Autumn - NOT amateur radio

On the whole, it is much warmer at this time in October than I can ever recall. Perhaps someone can tell President Trump that global warming is a reality.  At one time we had snows in winter and winters were very cold. Now snow is a rarity.

In the last few days we have had some winds and the tree in our front garden has lost most of its leaves and now looks autumnal.

Chinese lanterns - NOT amateur radio

At this time of the year the plants we call "Chinese Lanterns" are popular. There are some wild and some in garden centres as the ones in the photo.

Morals - NOT amateur radio

We live, mainly, in a post-religious world. OK there are many that still profess to be Christian, Muslim or whatever, but we live, mainly, as if heaven or hell do not exist and many care not a jot if when we die we just return to nothingness. The truth is no-one is really sure what happens after death, if anything. Even the most vocal atheist is not sure. There is still a lingering doubt.

All this brings me to morals.

In a, largely, post-religious world, what is our moral compass? In the past it was the fear of going to hell. These days what guides us? Generally, we are moral beings, even when we could lead a life of hedonistic excess. What is it that "programs" (most of) us to be moral beings with a sense of right and wrong?

Es'hail2 satellite

As mentioned before, this Qatari satellite is due to be put up later this year. It is expected to contain both a linear transponder and a TV transponder. Several people are gearing up for it. Unlike most amateur satellites this is in a fixed position. It uses a 2.4GHz uplink and a 10GHz downlink. So once the antennas are aimed, they can be fixed in position.

At the moment I am playing a waiting game. If it is successfully positioned and works as intended, I might try to install gear to receive it.

See https://www.eshailsat.qa/en/satellites/index/

10m FT8

Yet again, I am on 10m FT8 for the day. A brief CQ earlier was spotted by no-one at all and as yet no stations spotted here. So far, not a great start!

UPDATE 1002z: Still nothing spotted on 10m FT8 this morning!

UPDATE 1117z: So far today on 10m FT8 RX just a couple of Gs spotted with the best DX G0OYQ (177km). Disappointing so far today.

UPDATE 1250z: Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is EA7AAF (1647km).

UPDATE 1701: 4 Spanish stations and a German spotted on 10m FT8 today. No South Americans spotted yet today on 10m.

UPDATE 1757z: The first 2 South Americans on 10m FT8 RX came through here at 1715z. Best  DX is currently PY4XX (9252km). It seems that every time I look at 10m FT8 RX I spot South American DX. So far today, 4 South Americans (all in Brazil) spotted.

UPDATE 1945z: About to go QRT on the band. In all, 5 South Americans spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

Spotted in Norway on 472kHz WSPR

For the first time this autumn I was spotted in Norway last night by LA3EQ (769km). It was the best night this season.

472kHz spots of me last night

Sunspots - Tuesday October 16th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN is 22. A=10 and K=3.

Now on 472kHz WSPR

After another brilliant day on 28MHz FT8, I have now QSYed to 472kHz WSPR. So far, a couple of spots of my 10mW ERP, but no others yet spotted.

Antenna choices

Homebase-10 Antenna

When the leaves fall, I want to prune my silver birch tree, which is now far too tall. At the moment my Par end-fed covering 10m, 20m and 40m is held up by this tree. At present, I am considering options.

My main HF interest is 10m and one possibility is a rebuild of my Homebase-10 wire halo for 10m.  Via an ATU, the coax to this antenna should match on most HF bands tuned against ground.

Another possibility is my x80 vertical which is in good condition in the garage. This has a 9:1 unun in its base, so a decent match is presented to the rig on most HF bands. Verticals tend to be noisier than horizontals and the x80 can snap in winds.

I could re-erect my Par end-fed.  This is very low, especially for 20m and 40m.

At the moment, the favourite is the Homebase-10.

BREXIT and the Northern Ireland border - NOT amateur radio

A politician I am definitely not!

It seems the UK PM is stuck between a rock and a hard place over the only land border that will be between Eire (in the EU) and N. Ireland (shortly to be outside the EU).

The UK does not want a distinction between N. Ireland (Ulster) and the rest of the UK. The EU and UK want no hard border in Ireland.

The EU is playing hardball. In the end we could leave with no deal and the EU and the UK could both suffer. In the end I suspect a fudge is to be expected.