Oscar 100 status update

A few days ago I mentioned that a couple of amateurs in India were working on a low cost transverter for this geosynchronous satellite. 

The last time I looked was lunchtime in Europe on a Wednesday. It was quiet.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Cancelled rally

 The Cockenzie and Port Seton mini rally, due this Friday, August 13th, has been cancelled.

Don't do this!! - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I managed to trap my finger in the kitchen cupboard door. As you can see, it is bruised. 

Yesterday on 10m FT8 RX

 In all, 77 stations spotted on RX in Europe, Africa, North America and South America. 

Sunspots - Wednesday August 11th 2021

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

Re-tarring - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the 200 year old windmill next door being re-tarred. It was fully restored about 8 years ago.

So far they have covered about half of it. 

10m FT8

 At 0822z I turned on 10m FT8 QRP using 2.5W briefly before going RX only. My signal was spotted on TX by nobody and I have spotted a couple of Spanish stations on RX.

UPDATE 1252z:  39 stations spotted on RX so far. 4 stations have spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 1550z: 44 stations spotted with the furthermost VO1NE (3933km).

Memories - NOT amateur radio

The mind is a wonderful thing. One of my Facebook memories today was from 2015 when a very very old memory was triggered by the sight of a small bell on a neighbour's hearth.

Church bells - NOT amateur radio

 An architypal English sound is the change ringing of church bells. 

Our local church has been silent for the pandemic, so it was lovely to hear these again last evening when they had a practice session as they used to do on a Monday. I hope they can soon ring out across the village again .

See the videos on YouTube by my grandson. Search "Burwell bells". 

Yesterday on 10m WSPR TX

Here was me thinking that 10m WSPR had been taken over by FT8!! Yesterday I was spotted by 17 unique stations (mostly Es) plus FY5KE (7110km) in South America. You will recall I am using my W5OLF 500mW WSPR TX beacon which is tiny and totally self contained.