Sunspots - Tuesday May 12th 2020

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=1.  This really is the pits! Personally, I think we are very close to, or actually at, the sunspot minimum between cycle 24 and 25

Wild flower verge - NOT amateur radio

On the approach to our local farm shop there are lots of wild flowers in the verges. On the photo they are quite hard to see.

E-field probes (EFP)

It is some years since I have tried these antennas. They are RX only and can be very effective at VLF, LF and MF. Some use them on RX up to 30MHz. They are very small.

Positioning can be important to minimise man-made noise pick-up. Normally they are placed as far as possible from houses and electrical noise sources.

In the past I would have made my own but as my fine motor skills are not what they once were I have bought one from PA0RDT.

Next winter, I may erect this high up in a nearby tree and have a serious go at 137kHz and 472kHz RX. It would probably be effective on 1800kHz too.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/winter
See also https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/efp

10m FT8

Yet again, I have chosen to go on 10m FT8 with my 2.5W to the indoor loop. I have rotated the loop about 45 degrees. It has been on for about 30 minutes (it is now 0930z).

Quite a few southern Europeans spotted (Es) but only local G4KPX (13km) spotting me so far.

UPDATE 1000z:  Some signals are being spotted at some very odd ranges. As an example G0RQL in north Devon at 353km. This is usually far too close of Es and a good distance for tropo.

Stations spotted today on 
10m FT8 to 2035z

UPDATE 2135z:  With 58 stations spotting my 2.5W to the indoor loop, this is without doubt my best day this Es season. On 10m FT8 RX stations spotted in the Caribbean,  South America, Europe, Africa and Asia spotted.  375 stations spotted on RX.

New 8m beacon in Eire

Southgate News reports that a new 8m (40MHz) beacon EI1KNH is active in Eire with 20W and a vertical.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/eight-metre-update.htm#.XrkLc2jYq00

At some point, I can see some further countries gaining limited access to this band.

LinkedIn - NOT amateur radio

Having been retired for 12 years now, I have no interest in getting another job. I use LinkedIn on occasions to see how people have aged. Some have hardly aged at all, whereas others have lost more hair or gone more grey!

I get really annoyed with connect requests from people I do not know at all! One person keeps popping up and asking me if I know him - well I do not!!!

If I was actively job hunting I can understand the need for networking. As a retired individual you would think their clever software would have a way to leave me alone.

Sunspots - Monday May 11th 2020

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=0.  Very poor!

This evening on 2m FT8 (2.5W)

As it was getting dark, I switched to 2m FT8 from 10m FT8. I am always amazed how far away I get spotted. This evening 2 stations in Cornwall spotted me and I had a QSO with a local. Surely this cannot be aircraft as it seems to happen at any time.

UPDATE 2100z:  2 QSOs and 8 spots so far of my 2.5W FT8.

Pye Telecom PF1

When I first started work in 1970, my very first job was to convert the RX of the PF1 to 12.5kHz channel spacing.

Looking back I think this was a sort of test. It was set by Mike Gotch who I later found was G0IMG.  Mike was a keen 6m operator. He sadly died a few years ago.

I see there is a YouTube video of the PF1. For some time, I had a 2m AM receiver in a PF1 RX case. This was a super-regen design, but it worked well. I cannot remember what I did for the antenna.

UK Foundation Licence

Southgate News reports that there has been a large increase in interest in the UK Foundation licence. For a few weeks now, the RSGB has had on-line invigilation. I guess lockdown and isolation have something to do with this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/get-your-foundation-licence-faq.htm#.XrgKn2jYq00