144MHz January UKAC

Stations worked tonight with 5W and big-wheel omni antenna

This evening was the first leg of the UKAC 144MHz RSGB activity contest.  In the limited time on-air I made 7 QSOs with 5W SSB and the big-wheel horizontal omni antenna. I was only on for just over 1 hour because of my poor voice. Several of the usual locals were absent tonight, so no JO02 stations worked. Best DX was G0VVE who was on the far side of London at 123km. Heard, but not worked, were F stations in IO10 and IN99 squares. Several Gs in the north were also heard. A lot more stations would have been worked had I stopped around longer.

More on the IC7300

There is a little more on this new ICOM radio on the MLS website. Deliveries are expected "in early 2016" with a UK (initial?) price of "under £1000". I shall wait.

See www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-main-equipment-base-station-radio-icom-base-station-radio/icom/icom-ic-7300-hf-50-70mhz-transceiver-deposit-pd-6016.php

Tax return online. Is there a calculation error? - NOT amateur radio

I have just completed my UK tax return online, but I think there is an error with the calculation algorithm when working out interest on bank and building society accounts. I need to double check but I am pretty sure I am being over-charged. If I am right then millions may be owed to people. As I said, I need to check, but I shall certainly write if I am correct. Also, yet again, I got caught by the stupid part asking if you have any other comments to make. It said I had 1 error but would not tell me where the error was. Whoever designed the form needs the sack or re-educating. Surely in this day and age we can expect a free-form form that you can just write in? Surely this is not too much to ask?

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Jan 5th 2016

Solar flux is 95 today and sunspot number 60 (K=2) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor". As yet, I am not active on any band. I expect to be on 10m WSPR later, although we are out later so JT65 and JT9-1 may have to wait until Wednesday. I may be on 630m WSPR later.

Christmas over - NOT amateur radio

The "official" end of Christmas is January 6th, but with all the grandchildren gone home we decided to take down the tree, cards and decorations today.  For a few days the house looks bare.

JT65 and JT9-1 on hold

As it took much longer than I expected to (nearly) complete my tax return, it will now be tomorrow that I will get on JT65 and JT9-1. Apparently I owe the Inland Revenue much more than I thought.  I am sure I must have made a mistake. My XYL says look at the form again tomorrow when my head is clearer. She is dead right.

A night away - NOT amateur radio

This last weekend we drove up to Barnsley, Yorkshire, staying one night away, to help one of the relatives of Lis (bottom LHS of photo) celebrate her 30th wedding anniversary.  It was my furthermost drive since my stroke. The weather driving back was appalling. I now think I should be able to drive to Devon in May with a stop with friends on the way there and back. I miss Devon.  The get-together was a good chance for Lis to see relatives she has not seen for many years and to revisit old haunts.

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

So the FTSE 100 share index has opened the year well down and is currently some 2.62% down on the day. I wonder where it will be in Jan 2017?

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Jan 4th 2016

Solar flux is 102 and the sunspot number is 52 (K=0). 10m propagation is again forecast to be "poor" today.

UPDATE 1338z:  10m WSPR has been dead here with no a single spot all day, so far.  At the moment I am just active on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1846z:  No 10m WSPR spots of my signal all day.

JT65 and JT9-1

Tomorrow, all being well, I shall make a start on 2-way QRP QSOs in 2016 using these digital modes with WSJT-X V1.6.  Probably I'll start on 20m.  Up to now we seem to have been busy with grandchildren over the holidays, or away. Apart from doing my tax return online (a job I love not one bit - the hardest thing is finding all the documents), I think we have a fairly free week.