Another RadCom Article

Today, I was told that another of my articles is to appear in RadCom. I have no idea when this will be.  They are likely to change things quite a bit. It was on compromise antennas, especially for 472kHz.  Basically, it was to encourage others whatever they have: poor antennas still get out!

These days I write about things I can still do. Major projects are mostly beyond me, as I get tired quickly because of my stroke. Mostly I miss my VLF and optical experiments. These were fun.

Despite things, I still enjoy the hobby.

Ideas are brewing for another article!

Retail - NOT amateur radio

There is little doubt that the retail trade is changing. Recently we heard that Toys R Us and Maplin were in administration and today even John Lewis reported greatly reduced profits. People nowadays shop far more online and less in traditional shops. I have no idea where this will end.

365project - NOT amateur radio

Before now, I have mentioned that my wife and I each take a photo every day. Most of these are of interest to us as a kind of visual diary and most would not win prizes as great works of art! The photo is a snapshot of the photos I took in February.

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 .