Sunspots - Monday April 20th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=2.  G1 storm level. Basically poor.

Something for the weekend

As usual, Martin Lynch has some "something for the weekend" offers. As far as I can tell, there are no great bargains here. Prices seem quite high and this appears just another way of marketing their offers.

The IC-7300 still remains at the same (inflated?) price. I get the feeling this is "market priced" i.e. priced at what the punters are prepared to pay. I am unsure if this is what ICOM is ordering. The true price would be well under £1000.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

Quiet beaches - NOT amateur radio

My brother has just sent me this picture of a beach he has just cycled to in South Devon. Normally the beach would be busy on a sunny Sunday. This is where I came from.

New perspectives - NOT amateur radio

One thing recent Covid-19 events have taught all of us is that what we may have thought important in our lives turn out to be not important at all.  All of us has had to re-assess what really matters.

I expect for many of us, life will never be quite the same ever again. My hope is that this will lead to more compassionate societies. Certainly, in most people recent events have brought out the best in people with many showing great kindness.

Guernsey special event station

Southgate News reports that there will be a special event station on Guernsey to commemorate its liberation. Thus will be active in May.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/april/guernsey-special-event.htm#.Xpww92jYq00

Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite

Every few weeks I report on occupancy of the narrow-band transponder of this satellite. I take a look at the BATC web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall.

My very unscientific look just now shows little change. It is still far from crowded. The satellite has been working for over a year now and allows real DX QSOs without QSB at any time. I guess the lack of "black box" rigs is keeping numbers down.

My dad 100 years ago - NOT amateur radio

This picture shows my dad almost 100 years ago. It looks posed for the cameraman. I think he was a sea scout, but I think this was later in his childhood.

Later, he became a Pathfinder in Lancasters flying at night in WW2 over Germany. He must have been terrified every night. One of my greatest regrets was not speaking with him about this before he died in 1987. I think he hated the war really.

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

We have just got back from our "lockdown" walk around the village. We saw very few people and those we did were very considerate so we passed with plenty of space. In all, we walked about 3.6 miles.

It's funny - because we have to we have probably walked more recently than we would have done! In the past, we would probably thought of some excuse. Everyone says "hello".

A very common bird around here is the goldfinch. These are often seen and not heard. They are very attractive birds. They often fly in groups and like thistles.

10m FT8

The last few days have been poor with no Es seen here. Yesterday I was spotted by 5 G stations and no-one else. Everything was turned on today (Sunday) at about 0750z.

UPDATE 1106z: Just 2 local G stations have spotted me so far today and nothing yet spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1320z:  Judging by the number of EU stations monitoring 10m FT8 RX, it looks like they are after Es! No Es or F2 DX seen here today so far.

UPDATE 1718z:  Some Es to Italy around teatime on 10m FT8 RX. So far today, just the 2 G spots of my 2.5W

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

These tulips were seen on a recent walk.