16 Nov 2017

10m FT8 - disappointing

Since breakfast I have been on 10m FT8 RX, but it has been disappointing with just one G spotted so far today. No Europeans, no "real" DX.

UPDATE 1434z: Now a couple of Gs spotted in the London area and nothing else today on 10m FT8. The latest is G4YBI (83km).

UPDATE 1612z: DL1PV (601km) spotted on 10m FT8. Aircraft?

UK Rally

18 NOVEMBER 2017 : RADARS TRADITIONAL RADIO RALLY
St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Rd, off Edenfield Rd (A680), Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR Doors open at 10.30am with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is £2.50 with those under 12 years free. There will be a Bring & Buy as well as commercial traders, a junk stall and amateur radio sellers. Traders can set up from 8am. Pitches must be booked at least 2 weeks beforehand with prices starting at £5. There will be refreshments available including bacon and sausage butties. Dave, G3RIK by email to rally@radars.me.uk www.radars.me.uk
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Black Friday - NOT amateur radio

I know retailers are having a hard time, but this recent import from the USA makes me want to vomit. It is purely about profits and how to encourage people to spend more. If you can, boycott it. 

In my view retailers have to adapt or go out of business. Online sales are a reality. Those that adapt will remain and those that do not will close. Maybe a good model is a mix of retail places and online? Models like John Lewis comes to mind. You often browse in the shop, but buy online then collect from a John Lewis or Waitrose store.

Like the commercialisation of Christmas, Easter and Halloween, I think Black Friday has no place in UK society. If you like this sort of thing in the USA, by all means keep it there. I for one hate it. It is retailing of the worse sort.

Leonids meteor shower

The Leonids meteor shower peaks this week. I think I'll look on 6m FT8 RX to see what I spot.

See http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower .

More DX on 630m WSPR

Last evening and overnight, I was again on 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%). Yet again LA2XPA (1310km) spotted me. Honestly, have a go with whatever you have. You will be surprised. I am sure an optimised antenna and ground system would be better, but even a totally bad system will work. You cannot get a more basic system than mine!

All change - NOT amateur radio

In the UK, the large retailer BHS has closed its doors. Many of the shops are now being occupied by other retailers. This one in the Grafton Centre, Cambridge, UK is undergoing extensive changes.

I have no idea who is coming here next. Boring to many, but a reminder to me of when these changes happened. Picture taken from a moving bus.

George GM3OXX - SK

It was saddening to read in the latest RadCom that George GM3OXX has died.

He was a stalwart of QRP and I have one of his QSL cards on my wall for a QRP contact on CW many years ago. This was either 80m or 40m. George made most of his equipment at home. Apparently he was also on the microwave bands.

Sadly, a lot of our old-timers are going to leave us in the coming years.

I think he died some time ago.

Sunspots - Thursday November 16th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number 14. A=11 and K=3. Sunspot number is slowly rising. I guess this is due to the sun's rotation. Long-term, solar conditions are sliding downwards.

15 Nov 2017

Rainy Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Most Tuesdays and Wednesdays I travel into Cambridge for my U3A courses. Today it was a typical showery November day. The photo shows Cambridge Market with the university church behind. There are few visitors.

I am studying "Weather and Climate" and "Samuel Pepys". We are lucky in Cambridge having so many things to choose from. Many on my Tuesday course are doctors, not of the medical sort! Usually the questions and discussions are interesting. It is nice to learn for fun too - no exams, no vivers.

The Pepys Library is in Cambridge along with the world expert. We visit this library in a couple of weeks.

See https://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/pepys .

10m FT8 RX

Although I have been on 10m FT8 RX from just before breakfast, nothing spotted as yet.

UPDATE 1440z: Today looks more promising with PP5JP (10026km) spotted at 1310z. This is the first South American spotted here on 10m for several days. Lots of EUs plus the Canary Is too on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1850z: No more South Americans on 10m FT8 today and I have now QSYed to 630m WSPR.