Yesterday EI7GL reported on TEP signals being received between Namibia and Greece (31st March 2024), details here. A distance of 6530km. That certainly spiked my interest.
Last night, 1st April 2024 I checked DX Maps as I do regularly. It is reported there that 9H1TX worked on SSB V51WW at a distance of 6092km and also subsequently had another contact using Q65 digital mode. In between, SV8PEX also worked V51WW via Q65, 6522km. Maybe 1st April but not an April Fool’s joke.
I am sure we will hear more about this soon. It is likely the distances are near the limits for 2 metres, not so different from the 4 metres TEP distance limits, and the furthest north TEP is likely to reach for these bands.
As I mentioned, my Liner 2 started my interest in serious operation on the 2 metre band. The Liner 2 was of course SSB only. It did not take long for me to realise that this was my “calling” in amateur radio; it was what I wanted to do.
In 1978 I bought my Yaesu Musen FT221R. It was very expensive and cost over £400 if I remember correctly. I was fortunate in that I still lived with my parents at their home, and although I paid my keep, I did not have other overheads and therefore was able to afford it.
This new rig was a multimode with FM, CW and SSB. On the receive side the sensitivity was not great, but there was available a replacement “front end” available from muTek, a business owned by Chris Bartram G4DGU, which improved sensitivity and handling of adjacent strong signals. The FT221R had the advantage of simply slotting in a board, so the “mod” was very simple.
As sold the tuning dial was analogue only, but there was available an external digital frequency display YC221 which plugged into the back of the rig.
The new radio was very successful in working 144 MHz DX. After a while I graduated to running a 16 element Tonna and then 2 X 16 elements on my 40 feet tower. Those were the days! I had a very good VHF site in Billericay, so I had a lot of advantages, including by then a linear capable of 200 watts.
So, I worked a lot of DX. However I wanted to try meteor scatter, which was partly my incentive to pass the Morse test, which I did with the assistance of my Datong Morse tutor. Meteor scatter in those days was done by receiving 200 words a minute or 1000 letters per minute plus and slowing down to readable levels with a cassette tape recorder and suitable pot. Transmitting at this speed required an automatic keyer. Many of my friends built their own but I had a Datong keyboard keyer which did 1000 lpm just fine, and the FT221R managed to handle it well without any mods. A good system and I worked MS DX mostly down to Southern Europe, looking back at my old log now.
The old thing does work now but still needs some work. 10 watts on transmit, favourable report, receives OK on SSB and FM. It might do with a preamp, but weak beacons are audible.
Addendum: One thing I did not mention is that the rig just plugs into a mains power supply. So convenient! A separate PSU is not required though could be used with 13.8V DC if required.
I have a Liner 2, recently refurbished and it runs a nice 6-8 watts as it always did. It covers 144.100 MHz to 144.330 MHz. I bought it second-hand in 1977 as an ignorant recently licenced Class B, bored with 2 metre FM from half a dozen rocks (crystals) and one repeater. In a sense I had been mis-sold a basic 2 metres FM rig and an unsuitable horizontal yagi antenna
The very day I got the Liner 2, 22nd June 1977, I connected it to my J-Beam 5 over 5, the first two stations I worked were an SM and an OZ. It just happened there was a decent tropo opening, though I did not realise this. This started my then and now principal interest in VHF DX. Without that I might have been a different sort of radio amateur or given up. So thanks to my Liner 2, here I am. And of course the unsuitable yagi became just the right thing for 2 metres SSB.
The Belcom Liner 2 is a 24 channel SSB transceiver for 2 metres. It does not have a VFO but is VXO controlled (Variable-tuned Crystal Oscillators). Each channel can be tuned sufficiently with RIT so there is effectively full coverage between 144.100 and 144.330 MHz.
The rig is essentially a 27MHz CB transceiver with a form of transverter.
There have been a lot of very rude comments about the quality of signal output. Many people were keen to suggest distortion and splatter. I think mine is clean at current power output, though I will not be using an amplifier with it.
I missed most of the aurora on 5th November, which was apparently very good visually, though it was wet and overcast in my part of Essex when I looked out. That was a pity as it would certainly be something to write home about for a visual aurora to be seen in Essex. I did catch what I think was the later part of the radio aurora when it was fading. I am terribly rusty with my CW but thanks to Peter, MM0CEZ’s patience I managed to complete with him. Thanks, Peter.
Anyway here is my meagre haul, but I believe stations far as OK were worked on 2 metres by others.
2023-11-05 17:07 GM4FVM 144.270 SSB IO85wu Scotland Jim Edgar QTF North 2023-11-05 17:15 GM4GUF 144.312 SSB IO85eo Scotland Robert West QTF North 2023-11-05 18:17 MMØCEZ 144.060 CW IO75xu Scotland PETER MORAN
I am going to get my CW back up to speed and hope for another nice aurora or some decent tropo soon.
