Sunspots - Friday September 11th 2020

 Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=1. 

Rose Crescent - NOT amateur radio

Rose Crescent is a car free street in Cambridge. Usually it is thronged with foreign visitors at this time of year. This year many are staying away. It still looks good. 

Sunspots - Thursday September 10th 2020

 Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=1 and K=0.

Covid-19 videos - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago I was recommended the YouTube videos made by Dr John Campbell as a good source of data on Covid-19. Although I have only watched some, these do seem to be a good place to find decent data. As an example see the latest video.

 

17m FT8 RX

At the moment (0812z) I am on 17m FT8 RX using the small indoor loop antenna. One spot of a station in European Russia so far RA9DZ (3795km).

UPDATE 0952z:  13 stations spotted so far with RW0CR (8024km) in the Far East as best DX.

UPDATE 1837z:  42 stations in 4 continents spotted today on 17m FT8 RX so far.

UPDATE 2052z: 50 stations in 4 continents spotted on 17m FT8 RX in the last day. QRT soon.

D-star internet access?

OK, I admit my ignorance. 

My question is, "can I access D-star using a computer only?". 

At present I have no D-star equipped radios and was wondering if, like Echolink, one can access it using a computer? If you know the answer, please let me know. 

As far as I know for DMR this is not possible.

Hard times ahead?

For a long time I have expressed my concern about the future of our hobby. One of the first things could be dealers stopping adverts. This may already be happening (see link). 

With fewer adverts, national magazines will struggle. Amateurs will (on average) get older still and buy fewer radios. More dealers will close. Some will leave the amateur market. Magazines will get fewer and those that remain will be smaller.

The very nature of our hobby will change. It has already started.

One thing to be aware of is warranties. If a company ceases trading will warranties still be valid?

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/september/waters-and-stanton-advertising.htm#.X1imeWjYq00

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we went to Cambridge shopping. Compared with normal there are few foreign visitors. Streets that are normally busy with Far Eastern visitors are quiet. Let's hope this get back to normal in 2021.

North Norfolk Railway - NOT amateur radio

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of 11 years ago at the North Norfolk Railway in Sheringham. It shows my wife with one of our grandchildren who becomes a teenager in a few weeks. 

Sunspots - Wednesday September 9th 2020

 Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.