Still not too busy on Oscar100

Today at about 1520z I took a listen on the geosynchronous satellite Oscar100. At the moment, activity still seems low, at least on the narrowband transponder, When I listened there were just 2 QSOs going on using USB. There has been some SSTV, but I have heard, so far, just one station on CW. I am not sure what is happening on the TV transponder. I shall have to see if there is anyone doing a TV webSDR.

UPDATE 1538z: Anyone know of a webSDR that relays TV from Oscar100? I haven't found one. So far I have only seen a power density view which shows how active the TV transponder is but not actual TV signals.

Distant windmill - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we did a walk at nearby Landwade and saw no-one at all! My wife took this picture of "our" windmill at a distance of about 3.5km. It is right next to our home.

10m FT8

Most of the day I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, only 3 spots with best DX LA3WJA (1155km).

UPDATE 1500z: Now 5 spots. No great DX.

160m FT8 RX

With 22 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 RX, last night was pretty good. On the advice of Bas, I shall try listening for the Japanese stations tonight on 1908kHz between 2000-2200z.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 19th 2019

Solar flux is 70 again and the sunspot number 0. A=6 and K=1.

160m FT8 RX

From about 2015z, I have been on 160m FT8 RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. As usual, there were lots of Europeans spotted, plus a few Asians and Africans, 128 stations in total. WU1ITU (4831km) was the first North American spotted at 2151z.

Stations spotted so far on 160m FT8 RX this evening

UK politics - NOT amateur radio

So, 7 people have left the UK Labour party. As my politics is fairly centralist, I support them and hope they are soon joined by others from whatever party. I hope they form a new centralist party. Come the next election, I expect another coalition which, I hope, is more on the centre than the extremes of both Conservative and Labour parties.

DX on Oscar 100

Just heard PY2GN in Sao Paulo calling CQ. It seems odd to hear South Americans as easily as Europeans. Of course, as long as these stations can see the geosynchronous satellite and run similar gear there is no reason at all why they should not be equally strong.

UPDATE 1206z: Just heard F0JBN JN08 running 100mW.

UPDATE 1547z: Excuse my ignorance, but on the Oscar100 webSDR there are coloured lines above the frequency marks. What are these?

East Cambs net Mondays 144.575 FM vertical 8pm

A reminder that a few of us usually meet at 2000z on 144.575MHz FM on Monday evenings. Discussions rarely go on after 2030z. Newcomers are always welcome, even if you cannot stop long. This is one four four point five seven five in the all modes section of the band. Operation is usually stations in the East Cambs area. We use vertical polarisation. Discussions are wide ranging covering technical and non-technical things and the technical stuff is never heavy - usually a participant asking advice. If we can comment usefully, we do!

Sunspots - Monday February 18th 2019

Solar flux is 70 still and the SSN still 0. A=4 and K=3.