Coming autumn - NOT amateur radio

Spiders web on the window earlier

It is definitely getting colder here. In the garden it now looks like autumn with leaves really falling and dew on the grass.  In a few weeks most trees will be bare.

The seasons are great: each has something special: the long warm summer evenings and snuggling in front of the fire on a cold winter evening.

Sunspots - Friday October 19th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number has returned to zero. A=2 and K=0.

10m Simple Sideband

My health has not been good for over 5 years, so work on this project stopped sadly.

The ideas were good ones and I am sure there is mileage for someone to progress these. What I really want is for someone to take this on and produce a really simple kit including a PCB and all the parts.

Every summer, such a rig would work right across Europe on 10m. In a few years real DX should be possible with modest wire antennas.

It would make a nice club project. First of all, someone needs to finish the development!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/10msimple_sb

Now 10m FT8

Every time I have looked recently, 10m FT8 has been "open" to South America early evenings. So, I have QSYed from 2m FT8 to 10m FT8. We'll see. My antenna is not too brilliant either, so I'm sure others will do much better.

UPDATE 1615z: Just a spot of G4DJB (128km) so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1750z: Several South Americans and the Falkland Is stations now coming through. 12 stations in 7 countries in 3 continents spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2000z: Now QRT on all bands. Yet again, loads of South Americans (14 in all) spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

Local bakers - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I showed a photo outside our local bakery that looked like a dead rat, but which was actually ivy. Should have gone to Specsavers!

This baker makes excellent soft rolls - far better than those at nearby supermarkets. They do a good trade in filled rolls to passing workmen.

Rallies this weekend

Saturday 20 OCTOBER : CARRICKFERGUS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB RALLY

Downshire Secondary School, Downshire Road, Carrickfergus. Doors open at 12 noon - all welcome. For more details, please contact Liz Forde, MI6GHA, Club Secretary, elizabethforde64@yahoo.com.

Sunday 21 OCTOBER : GALASHIELS RADIO RALLY

Volunteer Hall, St Johns Street, Galashiels TD13JX. Doors open at 11.15am with disabled visitors gaining access at 11am. There will be traders a Bring & Buy and refreshments available on site. Admission is £2.50.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Grumpy old man! - NOT amateur radio

Yes, don't tell me as I already know - I have definitely become a grumpy old man!

When I was waiting for my Park and Ride bus earlier, it seemed that everyone under 25 was on their smart phone.

Disappointment on 472kHz WSPR

Overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR, but only a couple of stations spotted my 10mW ERP this time. On RX, I again spotted Italy and Norway. Perhaps the rising noise floor is clobbering my little signal? Or is the novelty wearing off and there are fewer stations? Often according to WSPRnet there are very few UK stations on TX on 472kHz.

RadCom article

Much to my amazement, my short article on FT8 has been published in November RadCom. I was hoping to see it in a few months, but this took me totally by surprise!

Sunspots - Thursday October 18th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and SSN=11. A=3 and K=1.