Beetles - NOT amateur radio

The Zoology Museum in Cambridge has been refurbished and one of the exhibits are these beetles. Some beetles are huge.

2m UKAC activity contest

For those interested, the 2m leg of the RSGB's UKAC activity contest for December is this evening starting at 2000z. It goes on for 2.5 hours, although I usually manage only about an hour.

At 2100z (ish) I expect to return to top-band FT8.

UPDATE 2110z: After about 30 minutes I went QRT.  5 QSOs with best DX G4CLA (105km). As usual, I was running 5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.

160m FT8

Just before tea, I returned to 160m FT8. My 2.5W CQ was spotted by 8 stations with best DX being a spot by DL7BA (844km) in NE Germany. Best DX on 160m RX is RW6PA (3462km) in Chechnya.

As before, I am using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I have to QSY to 2m SSB between about 2000z and 2100z for the 2m UKAC activity contest. Apart from that, I expect to monitor 160m FT8 until breakfast. Normally I start to spot North Americans after 2100z.

UPDATE 2222z: Although loads of Europeans again on 160m FT8, nothing yet from North America tonight.

Shopping - NOT amateur radio

Every other week, we tend to shop at Tesco in Newmarket. We try to buy UK goods, where possible, to save on airmiles.  For in-between shopping, we use our local co-op which is owned by us, its shareholders. Every purchase of co-op goods earns us cash back. Prices are not at all bad and we can walk there and back.

Like nearby Waitrose, we are appalled that the big supermarkets use so much plastics and are vague about recycling. Surely supermarkets the world over should insist on using recyclable materials always. They have only to say to their suppliers and they would jump.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Quite a reasonable evening with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Even before 1700z my little signal was spotted in Norway. 3 Norwegians were spotted here, which is the most so far.

Stations spotting my 472kHz WSPR overnight

Stations spotted here on 472kHz WSPR overnight

10m FT8

10m is not too bad today. 14 stations in 7 countries so far spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1530z: So far today 20 European stations in 11 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX, although nothing further afield. This evening, I shall probably try 160m again.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 4th 2018

Solar flux is 67 (very low) and the sunspot number 0. A=10 and K=3.

Now on 472kHz WSPR

As 10m seemed dire today, I have already QSYed to MF. As usual I am running about 10mW ERP (20% TX) from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the transverter crystal to stabilise, so early spots of me tend to have up to 2-3Hz of drift. Normally, this stops thereafter.

There seem to be plenty of spots on both RX ad TX. G1GKN (99km) is a new on, I think, for me on RX.  G1GKN spotted me as long ago as 2015. Some users may have decided to try other bands and,  of course, some may have sadly died.

OFCOM plans

OFCOM has published its plans for the coming year. Lots about goals and value for money.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/128810/Proposed-Annual-Plan-2019-20.pdf

Christmas present?

My XYL said this morning, "you'd do me a favour if you ordered yourself that new radio as I never know what to buy you for your birthday or Christmas". Well, I am happy to oblige!  Fancy being told to buy a new radio? Next stage is to see what is the best deal from the dealers.