Granddaughter at our local museum - NOT amateur radio

Our local museum and windmill is right next door. The photo shows one of our granddaughters yesterday. She still loves going. 

8m experiment (Friday)

Today was my best day yet on 8m with several Es spots. 

So far this year, the Es season has been poor here. All being well I shall be on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX later. I usually TX in the first period.

UPDATE 2105z: 6 stations have spotted my QRP today on 8m FT8 by Es. I have spotted stations in Eire, Slovenia and Croatia here. The station in Spain spotted me very strongly. EA8BFK (2881km) is my first report from outside Europe. I think this was double hop Es.

Corfu chilling - NOT amateur radio

Certainly the people in Corfu know how to chill. The photo shows some enjoying the warmth and cloudless skies. This is a café on the Liston. 

6m FT8 RX 4 years ago with the omni antenna

 

This was 2018 on 6m FT8 RX. 

Sunspots - Friday June 3rd 2022

 Solar flux is 101 and the SSN 59.  A=5 and K=1.

Flowers by the windmill - NOT amateur radio

If this has been on before, I make no apology as it is the queen's platinum jubilee and the colours seem right. They do look good. 

Our house from the windmill next door - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of our house from the windmill next door. 

Rally

 The following rally is meant to be on, but always check with the organisers first if travelling far.

Sunday June 5th - Spalding Radio Rally, Holbeach, PE12 7PR .   Contact Graham rally2022@sadrs.org.uk .

8m experiment (Thursday)

At the moment it is 1347z. I have been on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX for about 20 minutes. Spotted in Slovenia and Croatia so far, presumably by Es. Today looks more hopeful than recent days.

UPDATE 1615z:   4 stations in 3 countries have spotted me and I have spotted 5 stations in 3 countries on RX.

10m FT8

 At about 0735z, I turned on my 10m FT8 using the IC-705 at 5W. So far, 2 stations have spotted me after about 5 minutes by what looks like Es.

If the Es is promising, I shall try 8m FT8 on 40.680 later.

Plane app - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I mentioned my free plane tracking app. Here is a photo of it. 

I am very impressed. There are several versions with similar names. Mine is called Flightradar24. 

Sunspots - Thursday June 2nd 2022

 Solar flux is 104 and the SSN 59.  A=6 and K=1.

Mugs?

The latest MLS video is all about a flight tracking radar that starts at £599. I have a free app that tracks planes that cost me nothing at all. It would appear some people (obviously from the planet Zog) have money to burn. 

Now, how you spend money is your business and not mine, but I smell "profits" and "mugs".

10m QRP FT8 with the IC-705

As 8m FT8 was useless (no spots all morning), I have QSYed to 10m FT8. Immediately I spotted a station in Spain and I was spotted by a station in the Balearic Is. - EA6FA (1513km).

Family history - NOT amateur radio

Our granddaughter is doing some homework on family history. I can trace ours continuously back to the mid 1500s with 1 record in the 1400s. I shall have to dig these out!

Solar data updated

 My favourite site for solar data has been updated. It is worth checking it out.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

8m experiment (Wednesday)

It is now 0840z. For about 20 minutes, I have been on 8m FT8 QRP TX (first) on 40.680 MHz USB dial. No spots on RX or TX so far.

UPDATE 1103z: "p***ing in the wind" was the phrase my dad would have used in his colourful language! I have been on 8m TX for over two hours and I have not been spotted once. On RX, not a soul has been spotted. I am on FT8. I have never been closer to stopping my experiment.

Higher than expected solar peak?

At the moment, we are on target for a solar peak higher than we expected. 

This could cause higher disruption to telecoms infrastructure, but openings stronger on the higher HF bands and 6m. For radio amateurs, this could be good news.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 1st 2022

 Solar flux is 98 and the SSN 39.  A=9 and K=2.

2m FT8 QRP

As 10m seemed dire, I decided to go on 2m FT8 with 5W from the IC-705. Immediately, I was spotted by a couple of stations.

UPDATE 1605z:  Already my 5W to the big wheel omni antenna has been spotted by 9 stations including a couple in Northern Ireland. Who needs beams and high power?

UPDATE 1844z:  20 stations have spotted me so far. On 2m FT8 RX the furthermost spotted is DL2ART (499km).