UT1FG/MM

A recent 2m FT8 CQ got a reply and QSO with UT1FG/MM. I am not sure where he was located, but it was good to get called by a /MM station on 2m. I did not see this station on PSKreporter. He was calling several German stations later, so I guess he is somewhere in the southern North Sea.

Not an amateur radio tower

I have never had a head for heights! Luckily, this is not one of my amateur antennas!

Westgate, Canterbury - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the 1379 Westgate in Canterbury, UK. This is the oldest intact medieval gate in the country.

We stayed near here earlier this week.

Canterbury Cathedral is covered in scaffolding.

New ICOM IC-705 video

Apart from the price, many of us are lusting after the new 10W HF, VHF and UHF radio about to be released by ICOM. In my view this will become a classic in the mode of the FT817. ICOM has tried very hard to make a radio that many of us will want to buy.

2m FT8

As it is Saturday morning, I decided to try 2m FT8.  A recent 2m FT8 CQ was widely spotted from as far apart as Cornwall and Germany . Best DX was a spot by DF6PW (562km) with 1 QSO. On 2m FT8 RX 5 stations spotted so far.

As usual, using 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 1127z:  Recent 2m FT8 CQs  have been  spotted by 14 stations in 3 countries. On 2m FT8 RX 14 stations in 2 countries spotted so far.

Stations spotted on 2m FT8
RX so far today

UPDATE 1314z:  31 stations in 5 countries spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX. An average day today so far. I suspect many of these stations are via aircraft scatter rather than tropo.

Stations spotting me today 

on 2m FT8 TX so far

UPDATE  1416z: 21 stations have spotted me so far today as shown on the map. On 2m FT8 even with 10W and the omni antenna, Germany is in reach every day! FT8 has transformed 2m for me.


UPDATE 1607z:  My most recent 2m FT8 CQ was spotted by 18 stations in 5 countries. So far today, 25 stations in 6 countries have spotted my 2m FT8 TX (10W) today.

Old Lapthorn? - NOT amateur radio

This "photo" is probably about 160 years old. It is on a hand tinted metal plate found when clearing my mother's house when she died some years ago. I had no idea it existed. She looks like a distant relative - maybe my great great grandmother. She certainly looks like a Lapthorn.

Some years ago I met a Lapthorn who moved away from South Devon (where most Lapthorn's are found and where I come from) in the 1700s: he looked just like my uncle!!

We can trace our family history back to the mid 1500s continuously and know we were around in the South Hams of Devon in 1427. We were probably around much earlier in these parts, in prehistoric times.

160m FT8 overnight

Quite a decent session with 670 stations spotted including 10 in North America plus some in the Caribbean and South America.

160m FT8 RX overnight
- stations spotted 

Sunspots - Saturday February 15th 2020

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

160m FT8

As I am now back home, I chose to go on 160m FT8. My initial 10W FT8 CQ was spotted by no-one. On 160m FT8 RX 12 stations spotted so far. A more recent CQ was spotted by 2 G stations. As usual, I am using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1740z: Now 67 stations spotted on 160m FT RX. Best DX is RW0AR (5585km).

Rallies

My apologies if the rally data is hard to read. In the last few weeks the text I simply import has a white background that many users find hard to read on a web browser. Manually, I could attempt to change this, but it is too time consuming.


Saturday 15 FEBRUARY : BALLYMENA ARC RALLY

Ahoghill Community Centre, 80 Cullybackey Road, Ahoghill BT42 1LA. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £3. There is free parking on site. There will be traders a Bring & Buy and a prize draw will operate. Light refreshments will be available. Tables are free but must be pre-booked by email to HKernohan@aol.com. More details from Hugh, GI0JEV on 0282 587 1481.


Sunday 16 FEBRUARY : RADIOACTIVE RALLY

Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire, CW5 5DG. Free car parking, doors open 10.30am. There will be a Bring and Buy, as well as traders and an RSGB book stall. A single raffle ticket is included with the entrance programme; additional tickets available. Catering is provided on site. Contact Stuart Jackson on 0788 073 2534.


Sunday 16 FEBRUARY : LOMOND RADIO CLUB BRING-n-BUY EVENT

John Connolly Centre, Main Street, Renton G82 4LY. Doors open at 10am. There will be a Bring & Buy, traders and refreshments will be available. Contact Bill at mm0elf@blueyonder.co.uk.


A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/