A VERY long time ago! - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of me in 1968. I had hair then!

Sunspots - Friday February 14th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A =3 and K=2.

OFCOM updates

On the OFCOM website there is more earth shattering news. They now have a new chief executive and director of emerging technologies. Guess it keeps them busy.

Canterbury Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

As we were in Canterbury and it was raining, we visited the cathedral. The photo shows the cloisters. There was lots of scaffolding around.

Sunspots - Thursday February 13th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

St Pancras - NOT amateur radio

We went to Kent to see one of our grandchildren on the stage. We stopped at St Pancras for a coffee. The photo shows the roof. The Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam leave from here.

70cm

Activity levels on 70cm are much lower than a few years ago. On my website at www.g3xbm.co.uk is a page about 70cm operation. This was written several years ago and since then activity levels have reduced. Personally I think this is sad as in many ways it is a more interesting band than 2m. Tropo openings seem better than on 2m.

Kitchen view - NOT amateur radio

This photo appeared as a Facebook memory from 6 years ago. Since then the hedge has grown well, but the view is much the same from the breakfast table. We can view the windmill whilst munching our toast. It is also visible from the lounge window.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 12th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=1.

70cm activity contest

Starting at 2000z is the RSGB organised activity contest on 70cm (UKAC). As my voice is poor, I use 10W and I have no suitable antennas (I use my 2m big-wheel omni) my time is usually well below an hour. Activity levels are far better than normal on 70cm SSB and there is no compulsion to submit a log. I usually do even though I rarely work a great many stations.

Overall, it is fun. To me, this is how contests should be.  Scoring is simple and there are multipliers for new grid squares.

UPDATE 2115z: Despite my QRP and 2m omni antenna, I managed 7 QSOs in this contest. No great DX worked, but great fun for about 40 minutes.

70cm SSB stations worked this evening