Getting ready - NOT amateur radio

Our grandchildren love Halloween and dressing up and the games. This is one of our grandchildren earlier. 

15m FT8 RX

For about 15 minutes (it is now 1000z) I have been on 15m FT8 RX. So far, 15 stations spotted using the indoor loop. 

UPDATE 1358z:  210 stations spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX today. Best DX spotted is PP5BK (10115km).

UPDATE 1540z: Now 235 stations spotted today on 15m FT8 RX with the indoor loop.

SAQ QSL card

Many years ago I got a QSL card from SAQ in Sweden for successfully copying the historic alternator VLF TX on 17. 2kHz CW. 

This QSL card is very special. 

I am unsure what I used for the RX, probably my homebrew upconverter although there are several options nowadays.

See also https://sites.google.com/site/sm6lkm/saqrx/

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