Norwich - NOT amateur radio

My brother is visiting from Devon. He wanted to go to Norwich, so we went by train. Much of the stone for the cathedral was brought be sea and river from Normandy in France nearly 1000 years ago. They built a canal to transport the stones from the River Wensum to the cathedral. The cathedral took 49 years to build. The photo show's Pool's Ferry where the canal began.

Sunspots - Tuesday September 17th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A =11 and K=4.

Yet more yuppy pads - NOT amateur radio

No doubt the developer makes plenty of profit from these houses that ordinary people cannot afford. Social housing does not seem to really count these days. I expect these homes will be sold to young executives working in Cambridge.

Neighbour's flowers - NOT amateur radio

Quite a colourful display in a neighbour's garden this morning. It is now late summer (autumn according to the weather forecasters) and he still has a great deal of colour. In his back garden he has lots of apples.

2m FT8

As there has been a lift on 2m for the last few days I stayed on overnight. So far today 6 stations spotted.

UPDATED 1000z: A recent 2m FT8 CQ resulted in 17 spots of me including 2 spots in Germany, but no QSOs.

UPDATE 1245z: The photo shows the 2m FT8 RX spots to now.

UPDATE 1434z: A recent 10W 2m FT8 CQ was spotted by 7 stations, but no QSOs resulted. My best DX was a spot by DL3YCX (475km). 53 stations in 10 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today so far.

Sunspots - Monday September 16th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=4.

The FETer transceiver for 80m

Inspired by W2UW (now SK) I created the FETer transceiver for 80m CW. This uses just a handful of parts, but works. It only uses 14 parts all together.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

Lundy - NOT amateur radio

Many years ago, I was fascinated by this remote island in the Bristol Channel. It has a long and interesting history. These days it is owned by the Landmark Trust and run by the National Trust. I think it will be safe for another 50 years. I have not been there since 1961.

In recent years the puffin population has soared as a result of rat extermination. Lundy actually means "puffin island".

See https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/Lundyisland/

Roses, Catalonia - NOT amateur radio

Roses seafront

Although we were only there earlier this week, our holiday seems an age ago! Roses, where we stayed, was a delightful place.

It seems SE Spain has had some bad floods. Luckily the weather was very good for us, as the photo shows.

So we don't forget when we get senile, I have made a blog. See https://roses2019.blogspot.com/

2m FT8

This morning I awoke at 0540z. Already 30 stations in 5 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last 6 hours.

UPDATE 0807z: Already 75 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX this morning with best DX DK4MD (1025km) on the Austrian border. Definitely a lift. Also copied an HB9.

UPDATE 1052z: 132 stations in 9 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX this morning.

UPDATE 1254z: 144 stations spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1623z: A recent 2m 10W FT8 CQ resulted in no QSOs but was spotted by 17 stations in 5 countries.

UPDATE 1840z: A recent 10W FT8 2m CQ resulted in no QSOs but was spotted by 31 stations with best DX being GI6ATZ (479km). He nearly always spots me despite the distance and the fact I just use the big-wheel omni antenna. Even in flat conditions I seem to reach Northern Ireland and Cornwall on 2m FT8. In the last day 217 stations in 14 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. Best DX on 2m FT8 RX is S58P (1247km).

UPDATE 2022z: A few moments ago I called CQ (10W) on 2m FT8. No QSOs resulted, but 19 stations n 4 countries spotted me with (again) GI6ATZ (479km) being the best. I was also spotted in NE Holland.