Covid-19 humour - NOT amateur radio

There are lots of jokes doing the rounds on the Internet based loosely on Covid-19. You may have seen this before.  

Certainly mask wearing with glasses can be a problem. Luckily, I am at an age where my short-sightedness has improved that glasses are less necessary.

VHF scatter?

Stations spotting my
2.5W 2m FT8 to the
big-wheel omni today

The perceived wisdom is that long distance VHF scatter communications is due to aircraft. Time and again I have questioned this as I seem to get spotted at great distances at almost any time with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna on 2m using FT8.

FT8 works with signals that are weaker than SSB and CW and I wonder if we are able to make use of some other scatter mode? Either that or there are so many planes in the air that the time of day doesn't matter. Somehow the latter doesn't seem likely as at the beginning of lockdown I could still get as many distant spots and QSOs on QRP 2m FT8.

It would be interesting to hear the views of others.

Yet again on 2m FT8 (2.5W to the big-wheel omni)

At about 1015z, my 2m FT8 kit was turned on. So far, 2 stations are spotting me, with best DX a spot by F5APQ (180km). On RX just G3PFM (237km) so far and no QSOs.

David G0LRD, on the far side of Cambridge, has a screen grab showing what he copies on 2m FT8. This is quite useful to me as I can check all is OK. Dave kindly erected my 2m antenna some years ago.

See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/

UPDATE 1215z:  Already spotted by 7 stations with best DX spot being by GI6ATZ (479km). On RX 11 stations spotted so far.  Just 1 QSO.

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows our walk yesterday.  Autumn coming. Nice to see milk and orange juice deliveries on the doorstep.

Family history - NOT amateur radio

I have now added a page on my family history back to the 1400s. Luckily the Lapthorns didn't move very far. 

We were probably in the South Hams thousands of years ago. At some point I shall try to get further back in time.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/history-1 

Sunspots - Saturday October 10th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 24 (sunspots at last!).  A=2 and K=1.

Anglesey Abbey, Wednesday - NOT amateur radio

 

Things are starting to change as trees start to take on their autumnal colours. Most are still green, but in a few weeks most will have their autumnal shades. Then the winds will blow and most will be leafless until the spring when the cycle starts again.

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

This butterfly was making the most of the autumn sunshine when we went for a walk this morning in the nearby village of Reach.

2m FT8 (2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna)

Since 0816z I have again been on 2m FT8. Already spotted by 3 stations in 2 countries (at 0824z) with best DX F5APQ (180km) near Calais, France. Nothing yet on RX and no QSOs. 

UPDATE 1240z:  7 stations have spotted me and on RX 13 stations in 4 countries spotted with the best being DF6IW (612km).

UPDATE 1729z: 12 spots of my 2.5W 2m FT8 in 4 countries including Germany, France and Northern Ireland. Best DX was a spot by GI6ATZ (479km). QRP seems perfectly adequate.

"Your money or your life" - NOT amateur radio

If, like me, you were brought up on cowboy films on TV, this title will mean something. The mask was a favourite of baddies in the 1950s.  

It shows me last week in Norwich cathedral wearing a Covid-19 mask. 

I shall be glad when all this is over and we return to something more normal.