Return to 10m FT8

After a few hours on 2m, I have returned to 10m FT8 and already spotted loads of EU stations and had a few 2-way QSOs. Will 10m open to South America later?

A CQ (2.5W) was spotted by CS7AOL (1457km) and a QSO resulted.

UPDATE 1650z: So far today, 36 stations in 10 EU countries spotted on 10m FT8. 10m dead?

UPDATE 1752z: Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is currently ZD7GWM (7605km) on St Helena.

UPDATE 1818z: So far today 46 stations spotted in 12 countries and 3 continents today on 10m FT8. Hardly dead!

UPDATE 1856z: Already a couple of South American stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX this evening. So far, 51 stations spotted in 14 countries.

2m FT8

Just before lunch I switched to 2m FT8 (2.5W to the omni antenna). No QSOs but yet again I was spotted by G7RAU (461km) on The Lizard in Cornwall and by GW3ATZ (248km) in north Wales. I shall probably stick with 2m FT8 until late this afternoon when I'll probably return to 10m FT8.

OFCOM Communications Monthly

Apparently OFCOM has issued its latest monthly update. In my email the header says September. In the email body it says August. Well, I guess this is not bad for primary school children.

I cannot give you the link as I could not see it in the email.

Trump and drink - NOT amateur radio

At least he is sober with that nuclear trigger. Otherwise, do we care?

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-45713170/trump-i-d-be-the-world-s-worst-drinker

That IC7300 fan...

Well, it seems the IC7300 fan questions remains unanswered. Unless I am told the fan is a non-issue, I shall delay buying one.

As I said in my comment, as soon as I buy a 100W version, they will CE approve and sell the QRP version in the UK for £799 and the IC7300 price will drop to £999!

Back on 10m FT8 again

Yesterday was good on 10m FT8 with some 2-way QSOs, quite a few UK and Europeans spotted and then 8 South Americans spotted in the evening.

Today I am back on 10m FT8, mainly RX but with the odd CQ (2.5W). So far one 9A spotted and my own signal spotted by M0ZWW (127km) in Coventry.

UPDATE 1036z: Well, my 10m FT8 CQ a few minutes ago was spotted by 9A6W (1541km). Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is EA5RR (1584km). 10m still has propagation, although few realise!

UPDATE 1058z: Plenty of spots of my 10m FT8 2.5W CQs. See photo.

Spots of my 10m FT8 CQs (2.5W) this morning

Sunspots - Tuesday October 2nd 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN 14. A=9 and K=4.

IC7300 fan questions (again)

Basically, these questions were asked a few weeks ago, but I did not get a decent reply. If you know the answer(s) please post them here or send me an email.

My basic questions are about the IC7300 fan noise. As a confirmed QRPer it is very unlikely high power would be used. Mostly 10W or less would be used if I bought one. It is by no means certain I shall buy one.

My questions are these:

1. Is the IC7300 fan noisy? 
2. If operating at well below maximum power does the fan run quieter?
3. Does the fan only operate when the rig gets hot?
4. Does the fan only operate on TX?

On the IC706, which I briefly owned, the fan was very annoying. I have seen mods to change the IC7300 fan to a quieter one, but I would be reluctant to do this on a radio still under guarantee. Running at way below maximum power, I may be unnecessarily worried.

If you can help, please let me know.

QRT

I went QRT at 2000z. Overnight I am not active on any bands RX or TX.

Big skies - NOT amateur radio

In East Anglia hills and mountains are hard to come by! What we do have are big skies. Norfolk and Suffolk have more hills than you might expect, but these tend to be gentle hills rarely over 100m ASL. We also have lots of medieval churches with round towers!

The photo was taken from a moving car about 1 mile from our home in Cambridgeshire.