70cm activity contest

As usual, I entered this competition organised by the RSGB last night entering the low power section with 10W and the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. I was on for about 45 minutes making 4 QSOs as shown on the map.

Sunspots - Wednesday October 13th 2020

 Solar flux is 72 and the SSN back to 0. A=3 and K=0.

QRP on YouTube

A recent visit to YouTube suggested there were lots of videos about QRP operating. As you know, a lot of fun can be had with low power.

See https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=qrp

Free video editing software for Windows PCs?

At one time Windows came with a free package (Moviemaker?) that allowed quite a lot of video editing. I do not think this is available free any more. What do people recommend? 

Like many, I want to send videos and video clips by email, so the main requirement is to make the videos smaller, possibly also adding titles and shortening.

The package needs to be free and easy to use on Windows 10.

Sunspots rising?

 A year from now we will look back on 2020 as a bad year. We have all been put out of sorts by the Covid-19 pandemic and solar activity has been poor. 

At last there are hints of better days ahead. This time next year the Covid-19 situation should be better and sunspot numbers should be climbing. We are in for a rough period, but thing will be better. Hang on in there and stay positive as the "sunlit slopes" await us! 

USA presidential elections - NOT amateur radio

These are getting very close now. 

President Trump has been out on the campaign trail just 2 weeks after being hospitalised with Covid-19. I have no idea what the election out come will be. The people of the USA will elect the president they want to lead them.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54516324

2m FT8

It is now 0756z.  For about 10 minutes I have been on 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. Already 4 Gs (best in Devon) have spotted me and I have spotted 1 F.

UPDATE 0850z:  Best DX on 2m FT8 RX is DL6YBF (471km).

UPDATE 1000z:

Spots of me at 1000z

10 spots of me so far with G7RAU (461km) as best DX spot so far.

UPDATE 1435z: My QRP 2m FT8 has yet again been spotted in N.Ireland, the Isle of Man and Cornwall. I remain open minded on the mode: aircraft, some other sort of scatter or tropo, but I consistently get spotted at great range on 2m FT8 every single day.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 13th 2020

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 15. A=4 and K=1.

East Cambs net

At 8pm UK time on Mondays we hold the East Cambs net on 144.575MHz FM. This usually lasts about 30 minutes although some stay on to chat longer. At least one person cannot make Monday nights, so a change of nights is being considered. 

One possibility is to combine this with the Wednesday night net held by the Cambridge club (CDARC). All in the area are most welcome.

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

 

At about 1406z, I QSYed to 2m FT8. So far just 2 spots of me by G4MSA (222km) and G0LRD (26km).  The photo shows my signal on G0LRD's grabber.

See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/

UPDATE 1455z:  GI6ATZ (479km) has spotted me.  One RX just 1 spot.

UPDATE 1612z: 3 stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX with best DX F0EYI (465km) in Brittany.

UPDATE 2005z:  QRT.