Ickworth (National Trust) - NOT amateur radio

Lambs at Ickworth

As members of the National Trust, we are very lucky to have several properties with fine grounds nearby.  Today, as the sun was shining, we went to Ickworth not far from Bury St Edmunds. Although there were lots of lambs, the daffodils are still not out, in the main. A few are, but most are still in bud. All the NT places nearby are very different. We also made use of our free "tea for 2" voucher which came with a card.

Back on MF WSPR overnight

As it now after dark, I have gone QRT on 6m and 10m WSPR and QSYed to 630m (472kHz) until after breakfast tomorrow.  So far, the best DX on RX is LA1TN (1269km) and on TX (5mW ERP) G6AVK (78km).

On 6m and 10m WSPR

Local G4NUA (12km) was exchanging strong spots with me on 10m, so I decided to swap to my W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon (500mW) and use the FT817 to go on 6m WSPR at the same time (1W ERP vertical). The W5OLF beacon takes about 20 minutes to settle before I start getting reports.

UPDATE 1718z:  No reports, well not yet anyway, of my 500mW beacon on 10m WSPR. G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted several times on 6m WSPR.

10m and 6m Es

The sporadic-E (Es) season will soon be with us in the northern hemisphere. This usually peaks May to July, although there are openings less frequently outside these times. I shall probably return to 6m WSPR soon in the hope of catching some short-skip DX on the band. If I go on 6m, I shall return to the W5OLF beacon on 10m. This stand alone 500mW WSPR beacon runs 100% TX but randomises the TX frequency within the WSPR window. In previous summers I have been copied by 4X1RF (3519km) on 6m WSPR. Although the conventional wisdom is that this is multi-hop Es, I have my doubts. Es yes, probably, but some sort of chordal hop?

630m (472kHz) WSPR overnight

G0MRF (103km) was very strong and consistently spotted, but otherwise the same stations spotted and spotting me. With 5mW ERP I think it unlikely I'll be spotted by anyone else now this spring on 472kHz WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs March 17th 2016

Solar flux is 92 today. On average this is gradually decreasing. It is typically below 100 now. Sunspot number is 53 (K=5) and the 10m propagation forecast remains "poor". Although I have been on 10m WSPR since about 0700z, I am not really expecting great things, although I have frequently been proved very wrong on 10m.

UPDATE 0850z:  No 10m WSPR spots as yet today, although it is very early.

Amateur Radio Balloons

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/ubseds14_flying_across_pacific.htm .

Quite a few radio amateurs are "into" balloons. These often contain tracking systems so they can sometimes be recovered. Tracking the flights and constructing the lightweight electronics is a challenge. Southgate News reports on one such flight. Some of the distances covered are remarkable.

Ads from the past

AmateurRadio.com has an interesting post with old ads from 73 magazine back in the 1960s. As the post says, we have come a long way.

See http://www.amateurradio.com/50-years-ago-ads-73-magazine/#more-44841 .

Summer bird migrants returning - NOT amateur radio

The wheatears have started arriving back in Devon and soon it will be martins and swallows. The long winter will soon be behind us.

See http://www.devonbirds.org/news/bird_news/devon_bird_sightings .

The image below is not on this site but at the link below. It will be removed if a problem.
http://www.devonbirds.org/images/library/dbn/public/stoke_point_male_wheatear_10617_0.jpg.

Wheatear in Devon

Our hobby in 30 years?

Although I cannot speak for other countries, here in the UK ours is a hobby mainly of older people and mainly men.  When I was fitter, I gave several talks to local radio clubs in East Anglia and without exception it was mainly OAPs who came along. OK there were a few youngsters and women, but the vast majority were older men.

Amateurs and SWLs are a dying breed, unless we can attract young people into the hobby. I am 67 and will be dead within 30 years, probably a lot sooner. An aging population will not buy so many rigs, will not support magazines etc. Numbers will fall, activity will fall, interest will drain away.

In 20-30 years we will be very much in uncharted territory. What will our hobby be like in years to come?