10m FT8

In a few moments we are going for a walk, so TX will be disabled. So far (turned things on about 15 minutes ago at around 0805z) my 2.5W to the indoor loop (see earlier post today) has been spotted just by 1 local G4WSZ (12km).

UPDATE 1152z:  When we came back from our walk the TX was turned on. 9 spots of me so far today with 6 from Spain. Es.

UPDATE 1450z:  23 spots of my 2.5W so far today.

UPDATE 2029z: 261 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX including 4 South Americans. 45 stations spotted my 2.5W to the indoor loop, all Europeans. One QSO with a station in Denmark.  Now QRT.

The new normal? - NOT amateur radio

Like many, our grandchildren are now enjoying schooling on the PC. This was one of our grandchildren yesterday.

Sunspot minimum?

The recent solar data has been disappointing. We have seen solar flux below 70 now for several days. We could be only now reaching solar minimum. With luck things could be better soon, but it looks like earlier predictions may have been optimistic.

Sunspots - Saturday April 25th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=3.

10m loop improvements

Yesterday, I modified my 10m loop to make it easier to tune. The measured capacitance at resonance was just under 40pF. I replaced the 365pF variable with a fixed 27pF in series with a fixed 27pF capacitor in series with a 5-65pF trimmer. Tuning is now much less difficult and the SWR on-tune very good. A quick test was spotted by 3 locals.

Cambridge Club (CDARC) Zoom meeting

As the Cambridge club cannot meet as usual every 2 weeks, it is meeting virtually instead. The last sessions were on the local repeater GB3PI with the prior approval of the repeater group. Tonight there is a talk with slides by Gavin M1BXF which is on Zoom.

UPDATE 2152z: It was excellent.

Not on the air today

All of today, I have not been on the air. Usually I go on FT8 on some band, but today I was busy with jobs so the gear has not been turned on.

Our local church - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows a view of our local church from our walk earlier.

Vomit inducing - NOT amateur radio

On Facebook there is an advert running for an oxygen monitor. Not only is the company cynically playing on Covid-19 fears, but they have an "in stock" counter which encourages you to buy before stock runs out. If you wait, stock magically goes up!! Sickening. Should be banned.

Musee des Beaux Arts - NOT amateur radio

This morning I was reminded of W. H. Auden's poem called Musee des Beaux Arts.

Whilst an ambulance was taking an old neighbour dying of bone cancer to a hospice there were 2 young girls being videoed by mum and dad on their bikes. Life goes on.

The poem highlights how Icarus fell from the sky, but most people just carried on.

See http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/auden.html