2m FT8 RX (Sunday)

Earlier this evening, I decided to go on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna. So far (2140z) 19 stations in 4 countries spotted. The furthermost is DL6BF (479km).

UPDATE 2217z: No further stations spotted this evening. QRT soon.

10FT8R 10m FT8 RX

As mentioned before, my aim, despite my "brain fog", is to build a full FT8 transceiver for 10m.  This will be done in stages, starting with the RX. 

This photo shows the original WISPY 10m WSPR RX, which I want to base the design on, although I am still looking for the actual thing. I am not sure I still have it even! At least the photo will help with pad placement. 

IC-705 and FT8

One of the things many ICOM IC-705 owners will want to do is run FT8. As I understand it, you can use the single USB cable for both audio and CAT rig control. I see there is a YouTube video about this.

Schools in England - NOT amateur radio

March 8th sees the return to school of all children in England. 

The person in charge of education at ministerial level was interviewed on the BBC and Sky earlier. One option reported as being considered is longer school days and shorter holidays. 

One of my sons is a teacher and he has had to do online teaching as well as classroom teaching. I hope they discuss proposals with teachers first! 

Yes, school children must catch up, but in most cases teachers are near burn out. Imagine being told you have shorter holidays and longer days. I can see even more early retirements and people leaving the profession. Government in the UK - open your eyes!!!

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56311723 . 

Ailunce HS2

This radio, the Ailunce HS2, costs just under £650. The adverts don't mention the power (at least I couldn't find it), which I assume is 5W.  It is available from Radioworld in the UK Midlands. 

At this price, it must be Chinese. I would be concerned about quality control and warranty, although on paper it looks good. As this is preliminary data, perhaps they are testing interest?

As I have said many times before, once the Chinese get interested in this market (will they?) the Japanese will really notice.

It is much smaller than it looks. At a guess I'd say it looks FT817 sized.

17m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

 At about 0835z I went on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. It is now 0932z. So far, 2 stations have spotted my QRP TX with the furthermost being UR7IM (2631km) and on RX 28 stations spotted here with the furthermost HL5BLI (9059km) in South Korea.

I remain amazed how well this simple QRP set-up works. Later, if I have the energy, I may try thicker wire for the loop. Somewhere in the garage is the roll of central heating pipe that I might use. Failing that, just thicker copper wire or a parallel stretch of copper wire might make things even better.

UPDATE 1208z: 89 stations spotted so far on RX.

UPDATE 1430z: 138 spots of me in 5 continents today on 17m FT8 RX.  4 spots of my QRP on TX.

Shack

This photo may have been on before. If so, my apologies.

It shows me in the shack checking the birds in the garden with binoculars. Building is done on the left and operating on the right.

The photo makes the room look much bigger than it is. 

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

Did we really have holidays? - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows a crab lunch (excellent) we had last September when we were in North Norfolk. 

Things felt almost normal. 

Sunspots - Sunday March 7th 2021

Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 23. A=16 and K=1.

They are coming - NOT amateur radio

Looking at the latest Devon bird sightings, I see that sand martins have started to arrive. These birds are among the first migrants to come.  Swallows usually arrive here in East Anglia in early April with swifts early May. The photo shows a sand martin.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sand-martin/