10m FT8

Shortly, I shall QSY to 10m FT8.

In the end yesterday on 10m FT8 I spotted 4 stations in 3 countries. Interestingly, the CT and EA were working "real" DX (VP8 and ZS) that I could not copy here. This is obviously some F2 propagation further south. OK, my 10m antenna could be better, so I could probably spot more with a better antenna.

UPDATE 0906z: Have been on 10m FT8 for about 15 minutes. Guess what? No spots!

UPDATE 0937z: Real DX (not)! G1NHG (5km) spotted. Well, I am grateful to spot anyone.

UPDATE 1115z: IU0MBJ (1471km) spotted. Es?

UPDATE 1306z: F5OHM (631km) spotted.

UPDATE 1450z: DL5XL (563km) spotted.

Sunspots - Thursday April 4th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the sunspot number 17. A=12 and K=2.

160m FT8 RX

For about the last 25 minutes I have been on 160m FT8 RX. Yet again, there are loads of Europeans. It will be interesting to see what comes in from "over the pond" tonight on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. The last time I tried a few nights ago, a surprising number were spotted.

UPDATE 2131z: So far, 136 stations spotted this evening with best DX on 160m FT8 RX being R8CA (3788km) in Asiatic Russia.

Brunei - NOT amateur radio

When it comes to relationships all I think that matters is that the partners are happy in the relationship, so I was shocked that Brunei has introduced seemingly medieval laws that take us back many centuries. Perhaps in the 1300s, but in the 21st century? Barbaric comes to mind. Brunei - bad press? Their fault.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-47769964

Malicious Adverts - NOT amateur radio

OK, grumpy old man time again!

Have you noticed how many ads say things like, "seniors in XYZ are astounded by SUCH AND SUCH hearing aids" or "never pay for TV ever again" or "do you know that SUCH AND SUCH bank has put aside £40B for PPI claims".

This sort of pernicious advert makes me wild. I don't know about you, but I think they all should be banned. They are meant to convince you that you are in a stupid minority. In actual fact it is just another marketing angle. Ignore them all!

Rant over. I feel better now! 😏

East Cambs Net

East Cambs Net - 144.575MHz vertical FM (in the all mode section). This will in future meet at 7.30pm UK clock time on Wednesdays. Discussions on various subjects (nothing too technical!) rarely go beyond 30 minutes. Newcomers are ALWAYS welcome. Feel free to call in if you are in the area.

Margaret are you grieving.... NOT amateur radio

As one gets older thoughts turn to human mortality. All of us dies - this is more certain than BREXIT day.

One poem, spoken to a young child, that hits me is by Gerard Manley Hopkins, a metaphysical poet. You may know it. We are on this earth for a very short time really. Deep down, our mortality hits us in the pit of our stomachs.  Are we really just dust?

See https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44400/spring-and-fall

10m FT8

Although I am not sure why I bother, I have just (1033z) QSYed to 10m FT8. Yesterday was dire with just one UK station spotted. Today would be hard-pressed to be worse! At first I called CQ (2.5W), although I am now RX only. Guess what? No spots!

UPDATE 1447z: Well 10m FT8 RX is on a par with yesterday! So far, just 1 G spotted and no-one else. This was G0OYQ (177km).

UPDATE 1635z: Es? EB5GC (1593km) just spotted.

472kHz WSPR overnight

472kHz is definitely going "off the boil". Yet again, more stations copied me than I copied. Earlier in the "season" I always copied more stations than copied me.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Clunch outhouse - NOT amateur radio

For weeks now they have been rebuilding a clunch (kind of chalk) outhouse not far from our home. As I passed today, I noticed they had put half the roof on. The other half of the roof has still to be tiled.