Sunspots - Wednesday April 11th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=20 and K=2.

10m FT8 RX

As well as a couple of stations in Rio (Brazil) I also spotted VP8LP, although these spots of the Falklands did not upload to PSKreporter.  It seems that 10m regularly opens to South America, despite the very poor solar conditions. It is definitely worth keeping a watch on 10m FT8. Quite a few EU spots plus 3 in the Canary Is.

70cm (432MHz) UKAC RSGB activity contest

Tonight I expected to miss this contest as we have grandchildren staying. I managed to snatch about 10 minutes and worked a couple of stations with G4CLA (105km) as the best DX. Seeing I only have 5W RF and a 2 metre halo, I was quite pleased.

Museum visit - NOT amateur radio

It is funny, but our grandchildren seem to love museums! Today we had to revisit the small (free) museum at Mildenhall, Suffolk. We also had a request to visit the church there again.

Yet more OFCOM rubbish (my view)

Now we are told that the next stage in their auction of microwave spectrum has been reached. Big deal. Most of us are just plain bored.

You can also read this in Welsh. It is a good job green people with one leg living in Stoke-On-Trent don't have their own language or they'd have to employ another person!

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/8B6148651C1AA1D42540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

2m FT8

After a quick CQ in which my 5W to an omnidirectional antenna was received by G0LUJ (279km) I shall be on 2m FT8 RX most of the day. I may try 10m FT8 much later.

As yet,  just a couple of Gs spotted on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 0918z: Now 3 Gs spotted.

UPDATE 0930z: Now one F and DK spotted. Best DX is F6APE (551km).

UPDATE 1148z: Now 24 unique stations in 4 countries spotted today on 2m FT8.  Best DX is DK2DTF (644km).

UPDATE 1605z: Now 45 uniques. Time to QSY to 10m FT8 RX.

The Pixie

This is a classic QRP CW transceiver. Like all simple transceivers it is a compromise. Chinese versions are available at less than the cost of the crystal alone in the UK. The Chinese kit I built was for 40m and worked first time.

The Pixie is a derivative of the Micro-80.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/pixie

Simple Regen Circuit

Regen receivers amaze me. How something so simple can work so well never fails to intrigue me.

I was looking for a photo I took some years ago, but so far I have failed to find it. I still have the RX in a drawer!


See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/regen

Sunspots - Tuesday April 10th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 0.  A=10 and K=2.

Soloists - NOT amateur radio

At my wife's concert one of the soloists was sick, so at the very last minute he was replaced.  Thankfully he was excellent.

See www.cambschoral.org.uk