Sunspots - Thursday December 10th 2020

Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 11. A=7 and K=3.

2m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

It is now 1930z. At 1925z I QSYed to 2m from 17m using the usual 2.5W and big-wheel omni antenna. So far, 2 stations have spotted me and nobody yet spotted on RX. 

UPDATE 1952z:  So far this evening I have been spotted by 4 stations with the furthermost being EI2FG (565km).

MorseKeyer app

Just got this from Yuri UA9YRQ.

"I've recently released the MorseKeyer app and looking from radio amateurs who would like to use it. Here all the details about the app http://morsekeyer.com ".

Time - NOT amateur radio

Most of us think of time as going forward from the past to the future. We have memories of our lifetimes and ways, with book, internet and objects, to look back at things way before we were born. We take it for  granted that these memories have been forming since the day we were born.

However, this assumption could be wrong. Each day we could have new memories which we feel we have always had. Just like quantum mechanics turns our thinking on its head, so in 100 years from now we may find that time is just a man-made illusion.

4m in Iceland

Southgate News reports that Iceland has 2 years access to parts of the 4m band until December 2022. Iceland is definitely an Es hop from the UK. On 10m I have heard Icelandic stations at incredible strength indicating that the would have been workable with milliwatts.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/iceland-authorization-for-70=mhz-allocation-renewed.htm#.X9DoG2iTLrc

Fog - NOT amateur radio

Until yesterday, we have had mist and fog most days this week. Yesterday it cleared and we had glorious sunshine. It was cold and crisp, but at least it was sunny. For once this winter, our windmill next door looked splendid.

4m website

It is many years since I was on 4m.  More and more countries have access to the band, which is a far cry from how it was in the 1960s. Several commercial rigs now include 4m as standard making the band more accessible for "appliance operators". Some may argue this is a negative step!

Many of these countries are within Es range, meaning they can be worked with low power and simple antennas.

One of the best resources is https://70mhz.org/

17m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

Since about 0830z I have been on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop on the shack windowsill.  It is now 0842z.  So far today, according to PSKreporter, I have spotted 8 stations and nobody has yet spotted my QRP.

UPDATE 1226z:  76 stations spotted so far, but nobody has spotted me yet today on TX. 

UPDATE 1505z:  So far today 155 stations spotted on 17m FT8 RX, But just 1 spot of me by CU2GI (2575km) on QRP TX in the Azores.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 9th 2020

 Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 11. A=4 and K=3.

2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

Although I have been on 2m FT8 (2.5W and the big-wheel) for about an hour, no stations have been spotted, but I have been spotted by 4 stations with the furthermost being EI2FG (565km).

UPDATE 2143z: QRT.