Kent Hills Park Training Centre with GB3HQ van and mast
I went to my third RSGB Convention, held on 14th and 15th October, from Friday 13th if you include the Welcome Dinner.
The outing started rather strangely on the 13th. I left home early from Essex as I thought I could take advantage of staying in Milton Keynes by combining it with a visit to the Moonraker shop at Woburn Sands. In 2019 I went to Bletchley Park first thing, well worth a visit, so I thought it would be useful to look round the shop. Of course, my Satnav had no difficulty in finding the Moonraker establishment way out in the country, but when I arrived, I had trouble finding the right door, and went in somebody else’s to start with. When I did find the right entrance to the shop, I could not find anybody in and no bell to ring for attention, so I spent about 15 minutes looking at their merchandise and then left. There was an antenna I would have asked about, but no matter.
As regards the venue, Kent Hills Park, the staff were very welcoming, and helped me with my holdall and suit to my Disability Access Room.
On Friday evening Martin Lynch were the hosts of the welcoming dinner. That was probably the best meal of the stay. The lunches were disappointing on both Saturday and Sunday. The meat balls had run out on Saturday so there was an alternative of vegetable chilli. On Sunday we were supposed to have a roast but I ended up with not very appetising breaded fish instead.
Enough of the food for now.
Outside space at Kent HillsGB3HQ in operation with Simone and Heather I think.
I enjoyed the presentations much more than I had anticipated from the programme / timetable. I had been concerned that there was no proper VHF stream. I thought local lad Oscar Wood 2E1HWE did well with his talk “Allstar – Working the world on your analogue radio”. This was something I knew nothing about. Then there was Tim Kirby, GW4VXE on “which digital radio is right for you?”, which has given me ideas. I did speak later to someone on the ICOM trade stand who said I should email ICOM UK to get started on D-Star, which I will, and as I have a Yaesu rig I will give Fusion a go too.
In the restaurant I had happened to share a table with Lyall Smith GM4XID and his lady, Cate. They encouraged me to go the afternoon presentation “Taking amateur radio into schools” which Lyall was sharing with Chris M0KPW and Simon G4WQG. I did attend and found it very interesting and encouraging that they were genuinely getting young people taking the first steps in our hobby and getting their licences. I particularly admire the work Lyall is doing at a school in Mallaig, such a beautiful part of Scotland. I think I will return to this in a later post.
That was all Saturday. We had the Gala Dinner that evening. I thought it was mostly very good. A couple of niggles but the starter salmon mousse was nice and the duck also. During the dinner I sat next to Helen who had recently started working for the RSGB, and she said I should see the YOTA Team talk on the visit to Hungary 2033. I did and it was encouraging again to see the lads’ enthusiasm.
Ian Evans GI0AZB and Dr Esther Harper GI0IZA presented “Summits on the Air” which was interesting and a lot of photos from Ireland, North and South.
The last presentation I attended was John Quarmby’s Talk on Aircraft Scatter. I have worked John, G3XDY so many times and it was fascinating to watch a very enlightening talk. I will give aircraft scatter a more serious go.
From my point of view the Convention was a success and I enjoyed it, though it was tough at times because of my physical limitation.
After such a long and barren period for tropo we were taken by surprise by the exceptional conditions on the weekend of 7th to 8th October coinciding with the 70 cm and microwave contests in the UK and Continental Europe.
I know that some contest stations worked Spain on 70cm and there were stories of Italians but that is hearsay. I was pleased to work the French stations down to mid/southern parts, the two HB9s, and also the French and German contacts on 23. Anyway, here are some picked out from my log.
2450 2023-10-07 11:50 F4CKV/P 144.304 SSB France JN16nl
2451 2023-10-07 15:36 F6KPL 432.201 SSB IN99io France Radio club c/o Mr Ala
Last Sunday morning my local radio club SEARS had a small gathering at Rayleigh Mill, just a couple of miles from my home QTH. I was not able to stay very long but there were some interesting contacts made including even by Echolink. All good fun and I enjoyed my sausage in a roll. The club has various days out, field days and visits to local events.
As a club I think we are very friendly people and I do recommend that anyone interested in amateur radio, whether licensed or not should come along to one of our meetings, which are monthly on the second Thursday at 7:30 pm. The venue is St. Michaels Church, St Michaels Road, Daws Heath, Benfleet SS7 2UW. No admission fee and I am sure that no one would be expected to pay to join until they are ready. We have interesting talks from visitors and members as well some operating evenings.
It seems the Sporadic E season is pretty much over, and it has been a fairly poor one, as even 50 MHz enthusiasts are saying. Anyway, here is my mostly 2 metres DX summary for June and July 2023.
