Sunspots - Tuesday April 16th 2019

Solar flux is 74 and the sunspot number 11. A=8 and K=3.

Main Website

A reminder that my main website is at www.g3xbm.co.uk . Although not as frequently updated as this blog, it contains lots of data on my projects. At the bottom of most pages are links to further pages on the subject. If you are interested, you should find something to inspire you. Often my projects are simple ones.

Notre Dame fire (Paris) - NOT amateur radio

Notre Dame is a major cathedral in central Paris. As I write it is on fire and firefighters are battling to contain the fire.  For the French it is a major disaster, visited by millions every year.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47941794 .

76GHz Cubesat?

Anything above 432MHz seems beyond me. 76GHz seems positively stratospheric! Apparently, according to Southgate News there is a new Cubesat from Australia that uses 76GHz.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/australian-cubesat-to-use-76-ghz.htm#.XLTFQPZFy00

Still waiting - NOT amateur radio

The earliest I have seen a swallow (bird) here is April 7th. It is now April 15th and I have still to see one here. These birds migrate, spending the winter in southern Africa. They fly around 6000 miles back here crossing seas and deserts. Often they come back to the very same nest!  The return of the swallow is an important date in my year. It is a sign that what has happened long before I was around is still going on. I patiently wait.

10m FT8

Since about 0900z I have been on 10m FT8 calling CQ initially. No spots as yet (1122z).

UPDATE 1744z:  Only 2 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 with best DX being DL1DH (715km) in Bavaria.

UPDATE 2011z: The pits!  Only 3 stations spotted all day on 10m FT8 RX

Sunspots - Monday April 15th 2019

Solar flux is 75 today and the SSN 11.  A=4 and K=3.

Duxford - NOT amateur radio

Last Thursday my wife went to the air museum at Duxford. The photo shows my wife with one of our grandsons.

Still on 6m FT8 RX

6m FT8 is amazing with 9 stations in 2 countries already spotted (0852z). I suspect these are normal "flat band" tropo and aircraft reflections. Best DX so far is PA3EWP (291km).

UPDATE 2120z: 38 stations in 5 countries spotted in the last day on 6m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted here on 6m FT8 RX here in 

the last day using the V2000 vertical omni antenna

Sunspots - Sunday April 14th 2019

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 14. A=8 and K=2.