False decode

Ah well, it beats BREXIT for excitement. Just now, on my PC screen was this supposedly on 2m FT8 RX:

075345 -24  2017Hz TO2MJR   WA9RRX R  LM80

At first I was puzzled. Then I checked to see if anyone else had spotted him. Just me! Conclusion: false decode. It happens sometimes.

Sunspots - Sunday October 20th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

UK amateur radio in decline?

Southgate News has a piece about the decline in the numbers of UK radio amateurs, making the point that the rate of deaths is not being made up by new people coming in to the hobby. This is serious stuff. One possibility is introducing a "Beginner's Licence" restricted to VHF/UHF only with commercial gear only. Somehow I doubt this will do the trick as radio is no longer the magic it was to young people in the 1940s-1970s.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/october/will-a-beginners-licence-cure-the-slump-in-new-radio-amateurs.htm

2m FT8

Mid morning, with the storms well gone, and after a night off, I have returned to 2m FT8. Despite just using 2.5W and the big-wheel, my CQ was copied in Devon and Cornwall again (no QSOs). On RX, 7 stations in 4 countries spotted.

Overall there appear to be fewer stations on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1322z: Now 15 stations in 5 countries spotted.

UPDATE 1748z: Now 39 stations in 7 countries spotted. A recent 2.5W FT8 CQ was spotted by 6 stations but no QSOs resulted.

Stations spotted here today on 2m FT8 

receive with the big-wheel omni antenna

UPDATE 2046z: Now 53 stations in 8 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni and the FT817ND. Who says 2m is dead?

Old age - NOT amateur radio

Maybe this is something that comes with advancing years, but these days I am grateful for small things.

Years ago our full lives were ahead of us, whereas as we get older we are more aware of our brief mortal span. I am grateful to be alive and generally well, that my wife is fit etc.. If this sounds morbid, I am sorry.

Live every day as if your last and think of all the good things, however small.

Charity Cards - NOT amateur radio

My wife was about to buy 40 Christmas cards from a charity online. They looked nice and were quite good value. We don't mind paying a bit more for a good cause. Then, we got to checkout to see an additional £4.95 added for delivery. We cancelled and that charity lost out. For the delivery cost we could have bought another 15 cards from a different charity. Not only that, my wife "unsubscribed" so she no longer gets emails from them. In several ways this charity has lost out. It has lost our custom and our goodwill. In future we hope the card price is inclusive of delivery. Simples.

Sunspots - Saturday October 19th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

Windows 10 updates - NOT amateur radio

Windows 10 is supposed to be wonderful and safe. Yet again I have waited about 30 minutes whilst updates were installed. If it is so wonderful why are these massive updates needed? To say I am not impressed is an understatement. A good job I wasn't in a hurry.

Caught out! Heavy storms

Whilst out at my U3AC course in Cambridge we had a heavy storm this afternoon. There was lots of hail and thunder. Everything was connected. Yet again, our weather forecast was hopeless as there was nothing of the storms forecast for here.

Luckily, all seems to be well and everything, as far as I can tell, is working at normal sensitivity. The next time I go out, I shall ignore the weather forecasts and disconnect everything.

When we return later (everything is currently disconnected) I shall try 2m FT8 with the FT817 at 2.5W.

New .io groups formed

As I hosted several Yahoo groups (that are closing) new groups have been on groups.io . Transferring groups involves money whereas creating new ones does not (I hope!).  Notices have been posted in the Yahoo groups encouraging people to join and transfer across any files and photos which should be kept. At the moment, these new groups are awaiting approval. One thing that will not be saved is old messages.

Below are the old and new groups.

miraclewhip                                miracleantennas
sub9kHzamateurradio                  sub9khz
vhfam                                         vhfam