Online radio magazines

Amateur Radio Weekly has reminded us that several radio magazines (some very old) are available online.

Although this is an American website, quite a few magazines are from other countries.

See https://www.americanradiohistory.com/

160m FT8 overnight

Just 5 North Americans and 1 Caribbean station spotted overnight on 160m FT8. Best DX was again KC6AWX (8553km) in California, USA.

10m FT8

Since 0959z I have been on 10m FT8. For a few minutes I called CQ (2.5W) with no spots. Since then I have been RX only with just 2E0XXO (121km) spotted so far.

UPDATE 1340z: 5 stations in 4 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1552z: Now 8 stations in 6 countries so far today on 10m FT8 RX. There may be the odd station still on 10m FT8 RX, but I shall probably QSY to MF (either 630m WSPR RX or 160m FT8 RX) when it gets dark.

Another grandson artwork - NOT amateur radio

Our 9 year old grandson at it again, this time sketching a parrot.

Sunspots - Saturday December 29th 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN still zero. A=24 and K=3.

9 year old's picture - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, we have one of our sons and his children staying here. His son (aged 9) painted this picture of our old house. It is now in pride of place in our bedroom.

No DX in the light on 160m?

Once it gets light the 160m FT8 seems to disappear. In the last 3 hours just one 160m FT8 station spotted, whereas 6 hours ago I was still spotting stateside stations. As an experiment, I am on 160m through the day as well.

160m FT8 RX last night

Not a bad night again with 30 North Americans and 1 Caribbean stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX with the best DX again on the west coast of the USA - KC6AWX (8553km).

Sunspots - Friday December 28th 2018

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1.

NHS Hospital parking - NOT amateur radio

In England, you have to pay to park at hospitals run by the National Health Service. Some of these fees have gone up. Whilst many plough money back into the NHS, this is yet another "kick in the teeth" for people visiting friends or loved-ones in hospital. This is cruel.

I think parking is free in Scotland and Wales. We are lucky in that we can park for free at a nearby "park and ride" site and with a bus pass busses are free after 0930z.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46687272 .

Oh I forgot, "we are all in this together", said with lots of sarcasm! Sounds like yet another tax on the poor to me.