VHF NFD

The 2m leg is Sunday July 5th. I have no idea about other bands. I shall try to come on briefly with my 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna.

SAQ test transmission

The historic 17.2kHz VLF CW alternator transmitter is making a special transmission this Sunday July 5th. This TX is almost 100 years old!

See https://alexander.n.se

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

As is normal, I'm on 10m WSPR TX. Already quite a few spots. It is only 0950z and already spotted by 10 unique stations.

UPDATE 1800z : No spots since 1254z.

Breakfast - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of our grandchildren at breakfast.

6m FT8

Apart from a very brief CQ at 10W to the V2000 vertical omni, I have been on 6m FT8 RX. Plenty of EU Es spots.

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of Iceland from 9 years ago. Generally we had very good weather and we really liked the place. An abiding memory was the lupins everywhere and the lack of cars in rural areas. We drove 120 miles and saw very few cars! Good job we didn't break down!

Sunspots - Saturday July 5th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Virtual Ham Expo

Southgate News has a piece about a virtual ham expo in August. 

I have been impressed with meetings and lectures using Zoom. The CDARC (Cambridge Radio Club) has had a series of Zoom lectures. These have all been very good. It has been good to "attend" these from the comforts of home. In my case it saved a 26 mile road trip, partly at night.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/july/qso-today-virtual-ham-expo.htm#.Xv8BjYjYq00

6m FT8

After a very brief period calling CQ with my 10W and the V2000 vertical omni (no QSOs), I am RX only on 6m FT8. So far, 97 stations spotted here and my very brief CQ was spotted by TR8CA (5820km) in central Africa.

UPDATE 1414z:  326 stations spotted here today so far with the furthermost being A45XR (5843km) in Oman.

Where I was brought up - NOT amateur radio

As a child I was brought up in Salcombe, Devon (see photo). At the time, I had no idea how lucky I was to live in somewhere so nice. I go back most years.