Sporadic E
5.6.23 HA8AR KN06
LZ2LY KN13
HA3KZ JN97
13.6.23 LZ1ZP KN22
LZ2ZY KN13
15.6.23 I7CSB JN71
IK7RWE JN80
IK7JNM JN80
IK7BZY JN61
IK8HJC JN70
LZ1RDD KN12
E73O JN95
6.6.23 Re tropo, several OZs, JO45, JO46, JO44 and a German JO54 and the two on 7th.
7.6.23 SM7EYW JO65
DK5HQ JO53
On 70 cms OV3T JO46 was a huge signal 13.6.23 in the contest and worked him on SSB of course but had to go QRT so I don’t know what else was about. All seemed gone the following morning.
A bit more Sporadic E fun in the afternoon, 9th July.
All 2 metres SSB
IZ7FLS/6 JN62
IK7EOT JN80
IZ6ZER JN63
IZ7UMS JN81
IZ7DPB JN80
It all lasted about 40 minutes here from the first at 1608z. Others may well have worked more.
I am happy with what I worked but Sporadic E has been very sporadic this summer.
I definitely would not run 400 watts with this and an amplifier. Good on about 6 or 7 watts no matter what you have heard.
OFCOM has published its proposals for changes to the amateur radio licence. I thought I should share my thoughts, so here is my two penn’orth; link to the OFCOM page below.
So, should each licensee only be able to hold one callsign. I think yes, because switching would be confusing for other radio amateurs. Of course, maybe I am jealous as I am not allowed to own my old callsign G8LFJ as well as G4MCU.
I have no problem with greater supervised operating being permitted. I am all for encouraging more people to get involved and obtain their licences.
Concerning the proposal to use M8 and M9 for Intermediate licensees going forward this is a good idea. Callsigns starting 2 are confusing to foreign radio amateurs so are better not used and phased out.
“Do you agree with our proposals to change our policies on the use of RSLs?” Yes. In practice most radio amateurs would prefer to use RSLs where they can.
I do not oppose allowing the use of any suffix. I would prefer /P, /A, /M to be used though it is optional anyway at present.
I do not agree with the proposals to allow a change of callsigns. SK callsigns (deceased amateurs) should never be reissued except to family members or as special memorials to the deceased.
“Do you agree with our proposals on the limits to how many call signs can be held?” Yes!
What about the proposal to simplify special event call signs? Fine as far as I am concerned.
“Do you agree with our proposals to increase transmit power?” Yes and no. I said no in the consultation response, but as I noted therein, I think an increase in transmit power for Intermediate licensees (100w) and Foundation licensees (50w) is fine but 400w is quite enough for full licences and has been adequate for decades. Even some older amateurs of my vintage should not be trusted with 1KW when they cannot keep clean at 400w. With digital modes now available much lower transmit power is quite sufficient. We do not need 1KW to compete with some foreign stations.
I have no objection to changes in rules on remote control operation, beacons, gateways and repeaters.
Foundation Licence holders should be able to build their own equipment and access the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
Overall, I am pretty relaxed about the consultation proposals, as long as they do respect and not reissue SK callsigns except to family members who are licenced radio amateurs.
In the interest of being “greener”, this past week we have had solar panels installed on our roof, and a large battery unit downstairs together with an inverter. I had been concerned that there was a risk of RFI, particularly on 2 metres, my favourite band for weaker signal work, but it appears there is none so far. I have scoured the Web for a general consensus on possible problems, and I summarise what I have found, which gives me relative peace of mind.
Solar panels themselves do not typically cause significant noise interference for radio amateurs. However, some of the associated electronic equipment, such as inverters used to convert the DC power generated by solar panels into AC power for household use, can generate radio frequency interference (RFI). This interference can potentially affect radio communications and cause difficulties for radio amateurs.
The level of interference depends on various factors, including the quality of the solar equipment, the design of the installation, and the proximity of the radio equipment to the solar installation. In general, well-designed and properly installed solar systems should comply with electromagnetic interference (EMI) regulations and have adequate measures in place to mitigate RFI.
If you’re experiencing interference from a solar installation, it is recommended to contact the owner or installer of the solar panels to address the issue. They may be able to make adjustments to the system or add filters to reduce the interference. Additionally, radio amateurs can employ their own mitigation techniques, such as installing additional filters or shielding on their radio equipment, to minimize the impact of RFI.
Our inverter is in our house and directly below the mast with my yagis for 2 metres, 70 cms and 23 cms, and within no more than six metres from the 4 metre vertical.
No problems detected at G4MCU but should there be any I will keep you posted. So far, so good.
Amateur Radio News from Jon Stow, G4MCU 