Sunspots - Tuesday August 10th 2021

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=2.

Low cost Oscar 100 transverter?

Steve G1KQH has brought my attention to an article in an Indian newspaper. According to the article, a group of amateurs in India is working on a low cost transverter for this geosynchronous satellite. I have no idea about cost or availability.

Oscar 100 provides wide DX coverage at any time, needs a small fixed dish, no QSB, no noise, no tower, no rotator, no linear and very neighbour friendly. Just think you could be chatting on SSB to stations in Thailand, Europe or Brazil without the neighbours even being aware!

Oscar 100 has suffered from a lack of activity and I am quite surprised that one of the big manufacturers has not offered a simple solution by now. For £1k they could do a "black box" solution that could be widely sold. 

Many are put off as it is "too hard".

Competition? - NOT amateur radio

One of my friends said that shopping at Waitrose was an experience. It is certainly not the lowest cost! 

An Aldi (budget supermarket) has recently opened nearby, but, so far, has not really affected sales. 

In fact Waitrose has invested in a new café and redesign hoping to capitalise on the shopping "experience." The photo shows the car park earlier. 

My wife insists on going there. I'd go to Aldi and get the same for less. Darn the experience!

Newmarket (the home of horse racing) - NOT amateur radio

Most of our grocery shopping is done in Newmarket, about 6km away. 

It is world famous as the home of horse racing.  In Newmarket everything stops for horses! It is rare to go there and not see horses!

The ones in the photo were out for their morning exercise on the heath.

The Es (sporadic-E) season is NOT over!

With 17 stations already spotted on 6m FT8 and 2 stations already spotting my 10m WSPR this morning, I can only conclude that the Es season is not over! 

Yes, things may be more sporadic, but for those sticking with it, there is still Es activity around. Often lack of activity is mistaken for "dead" bands when actually there is propagation. Look how often 11m CB is busy when 10m seems quiet.

UPDATE 1208z:  30 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX. 4 stations have spotted me on 10m WSPR TX.

10m WSPR TX at 500mW (Monday)

As usual, I am on 10m WSPR TX again at 100%. Nobody has yet spotted me, although I have not been on long and this is not too surprising.

UPDATE 0853z: 1 spot so far today by DJ9PC (825km).

6m FT8 QRP (Monday)

Stations spotted
by 1033z

After a very brief TX period with 2.5W to the V2000 vertical (3 UK spots), I am RX only on 6m FT8. No spots yet. 

You get the feeling that, apart from a few dedicated stations, many are deserting 6m again now the main Es season is drawing to a close. Maybe there will be some Es spots later?

UPDATE 0857z: With 16 stations so far spotted this morning, there is clearly plenty of Es activity.

UPDATE 1549z:  40 stations spotted on RX today. 

Sunspots - Monday August 9th 2021

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 11. A=5 and K=1. 

10m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

Since about 1814z, I have been on 10m FT8 with 2.5W QRP. 

On RX, 21 stations were spotted and I have been spotted by 7 stations on TX. This looks like Es. Judging by activity levels it looks like many have assumed the Es season is over. 

This is where FT8 could be really worth monitoring.  Es openings may be less frequent, but when they occur they can be as good as in the peak Es season.  Having an FT8 (or WSPR) monitor on all the time could allow fleeting openings to be spotted.

Burwell Lode - NOT amateur radio

Burwell Lode runs from the River Cam to the village. They are man-made a bit like canals. The Lode to nearby Reach was built by the Romans about 2000 years ago. Reach was once an important port.  At one time they carried commercial traffic like coal, although these days it is mostly leisure traffic like canoes and narrowboats with hardly any commercial traffic.