Sunspots - Saturday March 10th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero. A=12 and K=4.

MLS "something for the weekend" deals

Every weekend, MLS offers discounts. If you are intent on buying one of the items listed, it is worth checking these deals.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/ .

Useful Website

Steve, G1KQH has sent me a link, which has a lot of useful links.

See http://www.solorb.com/elect/

Pacific FT8 drone

Southgate News has a piece on a drone slowly floating from Hawaii to California. There is a KX3 on board with FT8 capabilities.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/march/pacific-ham-radio-drone-kh6jf-mm-using-ft8.htm#.WqKwz0x2tMs .

2m FT8 RX

This never fails to amaze me. Today again lots of stations spotted with best DX DF5VAE (902km) not far from the Polish border.

The map shows the stations spotted on 2m FT8 in just the last 12 hours. Quite amazing seeing I am just using an FT817 with a big-wheel horizontal omni antenna. The big-wheel is about 4m above ground at the rear of the bungalow. It is just visible above the front door in the picture. It just clears the roof. The V2000 is above the garage. This is fed with cheap CB RG58 coax. The big-wheel had decent coax.

UPDATE 1715z: Now 41 uniques in 8 countries spotted on 2m FT8 today since breakfast. I suspect most of the DX is by aircraft reflection. As experiments earlier in the week showed, using the V2000 vertical gave much the same results, so this is definitely not tropo.

UPDATE 2152z: I am still monitoring 2m FT8 this evening. Even in the last hour, I have spotted 12 unique stations with best DX DL1DBR (546km).

More OFCOM

Apparently they are taking steps to improve mobile coverage and steps towards 5G. I guess writing this crap beats real work, especially if you have a domestic science qualification and know nothing about RF allegedly.

See http://ofcom.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/i/634274CBE08C0A5B2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

For several weeks the Cambridge University Botanic Garden has hosted an orchid festival in its hot houses. We went last year and this. The display was splendid.

We have had some success in growing these at home. The secret is just a thimble full of water a week.

Rally

11 MARCH 2018 : DOVER RADIO CLUB RALLY

Whitfield Village Hall, Sandwich Road, Manley Close, Whitfield, Nr Dover CT163LY. Talk in, catering, trade stands. Doors open from 10am, entry £2. Auction starts at 12.30pm. Aaron Coote, 2E0FQR, 0771 465 4267 or aaroncoote@hotmail.co.uk. www.darc.org.uk.

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

Degrading solar conditions - Friday March 9th 2018

Solar flux is 66, which is the lowest it has been in years. Sunspot number is zero. A=4 and K=3.

Sexism - NOT amateur radio

Times have changed. When I started work lots of people smoked and it was the norm. Women got wolf-whistled at. Looking back, this was disrespectful. Women have every right to be treated as equals. Paying women less than men for the same job is wrong.

However, in some ways we have, perhaps, swung too far. Now, it seems, adverts and the TV have to have a token ethnic minority, gay, black or handicapped actor to be "fair". It is a bit like work, where in my latter years people were (re)discovering ideas that we had 40 years ago. To be honest, it was boring and I had had enough.

Personally I think everyone deserves respect and the right to just be themselves, but we have to be careful not to lose sight of reality. These days it is all too easy to turn to litigation when what is needed is a bit of common sense.

As they say, "what goes around comes around". Let's treat all minorities fairly, but keep an eye on reality.