Sunspots - Tuesday May 19th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

OFCOM appointment

I am sure you have fallen off your chair hearing the latest news from OFCOM. Alison Marsden has been appointed Director of Content, Licensing and Enforcement.

See the OFCOM website for the details.

Wild flowers - NOT amateur radio

Today is housework day and a trip to the local farm shop for some shopping. On the way to the shop are lots of wild flowers as in the photo. The shop was very quiet.

Living in the moment - NOT amateur radio

In these odd times for most of us it is hard not to be experiencing some sort of stress or anxiety. One thing that I have found helps is living in the moment. We can spend our lives worrying or just enjoy the little things all around us now that make us happy. Luckily, for most of us in the northern hemisphere, it is spring, so any walk brings us blossom and new green. It is surprising what you can see or hear on a short walk.

Strangely, I have noticed more things locally that have given me pleasure than before the lockdown! All I can advise is keep your eyes and ears open and say to yourself, "that is lovely" or similar. You may be surprised.

Antenna ideas

With lockdowns and sunny weather, many people are thinking about outdoor work and antennas. There are several books on this, some of which are online I think. You may get some ideas from my web pages.

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

Wireless power transfer (WPT) - NOT amateur radio

As more and more people convert to electric cars, charging them may become more of an issue. WPT may become widely adopted in the years ahead. How this is done could result in the LF and HF bands becoming widely polluted.

Southgate News has a piece on the IEC rejection of proposals to some ideas. Over time, I can see this becoming more of an issue, especially if cheaper solutions are obtained from abroad and policing of what is imported is poor. You have only to think of switched mode power supplies with inadequate filters to cut costs.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/wireless-power-transfer-cis-b-737-cdv-rejected.htm#.XsI-PijYq00

6m FT8

Yesterday was a good day on 6m FT8. I went QRT at bedtime so missed the chances of any transatlantic DX overnight. As yet I have not turned things on (0604z).

UPDATE 0748z:  Turned on 6m gear a little while ago (10W, V2000 omni). Loads of Es already. Already spotted by 16 stations, many in southern Europe.  27 stations spotted here. Mostly Es.

UPDATE 0904z:  This is the best day yet this Es season with 126 stations already spotting me with the best being 4Z5AV (3622km). Several Asian stations spotting me today. On 6m FT8 RX 177 stations spotted here with best so far being 9K2OW (4639km). Something tells there will be transatlantic propagation later: I can feel it in my bones. People keep calling or working me!

UPDATE 0924z: Now 158 stations have spotted my 10W to the omni vertical antenna on 6m FT8 with the best being 9K2OD (4637km) in Kuwait. 223 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Several QSOs.

Spots of my 10W FT8 on
6m this morning to 1002z

UPDATE 1002z: Now 202 stations spotting me today on 6m FT8.  On RX 343 stations so far spotted with the best being A71EM (5190km) in Qatar.

UPDATE 1148z: So far today I have been spotted by 309 stations and I have spotted 610 stations this morning. Quite incredible for a VHF band. Quite a few QSOs already today.

Homemade recordings - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago I chanced upon a recording made in the 1960s. It is of my own voice recorded on the plastic lid of a coffee tin made with a school friend! This is pure analogue. My problem is I no longer have a means of playing it.

To this day, I find this fascinating, that just a large horn a piece of plastic or metal and a very loud shout is capable of recording my voice. 60 years later, my teenage voice is still imprinted.

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

Sunspots - Monday May 18th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=0.

More from our walk - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier we also saw these.