Visit - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned yesterday, we had a visit from one of our sons and grandsons. Here is one of our grandchildren playing the piano.

4m on the IC-705

Some weeks ago ICOM Japan announced that they would not be including 4m in the European version of the IC-705 as previously stated.

Enquiring into whether or not this would be included in a future firmware upgrade, they were unable to say.

They may have just run out of time or decided that making just one export version makes more commercial sense.

Sunspots - Saturday June 20th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

Visit - NOT amateur radio

Today we had a social distanced visit from one of our sons and grandsons. Our grandson's favourite meal is meat and potato pie (see photo).

Eire to Slovenia on 8m - a first

Another first for the 8m band is reported by Southgate News.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/first-contact-between-ireland-and-slovenia-made-on-the-40-mhz-band.htm#.XuyVJojYrrc

See also https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2020/06/first-contact-between-ireland-slovenia.html

International Museums Weekends - new rules

There are new rules for the International Museums Weekends coming up.

See http://www.radio-amateur-events.org/IMW/

Possible IARU-R1 8m and 5m proposals?

Yesterday, I think on Facebook, I read about the possibility of a proposal being made to the IARU about the possibilities of allocations at 8m and 5m in Region 1.

8m especially could be really interesting sandwiched between 10m and 6m.  Even very limited access at low power would be worthwhile as this is a band where real radio science could occur especially with Es and MS.

Already, these allocations are available in Eire and a few other countries have given special permission for  some to access 8m.

It requires someone to write the paper.

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

Since about 0800z, I have been on 10m WSPR. No spots of me yet.

UPDATE 0835z: Just G8NXD (447km) spotting me so far today. Odd range.

UPDATE 1945z: 12 spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR

6m FT8

For about 20 minutes (now 0816z) I have been on 6m FT8 with the usual 10W and V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, 29 stations have spotted me all within Europe. On RX 11 stations spotted here. Although some are calling Japanese stations, none are being spotted here.

UPDATE 0930z:  2 QSOs and 63 spots of me so far (all European apart from Canary Is.). On 6m FT8 RX 76 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1134z: Now 144 spots of my 6m FT8 10W with best DX being EA8BFK (2881km).

UPDATE 2040z: Now 338 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 with the best DX spot being by D4VHF (4518km) in the Cape Verde Is.. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Friday June 19th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.