Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

8m FT8 RX (Sunday)

2026-05-24T15:44:33.518+01:00

As Es seemed good on 10m and 6m, I thought I'd try 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1442z: So far, EA3GCV (1231km) spotted using the well off tune V2000 vertical.

UPDATE 1513z: 3 stations in Spain and 1 in Sardinia spotted.

UPDATE 2130z: 18 stations spotted in 4 countries.

PC fixed

2026-05-24T15:40:03.113+01:00

My shack PC was not TXing. Following several suggestions (thank you) I reset the TX USB auiod to default and that seems to have fixed it. As far as I could see the output and sound mixer settings were correct beforehand! Anyway, it is now working again.

I went briefly on 6m TX and was widely copied in Europe and the Canary Isles with 5W.

QRP operation

2026-05-24T14:49:28.998+01:00

How we enjoy amateur radio varies from person to person.

We are all different, so how we enjoy the hobby varies greatly. This is healthy. It would be a sad world if we all liked the same things!

I quite enjoy QRP (low power) and like finding out how far really low power goes.

As an example, today one station was giving my 200mW WSPR beacon a report of -3dB S/N suggesting the even microwatts might have been enough.

I have been a member of the GQRP club for very many years. Their quarterly SPRAT magazine (A5 colour) is usually packed with ideas for simple circuits. As I have said many times, if all other radio magazines had to go, SPRAT would be the one I would keep.

Back issues of SPRAT are available on a flash drive.

The RSGB has a page about QRP. See https://rsgb.org/main/technical/qrp-low-power-operating/

Exhaustion

2026-05-24T14:32:23.506+01:00

It must be a combination for several things, but most times doing anything I get exhausted. In the UK we are experiencing a heatwave (>30 deg C), I am getting old and I experienced a stroke some years ago. It is probably a combination of all three!

What seem to be best for me is short, sharp periods of activity followed by rest.

Things that were done quickly often wait until tomorrow. My PC does not TX FT8 for example. I could have looked yesterday or today. Instead, it has to wait until I gather energy. Maybe tomorrow?

Iran

2026-05-24T13:54:53.763+01:00

To me, it seems that the USA and Israel have come out far worse from their war with Iran than had they not started it. Few dispute that the regime there is bad, but I fail to see how this can be classed as a win for the USA/Israel. By most measures the outcome is worse than the 2015 agreement that President Trump did not agree with!

Dandelions

2026-05-24T12:03:23.073+01:00

Our lawns are a mass of dandelions. If they become dandelion clocks the seeds spread far and wide!

The lawns are regularly cut ... but the dandelions seem to grow the next day!

One of the pleasures of life. Lovely and free.

10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)

2026-05-24T11:59:33.593+01:00

My beacon has been on all morning.

UPDATE 1321z: 74 European spots of me, presumably by Es plus EA8BFK (2880km).

Sunspots - Sunday May 24th

2026-05-24T08:45:38.885+01:00

Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 86. A=3 and K=1.

Strait of Hormuz - what next?

2026-05-23T16:42:42.279+01:00

It seems certain that the world has suffered a shock by the closure of these straits controlling access to the Gulf though which 20% of the world's oil flowed, to say nothing of jet fuel, natural gas, diesel and fertilisers.

Oil products are limited. Even if we use them sensibly, they will be exhausted eventually.

To some extent the world will adapt, but I think it will take years and years, if ever, for the USA to come back as the beacon of liberty and democracy it once was. In my view, they have made a huge mistake on the world stage. They have made no new friends and, sadly, alienated many, who will not forget.

Solid state batteries

2026-05-23T15:34:02.932+01:00

Recently a battery manufacturer in Taiwan (ProLogium) opened its doors. They seem to have made breakthroughs in solid state batteries.

I am unsure about how this ties in with getting rid of rare earth materials like lithium. Must watch the video again! The ultimate would be a solid-state battery without using rare earth materials.

10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)

2026-05-23T09:26:44.551+01:00

My beacon was turned on at about 0815z . When I checked WSPRnet appeared not to be working? Which begs a question - is there a real alternative? In the past I have found PSKreporter poor for WSPR.

UPDATE 1529z: Spotted by 38 stations.

UPDATE 2106z: 69 stations have spotted me.

Sunspots - Saturday May 23rd

2026-05-23T06:08:29.117+01:00

Solar flux is 124 and the SSN 67. A=6 and K=1.

