MQ0BGR QSL Cards

The prefered QSL route for MQ0BGR is via eQSL, so please use that if possible. I have tried to activate the log book on qrz.com, but as their software does not currently support callsign variants I can't use this route. I am sorry, I do not use LoTW.

If you really want a paper QSL card then do let me know as these will only be sent on request. Don't forget, you can either print cards yourself from eQSL or order paper cards from them which will be sent to you by post.

QSL cards for any data mode QSOs will be sent via eQSL immediately and automatically at the end of the QSO. I am a bit behind with the 'cards' for other modes, but will catch up soon.

MQ0BGR ends on 10th June, so I hope to work you before then.

73

Dave 

I was on the air again last night as MQ0BGR on 30m CW. Nice run of European stations, not a pile up but kept me busy for a while. Then propagation took a turn for the worse, with signals weakening, noise increasing and QSB (fading) making life difficult. Apologies to those stations I could not work, particularly I1ULJ who vanished into the QSB. I did copy enough to put you in the log, but I hate not being able to complete a contact.

After closing on CW I left my station running on 30m WSPR (http://wsprnet.org/ ) - propagation overnight was very poor indeed, with very few stations heard.  I checked to solar web sites this morning and I see there was a major disturbance on the sun yesterday from sunspot 1476, which may have upset propagation last night.

MQ0BGR is Now Active

My Special Event call sign, MQ0BGR is now active. I was on the air last night  straight after the new call sign came into effect. My first QSO was with OG2O (thanks Eikka) on CW. The most interesting QSO was with EA5HWP on 20m CW this morning. Luis was running only 700 mW QRP and we managed to exchange a lot more than just RST which makes QSOs like this very satisfying, so thanks Luis.

Interest in the special call sign was not as high as I expected and I had to call 'CQ' quite a lot to get a response.  I was only spotted once, by RM8W (thanks Andrey).

The solar conditions today remained grim, with an SFI only 107, so I worked mostly 30m, with occasional trips to 40m and 20m on CW or PSK. If conditions improve, then I will try the higher bands and might even be tempted to use SSB.

All QSOs to the end of today (5 May) are now on eQSL.

And, if you were wondering, here is a picture of my shack!

73

Dave MQ0BGR

Mo0BGR - Special Callsign for Olympics

Special call signs seem to be a lot like London buses (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2605.aspx)  - none for ages, then two come along at once.

I now have my licence variation for MO0BGR (Mike Oscar Zero Bravo Golf Romeo), which is valid from 21 July to  9 September 2012. This comes straight after MQ0BGR, from 5 May to 10 June 2012.

I understand that many stations will want to work these special event call signs but I am not sure if I will get on the air much with MO0BGR. The reasons are that I will also be operating the Cray Valley Radio Society special event station, 2O12L ( 2 Oscar 12 Lima http://www.2o12l.com/ ), this is peak holiday season so I may be away and it comes straight after MQ0BGR. If I do get on the air with MO0BGR, this will mostly be on PSK-31 and CW (Morse) QRP.

For CW (Morse), I operate at 20 words per minute , so don't call faster than this. If your CW is not yet up to 20 wpm, just send "QRS" and I will be very happy to slow down to your speed.

Again, most QSLs for MO0BGR will be via eQSL; paper cards will only be sent on request.

Dave M0BGR
http://www.howardcommunications.ltd.uk

MQ0BGR Special Callsign

I now have approval from OFCOM to use a special call sign MQ0BGR from 5 May to 10 June. This 'Q' addition is to mark the Queen's Jubilee celebrations this year.

I expect to be active mostly on CW and PSK-31. QSL will only be electronic, via eQSL Last time we had a special call, MR0BGR,  I went to a lot of time and trouble to send out paper QSL cards, and to date I have not received a single paper card back! eQSL, on the other hand, has a return rate of nearly 70%.

If you REALLY must have a paper card, then let me know and I will send one to you when I get your card.

73

Dave

DAB Radio - Switching off FM and AM.

