20m FT8

A few minutes ago I went on 20m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Already I have been spotted in Finland. On 20m FT8 RX 3 stations spotted so far today.

Although FT8 is still popular, I get the feeling this mode is going "off the boil" a bit.

UPDATE 1232z: I cannot believe how well this set-up works! Already 8 stations have spotted me with the best report of my 10W to the tiny indoor loop being K7BV (3897 miles). 27 stations in 3 continents spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1458z: So far today 22 spots of my 10W FT8 to the tiny indoor loop As there was a strong signal on my frequency I have QSYed HF about 100Hz. On RX 98 stations spotted so far today on 20m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1842z : 31 spots of my 10W today and 205 stations spotted.

Iris - NOT amateur radio

We went for a nice walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey in the spring sunshine. Most snowdrops have now past their best but the daffodils are looking great. This iris was on the winter walk.

Amateur TV streaming

The BATC streams quite a few ATV repeaters and other stuff. Although I have never got into ATV, it is worth a peek no and again. Ideally, it appears Flash is needed to view some streams. The photo shows the stream from GB3NV, the Norwich TV repeater.

See https://batc.org.uk/live/

Worldwide TV - NOT amateur radio

One of the external links on my website is to a place linking to TV stations around the world. Some definitely work. Watching TV from overseas can be educational.

See https://broadcast-live.com/television/englishusa.html

Sunspots - Sunday March 8th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2 .

2m FT8

A few moments ago I decided to go on 2m FT8. On RX just 1 spot so far, but 12 spots of my 10W in 2 countries. Still using the big-wheel omni antenna.

The impression I am getting is that FT8 is getting fewer people now than a year ago.

UPDATE  1710z:  Still just the 1 spot on 2m FT8 RX and 12 spots of my 10W FT8 TX. No QSOs.

UPDATE  1715z: I was wondering what effect the of the Fly-Be (a mainly inter UK airline) collapse has had on aircraft scatter?  I think not much as I am still being widely spotted. I suspect there are just fewer active TX stations.

UPDATE 1801z:  Just one QSO with F5APQ (180km). Possibly stations are getting picky: if they have worked them before why bother? 17 spots of my 10W so far today. Best DX is yet again Cornwall G7RAU (461km), but another good report from GD3YEO (384km).

UPDATE 2011z: 21 stations spotted me this evening, but 3 QSOs in 3 countries. Only 6 stations spotted here this evening.

Stations spotting my
10W 2m FT8 TX today

UPDATE 2240z: 22 stations spotting me with 4 QSOs today. Soon it will be time to go QRT. Funny how 2m FT8 looks so different from 2m SSB with the same power. I seem to be able to be spotted and worked at ranges twice that of SSB at any time. If some QSOs are aircraft scatter, there must be lots of aircraft at lots of times. I am wondering if these long paths are some sort of scatter mode in which polarisation is less important and in which aircraft are not involved? As these paths seem to work at any time, I cannot believe the aircraft scatter theory.

Oscar 100 update

Every now and then I update the activity level on the narrow-band transponder on this geosynchronous satellite. It is a few weeks since I last did this. My very non-scientific survey suggests that activity levels are very similar to a few weeks ago.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

World Book Day - NOT amateur radio

For World Book Day, one of our granddaughters dressed up as Ruby from "Anne of Green Gables", a book she is mad on!

The photo shows her about to go to school.

Cambridge Round Church - NOT amateur radio

There are very few round churches in the UK. Cambridge has one of them. These days it is a brass rubbing centre.

Years ago I used to go there, but that was a very long time ago!

Yaesu answer to the IC-705?

The pattern of recent years has been for ICOM to launch a new product and Yaesu to play catch up.

With this in mind we can expect Yaesu to launch a new transceiver at Dayton this spring to compete with the IC-705. Many were very disappointed with the FT818.

Unless they come out with a killer radio people will buy the ICOM IC-705 instead.