10m FT8 RX

It is now 1020z and so far today 12 stations spotted on R.X with the tiny indoor loop antenna.

UPDATE 1237z:  30 stations spotted on RX so far today.

UPDATE 1840z:  222 stations spotted on RX today. 

UPDATE 2125z:  QRT soon. 312 stations spotted today (see map).

PYO strawberries - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went strawberry picking. We got 4 large punnets.

As well as the fresh ones I can see a few crumbles in the freezer! Raspberries ready next week. 

Sunspots - Thursday June 24th 2021

 Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 11. A=4 and K=1. 

Friedrichshafen (Germany) cancelled

The big Friedrichshafen rally, due soon, is cancelled in case you did not know. Look out for virtual events instead. I hope it returns next year as it is an important gathering for many.

Windows 11?

Microsoft is about to make a big announcement according to Verge.  Windows 11 maybe?

See https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/2/22465126/microsoft-windows-event-june-24th .

Windows 10 is OK, but painfully slow on my machine bought 4 years ago and, it seems, always needing updates. If it is so good, why? 

Surely if it is so great, why does it not clear rubbish slowing it down and do updates quietly in the background? My virus protection is by Avast.

Overall, I am not impressed by Windows.

I have a Chromebook and it is both lightning fast and does updates and virus checking in the background. For almost everything it is perfect. By comparison it makes Windows seem poor.

The next solar peak

Jay, W5OLF has sent me an article on the next solar peak suggesting it could be good. The last forecast I saw suggested it could be similar to the last one. Sadly, I think it is too early to tell.

See https://www.unknowncountry.com/headline-news/termination-events-may-mark-the-end-and-the-beginning-of-solar-cycles/ .

10m Es

In the northern hemisphere we have the sporadic E (Es) season, which offers good QSOs on all modes on bands like 10m, 6m and 4m.  Occasionally, it is also good on 2m, but this is far rarer. Skip is usually 800-1500km.

As a child, I used to see what DXTV came through on Band 1 TV.  I well recall the lunchtime watching Midi-Pyrenees via Es on 819 lines. On a standard 405 line TV we got 2 images side by side with a black band in the middle. There is far less TV on Band 1 these days. I am not sure which countries still use it.

As is often the case, I am on 10m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop antenna. So far today, 5 stations spotted. 

UPDATE 1015z: 16 stations so far spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.  All Es I think. 

UPDATE 1450z:  87 stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX. Furthermost is 5T5PA (3791km) in West Africa. Nothing yet seen from the Americas.

UPDATE 2016z:  116 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost CE2SV (11716km) in Chile.

Call me sir? - NOT amateur radio

This stately home was a nursing home after WW2. It is where I was born. If you insist, then call me Sir Roger 😉😉. 

Sunspots - Wednesday June 23rd 2021

 Solar flux is 81 and the SSN 12. A=7 and K =2. 

Cambridge Market - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows Cambridge Market earlier. 

The statue in the foreground is in memory of Snowy, who was a famous local character who raised a lot for charity. We used to see him often.

The church in the background is Great St Mary's, the university church.