Sunspots - Saturday September 1st 2018

It seems hard to believe it is already September!

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero again. A=5 and K=1.

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

We are quite lucky living just outside Cambridge. This is a famous university town with some fine old buildings. We went shopping in Cambridge earlier.

In recent years it has become a hi-tech centre. I think I am correct in saying it has the highest number of Nobel prize winners in the world.

10m WSPR (TX)

All day, my 10m WSPR TX beacon (500mW) has been on. As yet, not a single spot! Dire. It will stay on for a few more hours, but the main Es season has definitely passed now.

UPDATE 2000z:  No spots all day. Soon be time to go QRT.

Amateur Television

Amateur TV has never been of interest to me. Actually this is not true: I am interested, but there are too few hours in the day! There are only so many things one can do.

If, like me, you are a fireside fusilier (I am gunner do this and I am gunner do that - joke!) you may like to read CQ-DATV63, which can be downloaded free. I saw this on Southgate News.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/free-magazine-download.htm#.W4lJtPZFzIU

2m FT8

Yet again, I am on 2m FT8. So far, this is just RX, although I shall probably call CQ (2.5W) later. So far, in the last half day, 25 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni. Best DX is DD7DAC (518km) in JO31 square.

UPDATE 2015z: A brief CQ at around 1600z was spotted by G7RAU (461km) in IN79 on the Lizard in Cornwall. On 2m FT8 RX today 51 stations in 9 countries spotted. QRT soon.

UPDATE 2038z: Just before going QRT I called CQ (2.5W).  I also worked G4RRA (298km) in Devon by FT8 when I was using 2.5W to my big-wheel omni. With FT8 anything seems possible!   In all, 5 stations spotted my callsign including G7RAU again. This must be normal everyday tropo and not aircraft reflection. It seems that well over 400km is possible with 2.5W and my big-wheel omni at any time via FT8. Amazing. At one time I would be telling my XYL about these contacts, but they are now so commonplace that I don't bother.

Sunspots - Friday August 31st 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the SSN remains zero. A=4 and K=1

Club 72 (QRP)

The latest edition of Vestnik, the Club 72 newsletter, is available for download.

See http://club72.su/

2m FT8 RX

As 6m FT8 was distinctly poor today, I have QSYed to 2m FT8. Within about 40 minutes 12 stations in 5 countries spotted with best DX DF9QT (506km).

UPDATE 2030z: Now 19 stations spotted this evening on 2m FT8 RX with best DX DK1MG (544km).

UPDATE 2144z: Now 22 stations in 6 countries. Amazing.

IC7300 question about fan

Can anybody tell me if the IC7300 fan can be programmed OFF when running QRP? I had an IC706 and the fan annoyed me as it was far noisier than I expected. The IC703 (10W) had no fan.

Also, if not running full power, can you use a lower rated PSU? If I ever bought an IC7300, it is doubtful high power would ever be used. I think my linear PSU is rated at 20A.

My main website

My main website, which has pages and pages of projects is at www.g3xbm.co.uk . Now it appears that Google want this to move to the new Google Sites. They offer a preview. I tried this. Yet again, it seems a step backwards.

I have, for now, dismissed it. Certainly it would require a lot of edits before switching. Why, oh why, do corporations make things worse? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Sorry Google, but why? Who gains?