Lode walk - NOT amateur radio

As it was cooler this morning we did an early walk along Burwell Lode, an ancient waterway made by the Romans. We saw plenty of geese and swans as well as konik ponies , but no swallows.

10m FT8

Since returning from our walk I have been on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna.

UPDATE 1330z: 6 Southern Europeans spotted but just local G4KPX (14km) spotting me so far today. Thanks Richard.

UPDATE 1340z:  Now 10 stations spotted and my 2.5W has been spotted by 3 stations including a couple in Southern Europe, suggesting Es.

UPDATE 1715z:  96 stations spotted on RX and 11 stations spotted my 2.5W, mostly in southern Europe. Then I had to unplug everything because of thunder and lightning. The BBC weather forecast made  (as usual), no mention of this.

UPDATE 1802z: The storms have passed, so I have reconnected things. At the moment the storms are near Norwich. Now 97 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2138z: Now QRT.  101 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

Easter video - NOT amateur radio

This will be a strange Easter with many families trying to hook up by video rather than face to face. We hope to chat later.

Ornamental cherry - NOT amateur radio

The blossom on our cherry tree is not around for long, but lovely for a few days. I see other trees now with green shoots.

Sunspots - Sunday April 12th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2.

More from yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

This was the view at the start of the walk yesterday along part of the Devil's Dyke in Cambridgeshire

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

As it was cooler this morning we have just got back from a walk around the village. The photo shows a thached cottage on the way. We walked about 2.7 miles.

10m FT8

When we get back from our walk, I may try 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Again I shall be using the FT817ND with 2.5W. If I get spotted at all, I shall be pleased.

UPDATE 0950z:  Now on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 2.5W.

UPDATE 1307z: No spots so far today.

UPDATE 1640z: 2 local spots so far today with no DX.

UPDATE 1837z: A QSO with M0BXF (local) was the first 10m QSO this year. Some Spanish stations spotted on RX, probably Es.

Sunspots - : Saturday April 11th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.

Devil's Dyke - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we did a nice walk along part of the Devil's Dyke in Cambridgeshire. I think there is another one near the South Coast. The one we walked on is about 7 miles long and was built as a defensive barrier not long after the Romans left, so it is probably well over 1400 years old. It is a chalk path with a deep ditch. We saw few people.