Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)

2026-09-20T10:58:12.220+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0945z.

UPDATE 1053z: No spots of me yet.

6m 1W FT8 (Sunday)

2026-09-20T10:55:35.319+01:00

My gear was turned on about 20 minutes ago.

UPDATE 1052z: So far, just 3 English stations have spotted me.

Russia and the West

2026-09-20T10:22:40.778+01:00

In Ukraine , Russia seems to be trying to grind down civilians, who seem to be tiring of the war. At the same time Ukraine is trying to bring the war closer to ordinary people within Russia.

At the same time Russia seems to be probing NATO to see how it would respond.

I am pretty sure most ordinary people in Russia and Ukraine really just want a peaceful life. I do hope they can find a way of ending the needless carnage and destruction. It is all so silly.

Sunspots - Sunday September 20th

2026-09-20T07:52:30.537+01:00

Solar flux is 97 and the SSN 11. A=7 and K=3.

Adapting

2026-09-19T10:24:47.511+01:00

Human beings seem to be able to adapt to new situations.

We are currently threatened with another oil crisis and possible recession around the world. Despite this, I am sure we will adapt as we always have done.

6m 1W FT8 (Saturday)

2026-09-19T10:23:06.073+01:00

My gear was turned on before breakfast.

UPDATE 1810z: 10 stations spotting me with the best EA6VQ (1419km) in the Balearic Is..

10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)

2026-09-19T07:49:51.907+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0640z.

UPDATE 1254z: 2 stations spotting me again from the Canary Is. and one in Turkey.

UPDATE 1753z: Spotted by 5 stations with the best PT2FHC (8860km) in Brazil.

Excitement

2026-09-19T07:02:57.062+01:00

Earlier this week we had some excitement in central Cambridge, UK.

There was a fire engine with a platform on an extendable ladder. They appeared to go over the roof of the Arts Theatre.

There was no sign of smoke, so this may have been an exercise.

Saturday plans

2026-09-19T07:02:13.964+01:00

My main goal today is to increase my understanding of the RSP1B SDR receiver. I need to get familiar with the controls of SDRconnect.

New world order?

2026-09-19T06:52:23.731+01:00

In my view we are on the cusp of a revolution in the world.

Since WW2 the USA has been the dominant world power. Now it looks like the BRICS nations are in the ascendancy and the USA is failing. The days of US hegemony are drawing to a close.

It would not surprise me if the US dollar ceases to be the world's reserve currency. At one time Britain ruled the world. That went long ago. Nothing lasts for ever.

Sunspots - Saturday 19th

2026-09-19T06:49:19.075+01:00

Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2. This is the first time the SSN has been 0 for many years I think.

10m 200mW WSPR

2026-09-18T10:13:31.929+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0850z.

UPDATE 1600z: Just spots from the Canary Islands, presumably F2.

6m 1W FT8 (Friday)

2026-09-18T10:10:48.592+01:00

My gear was turned on at about 0850z.

UPDATE 0945z: Just G3XDV (45km) and M1ABK (70km) spotting me. With Es largely now gone, it reminds me that 6m FT8 could be quite an effective mode for inter-G communications. My 6m ERP is probably less than 1W. With higher power and a beam much better results should be possible. Many years ago the RSGB ran evening 10m activity contests to encourage 10m activity in the quiet solar years. It is far easier to get higher ERPs with a beam on 6m. On 10m with just 10W SSB and a dipole I could regularly work stations well over 100km away. With, say, 50W on 6m FT8 to a Moxon beam this should be easy.

UPDATE 1604z: 5 stations have spotted me (mainly England) including 1 in Eire.

President Trump

2026-09-18T09:33:12.349+01:00

You have to make up your own mind about President Trump.

I have searched for videos about him. As someone pointed out to me, you have to beware of YouTube algorithms that show you negative videos.

Mind you, despite trying very hard I have found very few positive ones.

Game changer?

2026-09-18T09:20:23.748+01:00

The form factor and price of the recently announced Xiegu G7250 transceiver could be a game changer. Its price is likely to be under £1000 in the UK.

As always, there are concerns about bugs with the initial releases from China. There were some I understand on the G90. Over time, the Chinese will get there and undercut the Japanese.

Objectives today

2026-09-18T09:06:06.701+01:00

As mentioned yesterday, I have had a very little used RSP1B SDR receiver for some time.

Today, I want to install free SDRconnect software and start using the receiver seriously.

See https://sdrplay.com/

UPDATE 0905z: SDRconnect installed.

UPDATE 1731z: Steep learning curve! I am trying to get to know how to use it.

Fossils

2026-09-18T08:36:12.114+01:00

We go into the Grand Arcade in Cambridge most weeks. We have probably been doing this for about 15 years. Like many, we never looked down. When we did, it was a surprise to see so many fossils! Most floor tiles have fossils in them.

HamSphere - free year

2026-09-18T07:38:30.794+01:00

Don’t ask me why, but I have been granted a free one year pass to HamSphere. I guess this will encourage me to try it in the next year. It is 20 years old next year. 20 years is quite a time.

As you know, I prefer experimenting but I think it’s fine for chatting.

All this brings into question exactly what is amateur radio? For some it is DXCC, others chatting, others ATV, others satellites etc. All we can say is it is very different things to different people

Sunspots - Friday September 18th

2026-09-18T06:38:50.426+01:00

Solar flux is 97 and the SSN 11. A=9 and K=1.

SDRconnect

2026-09-17T16:10:43.338+01:00

I have had an RSP SDR receiver for a long time . Apart from a brief test, it has hardly been used. Over the next few months I want to experiment with it with SDRconnect software that I have to download and install.

10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

2026-09-17T10:25:59.245+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0926z.

UPDATE 1310z: No spots.

Global crash coming?

2026-09-17T10:23:59.110+01:00

The UK Times newspaper, is pretty good and fairly neutral politically. As I always recommend, it is best to get news from several trusted sources so you see all points of view.

Also AI is so common now that you cannot even be sure if the person saying the words is real! Often AI creations have people saying things they never would!

The Joe Blogs videos are (I think) real and thought provoking.

6m 1W FT8 (Thursday)

2026-09-17T10:13:11.904+01:00

Very shortly, I shall be on 6m 1W FT8.

UPDATE 1312z: Just 2 English stations spotting me.

Sunspots - Thursday September 17th

2026-09-17T06:52:05.665+01:00

Solar flux is 97 and the SSN 23. A=12 and K=1..

10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)

2026-09-16T10:50:56.840+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0900z.

UPDATE 1517z: Spots from the Canary Islands and Italy.