Cuba

2026-05-22T16:50:54.195+01:00

The USA 🇺🇸 is putting pressure on Cuba.

They made a mess in Iraq and Afghanistan and appear to be in a mess over Iran now.

They don’t exactly have a good record!

University days

2026-05-22T10:51:34.483+01:00

1967-70 I was an electronics student at Liverpool University. The photo from 1970 shows our year.

As I recall we had 109 students in our year with just one woman and I don't think she is even in the photo!

To think I had hair then 😄. I am on the left a few rows back. Perhaps you can spot me? Happy days.

By the way, I chose Liverpool as it had the best amateur radio society (G3OUL) at the time! I don't think it is there now?

When I was there Liverpool University had about 7000 students. It now has about 22000 .

10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)

2026-05-22T06:58:59.240+01:00

My beacon was on before breakfast.

UPDATE 1846z: 80 stations spotted me. Best Es day so far this season. Now QRT.

QRPguys digital transceiver

2026-05-22T06:37:36.092+01:00

Although I have no experience of these kits, apparently QRPGuys now make a true SSB version of their digital transceiver.

See https://qrpguys.com/qrpguys-digital-fsk-transceiver-iiia

Immigration

2026-05-22T06:37:26.617+01:00

There seems to be a scapegoating of migrants in the UK at present.

Like many countries the level of net immigration is actually falling despite what you might be led to believe.

Also, without immigration our population would be falling and many jobs would be unfilled .

We need some migration into the UK to sustain our society.

Earth-electrode antennas

2026-05-22T06:36:57.810+01:00

Many years ago I tried to compare my vertical Marconi vertical with my earth-electrode antenna in the groundi on 472kHz.I think these tests were mainly in 2012 and 2013.

My conclusion is that on the LF bands it is a very few S points down. If you have problems erecting a big antenna and extensive ground do not ignore this antenna as it is surprisingly good.

“These are my conclusions:

The earth-electrode antenna at 472kHz (2 earth rods in the soil 15-20m apart fed from the TX output) behaves like an H-field loop transmitting antenna.
It has directivity, with strongest signals in the line of the loop and weakest signals at right angles to it.
It works as an effective RX antenna too.
In my environment the loop looks like about 50-60 ohms resistive, so a good match to my transverter directly without matching.
The structure works because much of the return current flows deep within the soil and rock beneath the earth-electrode antenna. In my case Rik OR7T calculated that the loop area in the ground is effectively 290m sq with a radiation resistance of 0.017 ohm and a loss resistance of 66 ohms.This is a BIG loop!
Performance compared with my 9m high top loaded Marconi antenna averages only around 8dB down, not a bad figure at all, even with the connecting wire on the ground and not elevated at all.
Where no other antenna option is available, the earth-electrode antenna is well worth trying both on 472kHz and on 136kHz both for RX and TX. Although it works well here, your geology may be different and results not the same.

These last few days have been most interesting and, with the help of many people - listeners giving me WSPR reports, advice from others on the Internet forums, suggestions by email - I have been able to do some quite useful science. Thank you one and all“.

Sunspots- Friday May 22nd

2026-05-22T06:34:33.982+01:00

Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 76. A=7 and K=1.

No friends like old friends

2026-05-21T20:33:45.398+01:00

We first met in 1968 at university.

Here we are now all in our late 70s enjoying a meal together in Letchworth earlier today.

Trump and Iran

2026-05-21T09:54:32.592+01:00

Most days I take a look at the Trump Report. Recently President Trump visited China. I was left underwhelmed.

Although the USA claims victory in Iran, why are so many ships unwilling to transit the Strait of Hormuz?

10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

2026-05-21T09:45:31.908+01:00

My beacon has been on for hours.

UPDATE 1915z: Spotted by just 2 stations all day. If there was any Es at all, it was marginal.

Sutton Hoo

2026-05-21T09:42:24.513+01:00

We visited here yesterday. This is a famous ship burial from Anglo-Saxon times.

It is located near Woodbridge in Suffolk, UK.

It was excavated in 1939.

QRP fun

2026-05-21T06:34:42.259+01:00

To the uninitiated running QRP is like a masochistic activity!

Actually, it is surprising how little difference running low power makes. 100W down to 5W is only a couple of S points which most times would not be noticed.

With modes like FT8 and WSPR the world can be spanned with amazingly low power levels.

Sunspots - Thursday May 21st

2026-05-21T06:34:09.258+01:00

Solar flux is 114 and the SSN 67. A=8 and K=3.