160m FT8 overnight

A decent quantity of stations spotted on topband FT8 RX in the last day with 300 stations spotted including 6 in the USA, 1 in Caanda and 1 in Greenland. Still using the coax to my 2m big-wheel (10m long?) loaded with a ferrite-rod and a mains ground (see map).

Sunspots - Thursday October 28th 2021

Solar flux is 111 and the SSN 91.  A=3 and K=0. 

160m FT8 RX

As my son managed to sever my earth-electrode "antenna" whilst doing some gardening for us, I am again using the coax to my 2m big-wheel loaded with a ferrite rod "ATU". 

The antenna is under 5m at its highest and the coax only 50cm above ground at it lowest just outside the shack. I am just using the mains ground. The coax is under 10m long.  

So far this evening on 160m FT8 RX 19 stations spotted with the furthermost UA1OLM (2653km).

UPDATE 2002z: 83 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with the furthermost RW4PU (3416km).

UPDATE 2115z:  140 stations spotted so far this evening on 160m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2300z:  Staying on overnight.

OFCOM and 800MHz licences - NOT amateur radio

OFCOM is to allow mobile operators to use higher power in this band for mobile services. See the OFCOM website for details.

My main G3XBM website and video channel

A reminder that my main G3XBM website (less often updated than this blog) has far more details about interests and projects. I also have a video channel on YouTube.

Autumn in the garden - NOT amateur radio

Suddenly it is autumn. A week ago our ornamental cherry tree still looked green. Now the leaves have turned brown and with a gust of wind loads of leaves will fall. Another few weeks and it will be bare until the spring. 

This morning, before returning home my son cut my hair and took a photo of my wife and I with 2 of the grandchildren.

10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

My 10m FT8 RX was turned on about 0900z today. It is now 1025z and, so far,  108 stations have been spotted.

UPDATE 1040z: 140 stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1242z:  224 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1555z:  326 stations spotted today. Once it gets dark expect fewer DX spots.

Butterflies - NOT amateur radio

One of our grandchildren with butterfly stickers on her face yesterday. 

Sunspots - Wednesday October 27th 2021

Solar flux is 109 and the SSN 95 (pretty good). A=5 and K=1. 

Building a radio

 

This was my grandson in the shack learning to solder and building a radio. He got the hang of soldering very quickly. 

Whether he will have a lifelong hobby only time will tell.

He was thrilled that he could hear signals.