Sunspots - Tuesday October 27th 2020

Solar flux is 75 and the SSN 17. A=75 and K=2.

Konik ponies - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of our grandchildren with a friend enjoying the konik ponies at nearby Wicken Fen. 

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 RX all morning with the loop, nothing spotted.It is now 1111z. I have just gone on TX (2.5W and the indoor loop). No spots of me so far.

UPDATE 1500z: Just European stations spotted on RX. Local G4BAO has spotted me on TX. 

UPDATE 2250z: QRT. South America spotted every time I have been on 10m FT8 recently. 

Zoom meeting

Instead of club meetings, the Cambridge radio club (CDARC) has been holding online Zoom talks. These have been very successful. The photo shows the session last Friday. 

Sunspots - Monday October 26th 2020

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 11. A=14 and K=4.

30m FT8

My loop tunes down to 30m. It may get to 40m, although I have not tried this yet. 

On 30m FT8 RX 91 stations so far have been spotted (at 1845z) with the furthermost being R6JY (3414km). One station shown on the map as Iran, may have the wrong QTH locator.  On TX 23 spots of my QRP (2.5W to the loop) so far. I think I shall have to see how low I can tune! 40m FT8 here I come.

UPDATE 1940z:  On 40m I was unable to get a low SWR so I have returned to 30m FT8 RX. So far today, 161 stations spotted on 30m FT8. 

Virtual amateur radio

Many amateurs are plagued with man-made noise. This is getting worse. One solution is to turn to virtual amateur radio where the internet replaces the ionosphere. The advantages are there are no noise problems and with an internet connection you can work the world. I am aware of QSONet and Hamsphere. There may be others. 

Echolink is not the same as this uses "real radio" for part of the link, often to a distant repeater. 

Virtual amateur radio has never appealed to me.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/virtual

Breaking BBC news - NOT amateur radio

 This has appeared on the BBC news site:

"Police are dealing with an "ongoing incident" on board an oil tanker situated off the Isle of Wight.

The tanker, named in reports as the Liberian-registered Nave Andromeda, was due to dock in Southampton earlier.

Hampshire Constabulary said: "We are aware and dealing with an ongoing incident on board a vessel which is situated south of the Isle of Wight."

The Maritime Coastguard Agency said it was assisting police and search and rescue helicopters were at the scene."

I hope this not a potential terrorist threat.

See  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-54684440

Morning walk - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows my wife and one of our grandsons off to the skatepark this morning. He could not take part as it was busy and he needed helmets etc.

UK-EU trade deal? - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, everyone's mind and the media is focused on Covid-19. It will soon be on the presidential election in the USA. 

Also going on are the post BREXIT trade deal talks between the EU and the UK. It is in both parties interest to arrive at a good deal for both sides. I am pretty sure both sides have been waiting for the other side to blink. 

What is now needed is a bit of compromise and a good outcome for all. I am puzzled why this should be so hard. The UK wants to stand as an independent nation and the EU has its own ways. As a big trading nation and trading partner for the EU, surely something can be worked out.