Sunday breakfast - NOT amateur radio

This was a few hours ago at Sunday breakfast. It tasted good.

10m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

Shortly, I intend to go on 10m FT8 again with 2.5W for a few minutes, and then RX only. Let us see what the day brings.

UPDATE 1114z:  2 stations, both Gs, spotted my TX and, so far, 29 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost R9LY (4063km). This latter one could be F2.

UPDATE 2046z: 126 stations spotted with the furthermost VP8LP (12773km) in the Falklands. 9 stations in South America.

UPDATE 2140z:  QRT. 

Shetland Is - NOT amateur radio

This is a view of part of the Shetland Is posted yesterday by a friend on 365project. 

One of the great things with this free platform is peeking at different parts of the world. 

In the UK we have a great variety of scenery. Shetland has few trees because of the high winds. Nonetheless, it has a certain unique beauty.

Saturday on 10m FT8 RX

Yesterday was typical of 10m RX at this time of year and this part of the sunspot cycle. There were some European stations (54 probably by Es) and just one South American. Every day is different, whereas a few months ago you could virtually guarantee Es most days.

Sunspots - Sunday August 29th 2021

Solar flux is 90 and the SSN 77.  A=14 and K=2.

Original FM broadcast band in the USA

Until recently I did not know that at first the FM broadcast band in the USA was around 42.5MHz. Later this changed to Band II. Occasionally, there are special transmissions at 42.5MHz to commemorate this. 

I do hope that the amateur service gets a small allocation around 40MHz (8m) as we could all learn so much. Even 10W or less, digital only, 10kHz wide, would be a start. I suspect this will start with individuals applying for special permits, much as is happening in some countries around 70MHz. Such an allocation would attract serious experimenters only as no commercial amateur radio transceivers cover this band on TX without modification as far as I am aware.

Photos - NOT amateur radio

If people come to our home they will see lots of photos of the grandchildren about. We have several posters up in the kitchen and put a new photo, taken a few weeks ago, on the wall in the lounge (see photo). 

x80 Rybakov vertical

I bought this about 10 years ago, but apart from a few weeks it was not used and is in perfect condition. 

For those unfamiliar with Rybakovs, these are multi-band antennas that are end fed via a balun. In most cases the auto-ATU in modern rigs can easily match the antenna on most bands. In many cases the SWR is low even without an ATU. They make useful multiband antennas. I believe there are more recent versions available. 

On HF I am almost exclusively on 10m, so this was wasted, so I have recently swapped it for an active RX loop.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/x80 .

Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, I posted a closeup collage of the dahlias at nearby Anglesey Abbey. Today, I have a shot of the whole dahlia border. 

10m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

At 0705z, I went on 10m FT8 QRP with 2.5W. I was on TX for about 30 minutes, but am now RX only.  3 stations spotted me with the furthermost F4IWN (700km). On RX just 1 G station spotted here so far G4RDC (127km).

UPDATE 1120z:  22 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX so far, all in Europe. Es still probably.

UPDATE 1440z:  40 European stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1820z:   44 stations spotted including 1 South American.