More on the IC7300

See http://yo9irf.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/icom-ic-7300-review.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

YO9IRF takes a look at the IC7300. MLS is offering this for sale but at a price over £1000, which may interest "early adopters", but is much higher than most are prepared to pay, I believe. Expect the price to drop soon. Even with  the dollar and yen exchange rates, I think a much lower price should be expected and demanded.

£799 would seem a fair price to me. Don't forget that early radios are often riddled with bugs that later get sorted. This is the first time the transceiver will have been mass produced so it is quite likely this will occur, although not inevitable. Personally, I can wait.

I found this via Amateur Radio Weekly at AmateurRadio.com. Always a good source of data.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues March 22nd 2016

Solar flux 89 today. Sunspot number is 25 (K=2) and the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" today. Yesterday, with similar conditions, my 2W 10m WSPR was spotted many times in Brazil and Israel. There was also some short-skip in the early morning on 10m.

UPDATE 1035z:  No spots on 10m WSPR here as yet.

That balloon again!

The Bristol balloon is now over North Africa, having been all around the globe.

See http://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=0&qm=All&f=UBSEDS14&q=UBSEDS14

Frog (or is it a toad?) - NOT amateur radio

For the first time since last summer we saw this fellow in the garden. I think it is a frog rather than a toad, but I am no expert. Last year we saw these most times we were in the garden. This one was about 10cm long, maybe less. We have no ponds in the garden so I don't know where it comes from.

Hambay - free ads to sell amateur gear

Southgate News reports there is a new site (from April 2016) with free ads to sell amateur gear. It is linked here in good faith. Not having ever used this site caveat emptor, buyer beware.

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

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

After early losses, the UK share index has climbed a bit and is in positive territory (just) as I write this.

Early Es on 10m?

Barely 15 minutes on 10m WSPR and I am exchanging strong WSPR spots with DK1MAX (891km). Is this short-skip Es? Nothing else yet copied and this was a total surprise. I was not expecting spots until much later.

UPDATE 0934z: Now spotting OE6PWD (1232km) on 10m WSPR. Surely this is Es. Perhaps I should try 6mWSPR today?

UPDATE 0954z:  4X1RF (3519km) is now spotting my 2W 10m WSPR. This is early and promising. I suppose this could be double hop Es, although single hop F2 is more probable, I think. HA9EL (1455km) has exchanged 10m WSPR spots and this could mean there is a chance of multi-hop Es.

UPDATE 1334z:  4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 2W 10m WSPR no less than 10 times so far today.

UPDATE 1832z:  Several late spots from Brazil on 10m WSPR.

Pasties - NOT amateur radio

We bought some meat from Waitrose on a "3 for £10" deal, which was good meat at very good prices. As there is some beef left over from the stew at lunch yesterday, the plan is to make some homemade pasties for lunch.  My wife will do the pastry and I'll do the rest. I love pasties!

The pasty is famous in Cornwall. At one time it was a favorite with tin miners with savories at one end and jam at the other - a complete meal in your hand. Some of the best pasties in the world are made by Ivor Dewdney in Plymouth.

See  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty .

The image below is NOT on this site and will be removed if linking it is a problem.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Cornish_pasty.jpeg/1024px-Cornish_pasty.jpeg

Sunspots and 10m - Mon March 21st 2016

Solar flux is 88 today. Sunspot number is 25 (K=2) and 10m propagation is, yet again, forecast to be "poor".

I QSYed from MF to 10m WSPR at 0915z. No overnight surprises on 472kHz.

Back on 472kHz WSPR

At about 1925z I QSYed from 10m down to 630m (472kHz) WSPR. I shall be on 472kHz WSPR for the evening and night with 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I am on RX 80% of the time.

UPDATE 1940z:  I see that G0LRD (25km) spotted me strongly on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE  2200z:  It helps to have the "upload spots" box ticked!  I was wondering why WSPRnet had others spotting me but I was, apparently, not spotting anyone. Then the penny dropped. Doh.