2m FT8 RX

Again, I am monitoring 144.174MHz FT8. Already this morning 10 uniques in 5 countries with best DX EI3KD (583km) in the Munster area of southern Eire. The time is 1010z.

UPDATE 1321z: 25 uniques in 6 countries spotted so far today on 2m FT8. Best DX is still EI3KD.

UPDATE 1402z: Now 27 uniques in 6 countries so far today on 2m FT8. Best DX now is DK2DTF (644km).

UPDATE 1726z: Now 37 uniques in 7 countries today on 2m FT8.

Lower power for Sweden?

According to Southgate News the Swedish regulator is proposing to drop the maximum power on the "free for life" amateur licences to 200 watts. As a confirmed QRPer this is still a really high power! If they cannot work the world with this perhaps they should use the internet instead?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/swedish-regulator-proposes-ham-radio-power-reduction.htm#.WqEHI0x2vIU .

Sunspots - Thursday March 8th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero still. A=4 and K=2.

Antarctica on 630m WSPR

This from Stefan DK7FC this evening:

"Hi MF,

Since a few weeks the German Antarctic research station Neumayer III  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neumayer-Station_III) is running a Red Pitaya on a wideband RX antenna to receive/decode/upload WSPR reports on up to 8 bands simultaneously. You may have noticed them already on the WSPR map on other bands. I saw regular spots on 160m from DL statations and other countries in EU.

They seem to have quite a good satellite internet connection. So uploading WSPR spots is no problem. They also run an up to date webcam showing an image for example here:
https://www.qrz.com/db/dp0gvn

One of the maintainers of the radio station there is Felix / DL5XL. I know him personally and, taking the idea of EA5DOM, i contacted him and asked if they want to try to receive on 630m as well. Yesterday i got an answer.

DP0GVN in IB59UH will receive WSPR(2) on 630m daily between 4...7 UTC now.

I asked them if they can extend the time to 20...07 UTC. Let's see.

So turn on your PAs and make a first contact from your continent to Antarctica on 630m! And spread the message into other reflectors, VK could be in a favorite position.

73, Stefan"

More OFCOM news

More news from OFCOM.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/252BF072EDA728062540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Mistletoe - NOT amateur radio

This is a spot in Cambridge that I have walked past perhaps several hundred times, but until yesterday I'd never noticed this huge mistletoe high up in this tree. As I walked past today, I took this photo. I guess in the summer the leaves would hide it.

TESS Satellite - NOT amateur radio

Southgate News has a link to the NASA site about TESS, a satellite that is due to launch in April. The satellite will help in the search for planets orbiting distant stars outside our solar system, so called exoplanets.

See https://www.nasa.gov/tess-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite .

2m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast, I have been on 2m FT8 RX (with a very brief TX period early on calling CQ when I was copied by G1IDZ (184km)). So far, 1 Dutch and 2 UK stations spotted.

UPDATE 1404z: 25 uniques is 5 countries so far.

UPDATE 1708z: 29 uniques in 8 countries now on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1920z: Now 33 uniques in 9 countries in last 12 hours.

UPDATE 1942z: 35 uniques in 9 countries.

Sunspots - Wednesday March 7th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number zero. A=4 and K=0.

President Trump and trade wars - NOT amateur radio

Whilst I understand President Trump's wish to have the USA not disadvantaged by trading nations, he has gone about things in a very odd way that almost invites others to retaliate. In an interconnected world such barriers to trade are very unlikely to work.

One thinks of King Canute.