allowed external antennas or because their
noise floor is too high.

For some, the answer may be network radios. These use the internet as the
main propagation mechanism rather than the ionosphere. All that is needed
is a wifi or mobile connection such as 3G or 4G.
With these, and systems like Echolink, distant repeaters can be contacted
and, via these, handhelds on the far side of the planet. They are often
mobile phones with a PTT and antenna, looking much like a VHF handheld.
I find these somehow dissatisfying. Maybe in 10 years time I shall think differently. At the moment I get more fun from experimenting
with "conventional" radio. I know amateur radio is changing and we should embrace all forms of communications such as DMR and network radio.
See
https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/network-radio .

///////////////////////////////////////////
Sunspots - Tuesday January 4th 2022

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 11:39 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/sunspots-tuesday-january-4th-2022.html


Solar flux is 84 and the SSN 12. A=12 and K=3.

///////////////////////////////////////////
70cm FT8 (Monday)

Posted: 03 Jan 2022 01:31 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/01/70cm-ft8-monday.html


Outside of a contest, I have not tried 70cm FT8 that I can recall. As 10m
seems dead now, I have QSYed to 70cm FT8 with the V2000 vertical omni
antenna.
Although I am not really expecting to spot anything, it is worth a try. On
70cm the FT8 dial frequency is 432.174MHz USB. I shall try until bedtime. UPDATE 2130z: Nobody spotted. I am not surprised.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)