10m QRP

Whilst rummaging through some old photos I came across this one. It dates from the late 1980s I think and shows me (still with some hair!) operating 10m SSB from my parents back garden. The rig would have been my 2m MX2, with my homebrew transverter producing about 1W pep SSB on 10m. The antenna was a mag-mounted base loaded whip on the grass lawn. As I remember, several USA stations were worked. On another occasion I recall copying a 6m Canadian beacon indoors from my parents house with a whip on the FT817.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 29th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=11 and K=3.

Primroses - NOT amateur radio

Every autumn we plant primroses in our front garden (see photo).

These provide colour all through the autumn and winter.

Normally they get replaced in the spring with flowers that last until the first frosts. Incidentally, we had our first frost of the autumn last night.

2m FT8

As I am (for now) unable to operate the FT817ND in "split" mode I am again on 2m FT8 (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna).

An initial FT8 CQ was spotted by 8 stations in 3 countries with the best again being GI6ATZ (479km). This never seems to fail. If he is active, irrespective of conditions, he spots me! On 2m FT8 RX 4 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX spotted being DJ9IE (515km).

UPDATE 1710z:  15 stations in 6 countries spotted this afternoon on 2m FT8.

OFCOM and 5G spectrum

Today OFCOM announced that it was freeing up spectrum for 5G at 700MHz and around 3.6GHz.

It still insists on using the term "airwaves", suggesting to me that this quango is being run by a bunch of school kids who actually know very little about RF and spectrum. Perhaps I am being a grumpy old man. For this I apologise.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

 

When I was young I lived in South Devon. The photo shows where I lived. We owned some land near here in 1427! Many of my ancestors lived at Hope Cove and we have a direct line back to William of  Hope in the mid 1500s.

Sunspots - Monday October 28th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=15 and K=3.

FT817ND issue?

This evening I intended to go on 472kHz WSPR RX and TX, but I noticed the antenna current was zero. On closer examination, I noticed that the "split" function on the FT817ND had disappeared. With my brain fog as a result of my 2013 stroke I attempted to reset the "split" memory function.

I struggled for 30 minutes without success. I am sure I was doing things correctly. Even the micro-processor was reset, following the instructions in the manual. Again, no success.

Maybe leaving it until the morning, just in case I am doing something wrong might help. I am just a bit suspicious that the "split" function just disappeared.

Unless I can get "split" working again I can only RX on 472kHz WSPR. Tonight I am not on any band.

Horse chestnut tree - NOT amateur radio

In our local churchyard are two large horse chestnut trees that were planted (19th century?) to commemorate the battle of Waterloo in 1815. The photo shows our elder grandson standing under it.

Crabapple jelly - NOT amateur radio

We have just one crabapple tree but a friend has already made three jars of crabapple jelly. There are several hundred crabapples left, so I may have a go myself.