Allotments - NOT amateur radio

Quite a few villagers (not me!) have allotments where they grow vegetables or flowers. I expect it is also a place to escape!  The photo shows a view of the allotments with "our" windmill in the distance.

Par End Fed antenna

Someone suggested I either build a homemade version or replace the broken EF-10-20-40 Par end fed antenna. Par antennas were made by LnR Precision many years ago and I have no idea if these antennas are still in production. Anyone know? 

My original one gave good performance at this and the old QTH. It stopped working last year.

See http://www.parelectronics.com/end-fedz.php

Thanks to Keith, I am a little closer. Apparently Vibroplex now sell these.
See http://www.vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d9176.html

Nevada sells a 30W MFJ version covering 10-40m.
See https://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/product/mfj-1984lp/

BREXIT deal? - NOT amateur radio

Time is running out. Several have said this is crunch week. Both the EU and UK say they want to forge a deal, but both sides seem not to want to compromise. Surely there is a way.

2m FT8 QRP

Yet again, I am on 2m FT8 with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. Already I have been spotted by 7 stations with the furthermost being G7RAU (461km) on the Lizard in Cornwall. It is now 1010z. On RX just 3 stations spotted in 2 countries and no QSOs yet.

Looking at the grabber at G0LRD there looks like a weak Doppler shift on my signal in addition to the strong direct signal. I guess this could be local aircraft. See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/ .

UPDATE 1140z:  So far this morning I have been spotted by 14 stations on 2m FT8 TX.  On RX I have spotted 13 stations in 6 countries with the furthermost being EA1MX (1035km) on the north coast of Spain.

UPDATE  1600z: I have been spotted by 25 stations in 5 countries so far today on 2m FT8 QRP.  On RX 36 stations in 8 countries spotted. 2 QSOs so far. 2 stations spotted were in northern Spain.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 17th 2020

 Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=0.

Antenna projects

During the next few months I have a couple of antenna projects that need doing. 

Firstly I need to get an antenna for 10m erected. The easiest would be either an dipole or inverted vee. My problem is erecting this, even though it is small. At about 5m overall length this is quite compact.

My second project is to replace the wire back to the shack from the far electrode of my earth-electrode "antenna". This should be straightforward.

Another possibility is an end fed antenna via a 49:1 unun. This should be a low impedance and multiband antenna even without an ATU. With a modest ATU I should be able to get a good match on all HF bands.

Winter colour - NOT amateur radio

In our back garden we have some winter flowering pansies to add a bit of colour. They already look cheerful. 

We have not had any real frosts yet. Last winter we had very few.

Cactus - NOT amateur radio

Every year about now this cactus bursts into flower. It is a Christmas cactus although I cannot remember how long the flowers last. 

2m FT8 QRP

It is now 1047z. I have been on 2m FT8 with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna for about 25 minutes. So far, I have been spotted by 5 stations with the furthermost being GI6ATZ (479km). I was also spotted by G7RAU (461km).  Just a single station spotted on RX.

I still find this too random for aircraft scatter. Random times? 2.5W? Omni antenna? To me, this feels like some other form of scatter that FT8 enables. Yes, some may be aircraft scatter. There is never a day when I go on 2m FT8 QRP when I don't get spotted at massive distances. For me, FT8 has totally transformed 2m.

UPDATE 1410z:  9 stations have spotted me so far on 2m FT8 QRP.  I have spotted 3.

UPDATE 1846z: 13 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 19 stations on 2m FT8 today.

Sunspots - Monday November 16th 2020

Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=0.