OFCOM update

OFCOM has announced a change of Chief Technology Officer. See their website.

Groups.io

As Yahoo is effectively closing its groups, like many I have migrated all of my groups to Groups.io. At present I host groups on VHF AM, sub9kHz and miracle antennas.

Sunspots - Thursday November 21st 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=2.

481THz RX

Whilst looking through some old Google photos, I came across this one of my 481THz (optical) receiver. It was used in my "over the horizon" tests. It was also used in a line-of sight optical speech QSO over 11km with G4HJW.

I still have it and should try using it again.

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 since before breakfast calling CQ initially (2.5W), no spots given or received so far.

UPDATE 1033z: Still no spots.

UPDATE 1447z: Just 2 stations spotted all day so far on 10m FT8 RX with best DX spotted being RA2FL (1343km).

UPDATE 1846z:   Now 8 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Best DX is  LZ1VDR (2015km).

UPDATE 1850z:  Now QRT.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

All our trees are now losing their leaves as they do each autumn. We'll blink and it will be spring again with new buds.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 20th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=1.

Oscar 100 update

As regular blog readers know, I periodically check activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. At the weekend it seemed a little busier with more than 10 QSOs going on with SSB. Overall, activity still seems lower than I was expecting.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

10m FT8

Since about 1015z, I have been on 10m FT8. Initially I called CQ (2.5W) and since then I have been RX only. No-one spotted my CQ and just 1 station DJ5JD (489km) spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1532z: With only 2 stations spotted so far this really is the pits of a day. Roll on better 10m conditions!

Sunspots - Tuesday November 19th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=0.

Although there are few sunspots, the solar flux seems to be consistently in the low 70s. Have we passed the solar minimum?