17m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

 For most of the day I have been on 17m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far (it is now 1510z), just 1 station has spotted me on TX and I have spotted 267 stations on RX with the furthermost YB3EDD (12235km).

Village cottages - NOT amateur radio

 

Burwell (our village) has a total mix of old and new homes. These cottages are on the main High Street. I am not sure how old these are, but I guess most date from the 1800s.

Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite

Every few weeks, I give my impression of activity on the narrowband transponder of this satellite as seen by looking at the webSDR at Goonhilly. 

As said many times before, this is not a scientific look. It is more of a "quick peek" impression, in this case looking mid-afternoon on a Friday in Europe. 

My impression is activity is very slightly up on the last time I looked. There is still plenty of room.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Sunspots - Saturday March 27th 2021

Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 24.  A=12 and K=1.

Spring colours - NOT amateur radio

 

Spring has sprung as witnessed by this blossom photographed by my wife yesterday.

/P and contests

 According to Southgate News, the RSGB is to accept /P entries in contests from March 29th. They state you have to obey local Covid rules, but the "stay at home" message is to be replaced (we hope) by "stay local" in England. This would mean /P operations would be legal if local.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/march/rsgb-contest-committee-agree-to-accept-portable-entries.htm#.YF3yKiuTLrc

OFCOM plan of work

I am definitely a grumpy old man! 

OFCOM has just posted its plan of work for the next financial year on its website. If I was still working and not retired I would have been told the statement is full of "motherhoods" !

Personally, I would prefer if they concentrated on real enforcement and less on such statements.

It is very easy to criticise, but the impression this gives me is a total lack of RF knowledge and a bunch of children, trying to be "grown ups". Your views may well differ, and these are my impressions only.

As I was always told "don't judge a book by its cover".

See the OFCOM website and make up your own minds.

17m FT8 QRP (Friday)

At 1217z, I turned on the FT8 QRP  with 2.5W and the windowsill tiny loop. It is now 1222z and, so far, 20 stations have been spotted on RX but no spots of me on TX.

UPDATE 1435z:  127 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost YB8ADX (12413km). On QRP TX 2 stations have spotted me so far today.

UPDATE 2212z:  Now QRT.  Altogether, 204 stations spotted on RX and 2 stations spotted my QRP on TX.

Rainbow - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday was typical spring day with a mixture of sunshine and scattered showers. We were treated to a rainbow shortly before dark as the photo shows.

Sunspots - Friday March 26th 2021

 Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 24.  A=18 and K=1.