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

Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

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60m amateur allocations in the UK

Posted: 19 May 2021 11:57 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/05/60m-amateur-allocations-in-uk.html


OFCOM has just put the latest amateur licence conditions on its website including an EMF calculator. Running 10W or less, I am not too concerned.
What does concern me are the UK slots at 60m. I am sure I cannot be alone
in being totally confused. Yes, we may have more spectrum and higher power (100W) than the small WRC slot, but unless you are a regular user, these
slots are messy and confusing. I counted 10 slots!!
Personally, I'd settle for a narrow contiguous allocation than the mess we currently have, and with lower power. I would also like to see more access
to much more spectrum with very low ERP limits on a strictly
non-interference basis. I guess that is too much to think about. Why can't
we follow the Irish example?
See the OFCOM website for more details.
See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/214116/emf-amateur-licence-terms-and-conditions.pdf

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160m FT8

Posted: 19 May 2021 01:07 PM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/05/160m-ft8_19.html


Just after 1800z, I QSYed to 160m FT8. Very briefly I was on QRP with 2.5W
TX and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. At the moment I am on
RX only. As it is still daylight, I am not expecting any great DX until
after dark.
UPDATE 2005z: European DX coming through now now it is dark.

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OFCOM and mobile phone repeaters

Posted: 19 May 2021 02:12 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/05/ofcom-and-mobile-phone-repeaters.html


OFCOM is to allow more type approved mobile phone repeaters to be
licence-free to get more reliable coverage indoors. See the OFCOM website
for details.

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10m FT8 RX with the 10FT8R

Posted: 19 May 2021 10:40 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/05/10m-ft8-rx-with-10ft8r-rx.html





Just before breakfast I turned on the 10FT8R RX (4 transistors) with the
tiny indoor loop antenna. It is now 0818z and 29 stations already spotted
via Es.
UPDATE 0835z: 34 stations spotted so far.
UPDATE 0915z: 50 stations so far spotted today.
UPDATE 1131z: 101 stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX with the little
10FT8R receiver and the tiny indoor loop.
UPDATE 1426z: 164 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX so far today.
UPDATE 1740z: 222 stations so far spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the
furthermost W1JR (5267km) in New Hampshire, USA, I think this was Es (see
map). No South Americans logged today on the tiny indoor loop.


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Sunspots - Wednesday May 19th 2021

Posted: 19 May 2021 01:15 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2021/05/sunspots-wednesday-may-19th-2021.html


Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 24 again. A=10 and K=1.

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