Summer migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

The first sand martins have been reported as arriving in Devon. Usually swallows follow in early April. Spring is springing!

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sand-martin .

"Our" windmill next door - NOT amateur radio

This picture was taken earlier today. It shows the windmill next to our home in early spring.

The hedge in front is not yet in leaf. Another 4-8 weeks and things will be different.

Sunspots - Tuesday March 13th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number is zero. A=3 and K=2.

Importing direct from China

For obvious reasons I won't name him, but a friend has just imported an SDR rig (the same one MLS wanted to charge £550 for) for just over £300 delivered in a matter of days. At this price, you can even afford to buy a second unit at less cost than the new FT818, and the spec is much better. The only thing that worries me is the guarantee.

In the coming years the Japanese will struggle.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden - NOT amateur radio

A few posts back I mentioned our visit to the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. At the moment it is a good place to see spring flowers. They have a nice café there too. Tips: there is free water just beyond the serving hatch and the Trumpington Park and Ride bus stops right outside.

See http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Home.aspx  .

Birthday cake - NOT amateur radio

My younger grandson was 9 years old a few weeks ago. Yesterday he had his party.

He is mad on owls, so why not an owl cake?

OFCOM spectrum auction

As I have said many times, bleating about auctions beats real work any time. Well done OFCOM. Money talks and nothing else, it would allegedly seem, matters.

Perhaps I should have offered £5 for the spectrum. Oh, silly me, they are after a few billions!

It is high time they brought back the GPO and did away with this toothless quango. Personal view - in a democracy others are free to hold different views.

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/69E34BCB22A8F2B02540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

2m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast (after a very brief TX session during which I was copied by a couple of distant Gs) I have been monitoring 2m FT8 RX on 144.174MHz. So far today, 23 unique stations in 4 countries, mostly via aircraft scatter I assume. Best DX currently is F6APE (552km).

UPDATE 1246z: Now 29 uniques in 4 countries spotted today on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1411z: Now 34 uniques in 5 countries.

UPDATE 1412z: I have created a new webpage on my main site at https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2m-ft8

UPDATE 1750z: 55 uniques in 9 countries today on 2m FT8 RX. Quite remarkable!

Sunspots - Monday March 12th 2018

Solar flux is 68. Sunspot number is zero. A=6 and K=0.

472kHz WSPR RX

For a while now, I have been on 472kHz WSPR RX.  Best DX is LA2XPA (1310km) with 10 unique stations spotted so far.

UPDATE 2220z:   Now 11 uniques.