Springtime - NOT amateur radio

Spring is a lovely time of year with fresh green leaves, spring flowers, young birds and new life. It is ephemeral and soon goes.

Our local churchyard is at its best. A little while ago the daffodils were out. Now the horse chestnut trees are looking splendid (see photo). These were planted in memory of the battle of Trafalgar many years ago.

Oscar 100 - is there a problem?

Activity at 1100z on Oscar 100

Usually, I check narrowband activity on the geosynchronous satellite by looking at the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall, UK. The last time I checked (0935z) there was no activity at all!! Since then just one station has appeared. At the moment, there are a few more, but not many.

So, activity seems very low. With lockdowns, I was expecting more activity. It looks like the novelty has worn off. Once the gear is in place, many users are saying, "fine, done that" and going QRT.  Like Echolink and repeaters, what is the challenge? After all, it is really just another repeater, if a lot simpler and smaller than a big beam, kWs and a big tower. Once you have worked one station the rest are "same as".

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

6m FT8

My 6m FT8 gear is on again. 14 stations have spotted my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni, but I have only spotted 2 stations so far. No QSOs yet.

UPDATE 1000z: 17 spots of me so far, but no QSOs. My usual technique is to call CQ and reply to the first station calling me. I rarely call others calling CQ. I know this gives me fewer contacts, but I like to see where I am getting.

UPDATE 1254z:  37 stations, all EU, have spotted me so far on 6m FT8 TX. On RX just 8 stations spotted so far. I am sure that better equipped stations will be able to do much better, but I am happy to see results with my little station (FT991A at 10W, V2000 vertical omni, cheap CB coax).

UPDATE 1520z: 72 stations spotted today here, so far, on 6m FT8 RX. On TX 59 stations have spotted me and I have had 1 QSO with an EA4.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

A few minutes ago (it is now 0916z) I turned on my 10m WSPR beacon. So far just G4KPX (14km) spotting me.

UPDATE 1250z:  Still just G4KPX spotting me.

UPDATE 1505z: Also being spotted by several stations today by Es.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 10th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 14.  A=5 and K=1.

70cm UKAC

This evening I spent 40 minutes in the 70cm activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB with 10W using the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. In all 4 QSOs with the best being a contact with G4CLA (105km).

Ripening - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the ripening corn seen on our walk earlier. In a few weeks it will be golden.

SPAM comments - NOT amateur radio

Just a few minutes ago, I permanently deleted a comment on one of my blog entries posted today. This had absolutely no relevance.  As soon as such posts are seen they get deleted. SPAM posts have no place here. If any get through, please let me know so I can deal with them.  Most times they are deleted very fast, but some may creep through.

Moon journey - NOT amateur radio

There is a video about the Chinese satellite orbiting the moon. Some people dislike the Chinese, but they will be even more of a super-power this century.

6m FT8

So far today, no QSOs yet (0845z) on 6m FT8. So far 44 spots of my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni mostly EU stations via Es.

UPDATE 1127z:  A couple of 6m FT8 QSOs with EU stations and I have been spotted by 82 stations so far today on 6m. Most are EU with a couple in North Africa.

UPDATE 1312z:  VE3DS (5714km) spotted on 6m FT8. Sadly, no transatlantic 6m FT8 QSOs, just European QSOs so far today.