FT8

This digital mode is like a certain UK yeast spread: you either love it or hate it!  Sadly, I think it has resulted in less SSB activity on HF and VHF bands. For me, with my poor voice, it is ideal as it only needs 50Hz of bandwidth, works with very weak signals and concentrates activity within a few kilohertz on each band. QSOs (albeit rubber stamp ones) can be completed very quickly. It works well with lower power and simple stations. Someone estimated it is about 17dB better than SSB. That is a lot!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hf-ft8

Dad - NOT amateur radio

Before now, I have mentioned that my dad was a Pathfinder flying Lancasters in WW2. I think he hated killing innocent people and this haunted him all his life. He died in his late 60s in 1987.

Today was his birthday and he would have been 102.

At the end of the war he dropped food over Holland and helped to bring prisoners of war home.

6m FT8

This morning I am on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 omni antenna. Already lots of Es on RX and TX.

UPDATE 1058z:  My 10W has been spotted by 10 stations so far with 1 QSO. On 6m FT8 RX 18 Europeans spotted so far today.

Stations spotting my 10W
6m FT8 today to 1508z 

UPDATE 1410z:  37 stations spotting my 10W so far today.

UPDATE 1816z: 40 stations spotting my 10W 6m FT8 today and plenty of QSOs!

UPDATE 2120z: QRT.

Another funny video - NOT amateur radio

This Italian video made me laugh too. Watch it to the end.

Dawn chorus - NOT amateur radio

In the northern hemisphere it is springtime.  Because of the lockdowns in many countries, it is quieter and sounds can be more easily heard.

The RSPB has a good video on the dawn chorus for those of us unable to experience it at the moment.

Sunspots - Saturday May 2nd 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

Moxon antennas

It was many years ago that I built a simple 70cm Moxon antenna in well under an hour from an old coat hanger.  I used this when out portable in a contest and it worked well.

Moxons have been made from HF to UHF. They are easy to make, have useful gain and bandwidth, a good front to back ratio and are quite broadband. In summary, they are useful antennas.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/70cm_moxon

Lockdown humour - NOT amateur radio

With many of us in lockdown we are sharing various funny clips to keep our spirits up. This one I have watched many times and I still find it funny as it could be so true! I hope you like it too.

Coleton Fishacre - NOT amateur radio

One of our favourite National Trust places is Coleton Fishacre near Dartmouth in Devon. It is a home once owned by the a famous theatre family in the mid 1900s with lovely gardens in a valley going down to the sea. The photo shows the sea at the bottom of the garden.

10m FT8

At about 0905z I turned on my 10m FT8 gear. As usual I was running 2.5W to the indoor loop. There looks like there's plenty of Es about already!

UPDATE 1255z:  86 stations spotted so far and my own 2.5W has been spotted by 6 stations. Nothing outside Europe yet.

UPDATE 1930z:  Now 15 stations have spotted my 2.5W to the indoor loop.  261 stations spotted on RX including 3 South Americans.

UPDATE 2200z:  QRT.