I have responded to OFCOM's consultation on the UK Government's Digital Radio Action Plan. (DRAP) - see the 12th July blog entry here.

Sony S55 FM/DAB Radio

Essentially, the Government wants to switch off FM radio, so they can sell the spectrum. The planning document makes it very clear that DAB radio will never cover as well as FM and millions of people will loose radio services they currently enjoy. For example, if you get Classic FM now on FM, but you are 'not supposed to' (whatever that means), then you may not get it on DAB after switch over.

Another example: if you get stations on FM radio from an adjacent area (for example Radio Kent in SE London) you will loose that. This is important if you are a commuter and want to know what's happening in the area you are travelling in to as well as your own area.

The OFCOM DAB radio consultation closes on 14th September 2011 so, if you care about your broadcast radio service, download the form now and send it back to OFCOM. http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/

Dave

2011 IOTA Contest - QRP Expedition to Isle of Wight (EU-120)

For this year’s RSGB IOTA contest (islands on the air), I decided to try a lightweight backpack DXpedition to the Isle of Wight (IOTA Ref: EU-120). (http://www.isle-of-wight.world-guides.com/isle_of_wight_maps.html)

Isle of Wight IOTA Ref: EU-120

I travelled by Southwest Trains to Portsmouth Harbour then by Wightlink ferry to Fishbourne. It was then about a 30 minute hike to my (Secret) operating spot. I did not have time to go to the island beforehand to check this place out so I had a couple of backup locations that fortunately I did not need.

M0BGR/P on Isle of Wight

The set up was my Yaesu FT-817 with a 7AH lead-acid battery pack. The antenna was a aged fibre glass pole with the dipoles I had built earlier (See April 20^th 2011 Posting). I arrived at site about an hour before contest start and proceeded to set up. Now, I knew the pole was past its best and had a few cracks around some of the joints so I was very careful, but as I was raising the pole, the antenna caught on a bush and the pole snapped about 2/3 the way up. ‘Oh, what a nuisance’ I said (or words to that effect). I had some insulating tape so with that, and some twigs as a splints, fixed the pole; not pretty but OK for the IOTA contest.

(By the way, be VERY careful with broke fibre glass poles. A couple of years ago I go a splinter I my hand and they are very painful and impossible to remove. I had to visit the hospital who also insisted on administering a Tetanus jab that was more painful than the splinter!).

The SFI index on the day of the IOTA contest was well over 100. The earth bound CME had not materialised and I was operating only in the afternoon so I decided to bet the farm on 15m. Bad idea! Conditions were very poor and I struggled to make 30 QSOs (though these did include Asiatic Russia and USA mid-west). 20m sounded very active but I thought a QRP (low power) station like mine would never be heard and the broken pole made me reluctant to change bands. However by my last half hour (1700 UTC/ Sat), I decided I had nothing to loose so (carefully!) changed antennas to 20m.  I had no difficulty being heard and my run-rate immediate shot up to a respectable level, both on CW and SSB. This may have been because I was the ‘new kid on the block’ and with a rarer EU-120 locator may have helped. The other stations on EU-120 did not seem to be around on 20m as several stations thanked me for the multiplier.

It was tempting to stay a bit longer, but at 1730UTC I had to pack up to get the WightLink ferry and train to back home without getting stranded. On the walk back I called CQ a few times on 4m with my Wouxun KG-699E, but did not work anyone. Is anyone active on 4m on the Isle of Wight?

Lessons for the day:

·         Don’t take equipment I know to be faulty, it will fail under field operational conditions.

·         If my game plan isn’t working, change it. I should have switched to 20m as soon as it became clear conditions were poor on 15m

·         Has anyone ever worked out the average speed of South West Trains? It took 2 hours from Portsmouth to London (no refreshment facilities) and at that rate, I think Stephenson’s Rocket could have given us a run for our money.

73 Dave.
ps - when I submitted my log, there was only one other station listed as a QRP-Expedition - where are all the back packers?