10m FT8 (4W to indoor loop)

Having returned from our walk, I decided to go on 10m FT8. So far, lots of Europeans spotted via Es and already 16 stations have spotted me in about 15 minutes!

UPDATE 1128z:  Already spotted by 33 stations and I have spotted 33 on RX.

UPDATE 1240z:  35 stations have spotted me so far on 10m. On 10m RX the best DX spotted is 5T5PA (3791km) in Mauritania.

UPDATE 1414z:  So far today, 48 stations have spotted my 4W 10m FT8 to the indoor loop.

UPDATE 1802z:  So far today, 65 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 62.

Early start on 2m FT8

As I was awake early, the 2m FT8 gear was turned on.  Already (at 0600z) the 10W to the big-wheel has been spotted by 18 stations in 4 countries. On 2m FT8 RX nothing spotted yet.

Going up? - NOT amateur radio

This has been said here before, but have you noticed how younger people go up at the end of sentences? If you listen to people below the age of 30 this is quite common. At one time this used to really annoy me. Then I realised that languages evolve over time, so just shut up!

It seems amazing to me that Latin evolved into modern Italian in not much more than 1500 years. The same is true for most languages. That's about 80 generations only!

DMR

One part of our hobby that I have never explored is DMR.

There are some dual band portables on the amateur market that cover 2m and 70cm with FM and DMR. I do not even know if there are any DMR repeaters in the area! It is possible that DMR repeaters can be accessed via a PC. Apparently not - you need a radio and hot-spot.

Funny, but this is one area of our hobby that really does not "turn me on". As I have said before, it is a good job we are all different. For some people DMR is a whole area to explore.

There was another excellent Zoom talk last night, arranged by the Cambridge radio club, about DMR. See the photo for a screenshot.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/digital-modes-anytone/anytone/anytone-at-d868uv-vhf-uhf-dmr-handheld-gps-pd-8616.php for an example of a dual band, dual mode FM/DMR handheld.

Clunch - NOT amateur radio

Clunch is a local building stone used in many buildings in our village. It is a kind of chalk.

It is also the name of our free village magazine that drops through our postbox every 2 months. It is A5 size and has been going since 1975, about the time we came to the village.

It is a mix of local news and adverts for local firms.

Sunspots - Saturday August 15th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

Arecibo dish disaster

Earlier, I read that one of the supports holding the large Arecibo dish in the Caribbean had broken. The main use of this 50 year dish radio telescope was for research by the University of Florida. Until this dish is repaired (no mean task) no work can carry on.

Back in the 1960s, this dish was used for amateur 70cm EME tests. Because of its huge size, it allowed access to EME QSOs not possible at the time with more modest stations. It appeared on the cover of the RSGB Bulletin. I think this was 1965.

See https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/arecibo-radio-telescope-goes-dark-after-snapped-cable-shreds-dish

Last evening on 2m FT8

Although a very brief time was on TX, most of the time was spent on RX.

There was a lift on probably as stations as far apart as Eire, Ulster, Isle of Man and Sweden were copied. QRT was at about 2215z.

10m FT8 (4W and indoor loop)

As 6m was so dire, I decided to try 10m FT8 with 4W and the indoor loop. Already an EA3 spotted on RX. On TX spotted by F4FOM (1024km) in the south of France as well as a couple of others by Es. It is now 1030z.  At the moment, 10m FT8 seems the best bet as there is still Es around.

UPDATE 1048z:  Currently spotted by 7 stations with the furthermost being R1CAA (2040km).  As far as I recall, I have not been spotted outside Europe on the indoor 10m loop, although I hspotsave been spotted in South America on the (inferior) loop on lower bands.

UPDATE 1232z:  31 stations have spotted my 4W 10m FT8 signal to the indoor loop.

UPDATE 1435z:  39 stations have spotted my 4W on 10m FT8 so far today. Still plenty of Es in evidence on 10m.

UPDATE 1543z:  No recent spots of my TX. All my spots (RX and TX) today are Europeans. Nothing (yet) from South America.

Spots of me today

UPDATE 1845z: 49 spots of my 4W to the indoor loop today. One of these supposedly copied me in the Far East an hour ago. I am pretty sure this is a European pirate.

IC-705 PSU

MyDel is producing a small PSU to go with the IC-705 QRP rig. MLS is selling it.

It is not clear if this is a linear or switched mode design. It does not have a fan.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/accessories-power-supplies/mydel/mydel-mp-705-pd-5271.php