630m WSPR TX (20%) - reports please

Having fixed my little transverter, I am back on 630m TX (and RX). All reports would be much appreciated as my ERP will be very low.

UPDATE 1942z: LA8AV (1035km) has been spotted 6 times so far, but no spots yet of my own QRPP signal, but I keep trying! Earlier, there was a strong station on 630m FT8. I presume this was G3KEV.

UPDATE 2115z: G4MEM (230km) in IO94 square was my first report on 630m TX this season. And this was on a very poor antenna and ground. ERP was low millliwatts - not yet accurately calculated. My work on the transverter worked!

70cm UKAC tonight

A reminder than being the second Tuesday of the month, tonight is the 70cm RSGB activity contest (UKAC). This runs from 1900z (8pm UK clock time) for 2.5 hours, although I manage far less!

Real 10m DX again

So far, there have been 10 South Americans and 2 South Africans on 10m FT8 RX spotted here. TEP I suspect as the sunspot number is zero.

Out with the soldering iron

Well, it was harder than it used to be and I got tired easily, but this morning I mended my 630m transverter using my soldering iron.  Assuming the mod worked, I'll try 630m TX this evening.

My antenna will have to be the coax up to my 2m big-wheel via an ATU and a mains earth as my brother managed to cut through my earth-electrode "antenna" when gardening earlier in the year! I could mend this later.

Optimism in the future of our hobby

Southgate News has a very positive video on the future of our hobby. This was a video made at a recent YOTA event.

The secret seems to be to embrace future technology.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/october/the-future-of-amateur-radio-video.htm#.WdyVOrpFzIU

OFCOM and Inmarsat

Today OFCOM announced it is granting Inmarsat a licence.

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/87725B5F14AB5C622540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

Many times I have mentioned that we live right next door to a 200 year old, fully restored, 4 sail windmill. This is an unusual shot taken looking up at the sails. The sails turn when the local museum is open.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 10th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=3 and K=0.

Any decent 10m conditions certainly won't be because of the "high" sunspot number, HI.

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

630m WSPR RX overnight

Probably my most successful night this autumn with several stations that are new this season. I ran the PC on battery power to reduce the noise floor to about S7. G0MRF, G0NBD and DK2DB are all new this autumn I think.