Zoom - NOT amateur radio

In these strange times we cannot see our grandchildren in person.

Once a week we have a family Zoom session so we can all see each other. It works well.

Yellow tipped - NOT amateur radio

My brother went for a bike ride earlier in Devon. He saw a yellow tipped butterfly (see photo).

Sporadic-E

About now it is almost like a switch being turned on. For the next few months bands like 10m, 6m, 4m and occasionally 2m will spring into life with plenty of short skip contacts. Occasionally these bands may support far more distant contacts via E layer propagation. Last year 6m opened up to Australia!! Anything is possible.

Spring - NOT amateur radio

Pretty sure this photo was on some weeks ago, but I hope you don't mind seeing it again. It shows the path up to our church some weeks ago. Most of the daffodils are now dead until next year.

Hedge trimming - NOT amateur radio

As we are busy in the garden it is unlikely that we will do a walk today. Cutting the hedge is far more tiring than I expected. As we are trying to cut the growth back quite a bit, I am having to use the mains powered trimmer that is quite heavy.

ICOM IC-705

This rig was expected to be released in Japan about now. Many were expecting the USA version to be released at Dayton. The last reports I had seen gave no European release dates.

The last I heard was this had no internal auto-ATU and it was expensive for a QRP radio. It would not surprise me if this was even more expensive now. To my mind an internal auto-ATU is essential in a QRP radio intended for field use, even if this made the box a bit thicker. Even the option of one is better than nothing.

At least the display can be turned off. I think this was as a result of feedback.

If you have any latest data, please share it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/ic705

10m FT8 for the day

At about 0805z, the 10m FT8 gear was turned on. Still using 2.5W to the indoor magnetic loop. This is positioned on a PVC pipe taped to a small table in the shack. This is now a much greater distance from the window.

So far, no RX spots, but M0HOJ (14km) has spotted my 2.5W on TX. This should be my poorest direction i.e. orthogonal to the loop.

UPDATE 0830z:  Now 3 spots so far this morning (all local) of my 2.5W 10m FT8 TX. Reports are better than yesterday, in line with loop orientation, which is encouraging.

UPDATE 1140z:  47 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX and 9 stations have spotted me with my 2.5W on TX. So far 1 QSO with a Spanish station. The indoor loop antenna certainly works!

UPDATE 1341z:QSOs today on 10m FT8 with Norway and Spain so far.

UPDATE 1735z : 12 spots of me so far and 141 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.  All Europeans.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT. The photo shows the stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Sunday April 26th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 11. A=5 and K=2. Sunspots return.

Our walk earlier - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we did a nice walk. We went around the village as the collage shows. In all, we walked about 3.5 miles.

Chicks - NOT amateur radio

Recently one of our grandchildren who keeps chickens had some chicks born.  He actually witnessed one coming out of the egg! The photo shows him holding one.