Kite - NOT amateur radio

On a walk today at Dalham we saw a kite (bird). At one time these would have been rare over here, but now they are quite common.

Solar minimum update

My usual source of data on the next solar cycle has been updated and still suggests that we have passed the solar minimum.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

6m FT8

It looks like today was one of best days this season on 6m. As I said, the Internet is off most of the time so I have not been able to access PSKreporter or upload spots. I am now calling CQ.m

UPDATE 1847z: My CQ (2.5W) was spotted by several stations including some by Es.

UPDATE 1923z: PV8DX spotted. This is the first South American copied here this season on 6m.

No solar data again

Yet again we have had no Internet apart from 4G on the phone. As yet I have not been able to access solar data.

160m FT8 RX

This evening and overnight I am on 160m FT8 RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground and there are plenty of Europeans to be spotted. At the moment 34 stations spotted with best DX 5B4AIF (3171km).

Electric Cars - NOT amateur radio

Most days now I see 1-2 electric cars. In other words they are not (yet) common. As the years go by I expect there will be far more. It is my view that we will have a "tipping point" when most of us will be driving electric cars and internal combustion care will seem "past it". At least one local amateur has bought an electric car recently, although unless you do mostly local journeys, I think the range is still too low.  The tipping point will come, in my view, when most trips can be done in a day without recharging i.e.the range is over 300 miles. OK, most journey's are far shorter, but the battery technology is still "not there".

6m FT8

Earlier I was on 6m FT8 TX and my QRP was copied by several stations. Although RX most of the day I am unable to upload spots to PSKreporter as the Internet via WiFi is off.

UPDATE 1840z: The Internet has been off much of the day.

472kHz WSPR overnight

We are really at the end of the season with just 3 stations spotted here and no one spotting me!

Solar data

At the moment I am having trouble with the Internet so am unable to get solar data. My only access is via 4G.

UPDATE 2000z: Internet back on, but flaky!  Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=0.

472kHz WSPR

Although the "season" is really well over, I decided to give 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP, 20% TX) with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground a go overnight. So far only G1GKN (99km) has been spotted.