Sunspots - Thursday August 6th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 13. A=5 and K=1.

2m FT8 (10W to the big-wheel omni antenna)

Just before going QRT on all bands I decided to try 2m FT8.

One CQ was answered by local G4NBS (22km) and I was spotted by 17 stations in 3 countries the best being EI2FG (565km).

On 2m FT8 RX the best spotted here was PE3T (361km) of the 11 stations in 3 countries.

Optical communications

Optical RX

Until my stroke in 2013, one of my joys was building and testing optical communications gear. Although I had a successful line-of site speech contact, my "thing" was weak signal communication over the horizon.

Even without any visible signals in the sky I was able to detect my beacon from home on 481THz (red optical) way over the horizon, even though it was firing through double glazing. Had I been able to carry on, there were so many things I wanted to try including higher powerLEDs, further distances and a better tripod.

Sadly, these days I am too wobbly to do this portable work. As all the gear can be built and tested in the "back of a garage" with simple test gear, this could appeal to those interested in serious, but low cost, experimentation. Over the horizon optical work could do with attention.

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

Solar Cycle 25

It would appear we have now passed solar minimum and the long climb has started. This was reported on the Space Weather site recently. This is encouraging, although it could be some years before we see a real improvement. The good news is the up-slope is faster than the down-slope.

Freed slaves - NOT amateur radio

Until I saw this photo I did not know the back story. As a child, I was brought up in Salcombe, Devon. Most people were white, but there was one black-skinned person, who was well respected in the town as a monumental mason. I remember him well.

What I did not know was that his family had settled in the area in the 1800s as freed slaves.  I wonder how many people today, perhaps unknowingly, owe their wealth to slavery centuries earlier?

Until recently I did not know that when slavery was abolished in the UK, slave owners received compensation for their losses! This debt has only recently been paid off. There must be some very rich people today who owe their wealth to this.

Personally I find slavery abhorrent.

6m FT8

At 0744z, the 6m FT8 gear was turned on. Again using 10W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. Just a single spot from of me from G4IFX (146km) so far.

UPDATE  0850z:  Just a little early Es today with a spot of me from Lithuania. In all 5 spots. On 6m FT8 RX just 2 spots so far.

10m WSPR

At 0744z, I turned on my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon. As usual, it is using the tiny loop in the shack.

UPDATE 1238z:  3 stations have spotted me today.

UPDATE 1930z: QRT now and no other stations spotting me today on 10m WSPR.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 5th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 12.  A=8 and K=2. Looks like the more active side of the sun is rotating out of view.

2m activity contest tonight

The next leg of the 2m UKAC acitivy contest starts tonight at 1900z for 2.5 hours. I usually use 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna and stay on for about an hour as my voice is poor.

Unlike many contests, this is good humoured. Although I usually submit a log and enter the contest, there is no compulsion to do so. Many just come on as there is plenty of 2m SSB activity.

UPDATE 2050z:  In all, 9 stations worked tonight. I stayed on one hour.

OFCOM news

OFCOM has updated its Communications Monthly with the latest information. See the OFCOM website.