10m FT8 RX

Yesterday was another good day on 10m FT8, but nothing spotted here today so far on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1048z: SQ9RHS (1323km) has been spotted strongly.

UPDATE 1644z: No further spots since the Polish station this morning. Disappointing.

UPDATE 2027z: I see that I spotted German and Danish stations today on 10m FT8, but these did not upload to PSK Reporter Maps. I must have lost internet connectivity in the shack.

Sunspots - Thursday December 28th 2017

Solar flux is number 71 today and the sunspot 11. A=7 and K=2.

Growing up fast - NOT amateur radio

Our elder grandson, growing up all too fast.

The picture was taken a few days ago over Christmas.

IC7300 circuit diagrams

MLS have the IC7300 circuit schematics for download. They also have a sale on.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/userfiles/file/IC-7300_Schematic_Diagram.pdf  .

Mince pie factory - NOT amateur radio

We now have our other 2 grandchildren staying. Here they are busy making mince pies in the kitchen with my wife. I can't wait to taste.

UPDATE 1314z: They tasted very good!

UPDATE 1545z: 26 made. All gone! More tomorrow.

10m FT8

It is very quiet here today compared with yesterday when lots of Europeans were spotted on 1om FT8. So far today nothing!

UPDATE 1515z:  5 unique stations in 4 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1645z: Now 12 uniques in 7 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 so far today. I suspect Es. FT8 certainly concentrates activity. It seems an ideal mode when conditions on 10m are on the slide. Certainly it is the mode to be spotted. Within, say, 2kHz a huge number of stations can be fitted. It works with relatively weak signals of short duration. 28.074MHz is the USB dial frequency for FT8. WSJT-X V1.8 is the software to us, and it is free.

UPDATE 2058z: LU1ECO (11448km) appeared (F2 I assume) this evening.

See https://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html .

Sunspots - Wednesday December 27th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number 14. A=11 and K=3.

Upcoming UK Rally

29 DECEMBER 2017 : YEOVIL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB TABLE TOP RALLY

Sparkford Village Hall, Church Road, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JN. There is free parking at the venue. Doors open 10am to 3pm and entrance is £3. light refreshments are available. Contact Bob on 01963 440 167 or by email to wjh069@gmail.com.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

70cm UKAC results

I appear to have gone up in the results! On 70cm I use a 2m halo, 5W and lossy coax and because my voice is so bad I usually stay on for only a short time. So 94th out of 170 in the AL section is fine, especially as I was not really trying that hard.

Busy period - NOT amateur radio

When you get older you love to see grandchildren, but you do get very tired. Our 4 are still little and on the go all the time. One lot has just left and the next lot are due very soon. Ho hum...