2m SSB

Certainly here in the UK, 2m SSB is far less active than 30 years ago. Even FM can be quiet. Apart from contests and big lifts 2m can be very quiet. It was very different back then. I had (and still have) an MX2 2m SSB 200mW handheld. Back in its day it worked some impressive DX handheld.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/mx2 .

Beetles - NOT amateur radio

Saw these last night on a walk. At first I thought they were feeding or collecting nectar, but I think they were mating.

See http://www.uksafari.com/soldierbeetles.htm .
Apparently their nickname is "bonking beetles". 😉

Sunspots - Saturday July 8th 2017

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot number 25. A=5 and K=1.

There is a large sunspot growing. See http://spaceweather.com/ .

Home - NOT amateur radio

My family has been in this area for centuries. It s humbling to think my ancestors looked on much the same view in the reign of Henry VI in the 1400s.

Sunspots - Friday July 7th 2017

Solar flux is 80 today and the sunspot number 11. A=7 and K=1.

OFCOM

They have issued a statement about commercial multi-user gateways. Don't get too excited: it is not good for your heart!

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/A7E73F6AB9A1B7EB2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Thunder - QRT!

There is some thunder about, so I have gone QRT and disconnected everything.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#m=sat;r=0;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=;n=0;y=53.9231;x=-12.5879;z=5;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

Rallies this weekend

8 JULY 2017 : LAMFEST in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8HJ Doors open from 10am to 4.30pm and admission is £2. Tables are free. Contact Clair Marsh on 226 361 700.

8 JULY 2017 : STOCKPORT RADIO SOCIETY RALLY
Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6QS Doors open from 10am to 3pm. Admission is £2 and there will be catering on site. There will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. There will be a raffle held on the day. Contact: Heather Stanley, M6HNS on 07506 904 422 or by email to info@g8srs.co.uk

8/9 JULY 2017 : 2017 uWAVE ROUND TABLE
Finningley ARS, The Hurst Communications Centre, Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster DN8 5SX A 2 day event with presentations, demos, test lab, and buildathon of a nanowave optical transceiver. Updates are on www.g0ghk.com and www.facebook.com/g0ghk

And STILL they wait....zzzzz

In the USA the FCC has still not released 137 and 472kHz to radio amateurs!! Frankly this is almost unbelievable. The FCC seems so unbelievably S L O W. At this rate many potential users will be dead i.e. those over 30 years old before these bands are released.😟 

I suspect most at the FCC know absolutely nothing about radio. This is demonstrable by the time taken to make radio related decisions. Come on FCC - get a grip!!!

I am losing all faith in the USA. First you elect Donald, seen by many in the world as a bad joke, and your main radio regulator appears useless to many of us in the rest of the world.

See http://www.arrl.org/news/band-plan-proposed-for-eventual-472-479-khz-use .

Sunspots - Thursday July 6th 2017

Solar flux is 73 today and the sunspot number 11. A=3 and K=1.