Sunspots - Thursday July 1st 2021

Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 53. A=14 and K=3.

Cosy - NOT amateur radio

Every year we make a poster to help us remember the year past. We put this in our kitchen so we can enjoy it every day.  Our kitchen is cosy rather than "posh".

10m (my favourite band)

My favourite band is 10m (28MHz). This is getting good again after a few poorer years. Recent licencees may not realise just how good it can be. 

Modes like FT8 may come into their own in solar cycle 25, although just a simple antenna and a few watts of SSB is all that may be needed to work the world. 

On WSPR I have been spotted in every continent (including Antarctica) with 500mW and a low wire antenna on 10m in the last solar cycle.

Don't forget that 10m Es (to about 1500km) is often good from April-September at any point in the solar cycle. 10m can also be useful for local natters.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/10m-operation .

10m FT8 RX

Since before breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop. It is now 0828z and, so far today, 55 stations have been spotted. 

UPDATE 0940z:  105 stations spotted on RX so far.  As well as Es, I think there is some F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1305z: 255 stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1530z: 348 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today (see map).

UPDATE 1810z: 593 spots so far.

UPDATE 1947z:  677 stations spotted.

V2000 vertical omni issues

For several weeks I have had issues with my V2000 omni which I use on 6m, 2m and 70cm. 

G3TFX has been investigating and it looks like the main issue is the coax. The antenna had some moisture in, but this has been removed. I need fresh coax.

In the interim I was hoping to use my VX2 handheld out portable for the Cambridge club net on 145.55MHz FM (2m) this evening. However I cannot find the charger! 

Morning walk 2014 - NOT amateur radio

After my long stay in hospital following my stroke I used to do a short walk most mornings. 

This photo from 2014 shows me just back. I look far thinner and the hedge that is now big and thick, looks tiny. 

Sunspots - Wednesday June 30th 2021

Solar flux is 93 and the SSN 56.  A=5 and K=2.

England v. Germany (football) - NOT amateur radio

England played Germany in the knockout stages of the delayed Euros at Wembley. For the first time since 1966, England managed to win. 

Although I am not a great football (soccer) fan, I watched the game, as did many in England. 

After the last year or so, we deserve a bit of good news.

5T5PA Mauritania

This station in West Africa is always a consistent 10m signal, even with my indoor loop.  I have no idea what power and antenna they use.

Odd clouds - NOT amateur radio

These odd clouds appeared as a FaceBook memory from 2019. I was wondering if they were fribratus clouds? Let me know what you think. I cannot remember what the day was like.

This was "our" windmill seen out the window.

See https://whatsthiscloud.com/cloud-species/fibratus/ .