6m FT8 today

Yet again, I am on 6m FT8. So far today, just 1 G spotted G4VPD (150km). A brief CQ call at 2.5W earlier brought no spots. Mind you, it was early and most sensible people would have still been asleep!

Stations spotted up to 1321z

UPDATE 1321z:  21 different stations in 4 countries so far spotted today. Best DX so far is 4O6AH (1787km).

UPDATE  1428z: Now 25 different stations in 5 countries today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2026z: In the end 29 different stations spotted in 6 countries. Soon be time to go QRT.

UK identity documents? - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we seem to have a problem with illegal immigrants. One solution proposed is an ID card for each legal person living here. You would need this to obtain benefits. I think this would help, but I am not 100% sure.

In the light of the debacle over "the Windrush generation" in which people who were legally here but denied rights and deported (can you believe this?), it might help. This action is wholly inexcusable!!
As for the government I simply do not care whether it is Labour, Conservative or Monster Raving Loony.  This a total balls up.

As a legally here person, I have no problems with such a card, although I have not been through all the arguments.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43949972

Solar figures

Within the next few days we'll see the solar numbers for April.

We are on average on a slow decline to the next solar minimum, yet 10m FT8 has allowed real DX to be copied.

For example, on the 3 occasions recently when I monitored the 10m band it opened to Brazil and Argentina, despite my poor antenna on 10m.

All I am advocating is never give up on 10m. FT8 is a game changer. Even with poor solar conditions 10m openings now get spotted, whereas at the same point in the last solar cycle we might have written off 10m.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

Sunspots - Tuesday May 1st 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 0.  A=7and K=2.

UK Pound against the Euro - NOT amateur radio

In recent weeks the UK Pound has been weak against the Euro. It has not been helped by BREXIT uncertainty and poor GDP figures. Once the BREXIT deal becomes clearer, I expect the UK Pound to strengthen against the Euro. It is entirely possible I am totally wrong. After all, I was last year!

Mills on the air weekend

May 12/13th will see activations from several mills around the UK.

We live right next door to a windmill, so I may get on sometime over the weekend. Years ago, I got a QSL from a group that activated our local windmill here in Burwell.

I know the Cambridge Club is on from a mill in nearby Willingham.

See http://www.mills-on-the-air.net/

Irish VHF spectrum - big allocations

From John's blog comes news of huge chunks of VHF spectrum being made available to EI amateurs. In my view, this is very enlightened.

I guess it would be too much to expect OFCOM to do similar, even with a very low ERP limit and stations operating on a "strictly no interference to primary users" basis. Of course, this would involve OFCOM staff thinking, so no, no, no.  Silly me for even suggesting this! Personally even 100mW at 40MHz would do me. With FT8 or WSPR we could do some serious radio science.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/irish-radio-amateurs-gain-access-to.html

Sunspots - Monday April 30th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number has returned to zero. A=4 and K=3.

Tan House - NOT amateur radio

This is probably one of the largest and loveliest homes in our village. Many years ago it was the home of Sir Francis Pym who was British Foreign Secretary. The house has big grounds. I have no idea who lives there now.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Pym

6m FT8

For the last few days I have concentrated on 10m. 10m has opened to South America on several recent evenings on 10m FT8. Already there are signs of Es with quite a few stations from France, Spain and Italy.

Today, I am looking on 6m FT8. After a few early CQ calls at 2.5W (no spots), I am now 6m FT8 RX only. So far, nothing!

UPDATE 1647z: Currently 13 different stations spotted in 3 countries on 6m FT8 RX with best DX SM3LBN (1361km).

UPDATE 1725z: Now 14 stations in 4 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX IK6CWQ (1512km).

UPDATE 2102z: 16 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Soon be time to go QRT.