Rear garden 2015 - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows our rear garden in 2015,

Fungi - NOT amateur radio

It must be all the rain we have had, but we saw several patches of fungi on our walk yesterday at Anglesey Abbey. 

OFCOM and spectrum trading

OFCOM is talking about spectrum trading at 2.6GHz. See the OFCOM website for more information. 

Sunspots - Saturday October 17th 2020

Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 14. A=4 and K=1.

20m FT8

For about 30 minutes I have been on 20m FT8 running 2.5W to the indoor loop antenna. 

WSJT-X oddity

Sometimes when I use WSJT-X even on RX the signals on the waterfall appear smeared and I get no decodes. I have selected the default audio device. Most times this is fine and I see many decodes. When I select USB Codec all is fine. The photo shows the effect. 

I use a SignaLink USB interface with the FT817ND as I have done for many years. I am using the latest fully released version on FT8. I was not aware of issues with earlier versions. 

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

Autumn is here and the colours are changing. 

October snowdrops - NOT amateur radio

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw these snowdrops at Anglesey Abbey this morning. This is October isn't it? 

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

If you turn on the news on the UK TV or radio, you will almost certainly hear something about Covid-19. It is almost like BREXIT is not happening. 

Behind the scenes, both sides actually want a deal, despite this actually not looking like this. Those in the EU are holding out for the best deal. 

In the very end we can expect some face-saving deal that will be appear good for both sides. A no deal outcome would not be good for either the UK or EU nations.

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

Since about 0820z I have been on 2m FT8. So far (it is now 0830z) 8 stations have already spotted me with the furthermost being G4RRA (333km).  2 stations spotted on RX. No QSOs.

UPDATE 1927z:  After a period on 20m FT8, I have returned to 2m FT8 with QRP.  So far, 5 stations have spotted me - all Gs. Nothing spotted yet this evening on 2m FT8. 18 stations in 4 countries have spotted me so far today. The furthermost was GD3YEO (384km).