Sunspots - Monday December 6th 2021

 Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 36. A=8 and K=2.

160m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 Since about 1930z, I have been on 160m FT8 RX using the Wellgood active loop on the shack window. So far this evening 85 stations spotted with the furthermost R9CS (3779km).

UPDATE 2216z: 168 stations spotted with the furthermost RK9UN (5430km). 

Setting sun, Thurlestone, Devon - NOT amateur radio

 

Tonight's sunset at Thurlestone in Devon. 

Mildenhall - NOT amateur radio

In the UK, Mildenhall is famous as a base for the US airforce. Actually it is a very nice place with some fine old buildings and church. This photo shows my wife with one of our grandchildren by the river. 

VK3DXE on the EI7GL blog

On EI7GL's blog is a guest post which makes very interesting reading. This makes the point that newcomers are unlikely to be excited by old timers on repeaters, but might well be excited by EME and aircraft scatter.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/12/guest-post-vhf-uhf-operation-by-alan.html .

Bells? - NOT amateur radio

One of our grandsons lives in London. When he is with us we seem to have got into a groove of visiting local churches so he can record the bells ringing. At first, the videos were a bit jerky, but they are now much better. 

He has a YouTube channel called "Ringer Luke". Today we went to Mildenhall (not ringing) and Freckenham that was (surprisingly for a small church) ringing. This tower has 5 bells, but 3 were being rung today, by one man!

15m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 At about 1115z I turned on my 15m gear using the Wellgood active loop on the shack window. So far (at 1137z) 104 stations already spotted.

UPDATE 1455z:  275 stations spotted.

Sunspots - Sunday December 5th 2021

 Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 35. A=8 and K=3.

Back of the garage

 

This photo was taken many years ago and shows my grandson at the back of my garage at the old QTH.

Original 10m Chirpy transceiver?

Looking through my old photos, I came across this one. 

I think it is the original Chirpy 10m transceiver. 

This was later replaced by the Lesser Chirpy as it suffered far less from chirp as if you can't guess from the name! 😉