Sunspots - Saturday December 11th 2021

 Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=3.

40m FT8 RX

This evening (and hopefully overnight) I am on 40m FT8 RX with the Wellgood active loop. 104 stations spotted by 2300z.

OFCOM and satellites

OFCOM is changing the licence conditions for some low earth orbit satellites. See the OFCOM website for details. 

160m FT8 RX overnight

 

Overnight with the indoor Wellgood loop, 308 stations spotted, but nothing from "across the pond".

17m FT8 RX (Friday)

Since about 0855z, I have been on 17m FT8 RX with the Wellgood active loop indoors. It is now 0913z and 40 stations already spotted.

UPDATE 0930z: 66 stations spotted with the furthermost RM8Y (5221km).

UPDATE 1748z:  440 stations spotted with the furthermost being VK2XZ (16962km). With just 4 more in the last hour, this suggests the band is closing or has closed.

UPDATE 1952z:  447 stations spotted. QRT soon.

10m WSPR TX (Friday)

Since about 0855z, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW to my W5OLF beacon. So far, just spots from G4KPX (14km). 

Near disaster! For almost a day the little beacon had been fully on with no antenna. Remarkably, the PA device survived this abuse. I was lucky. It was so good to see it had survived.

UPDATE 1626z: Just G4KPX spotting me today. 

Sunspots - Friday December 10th 2021

 Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 0 again. A=3 and K=1.

160m FT8 RX (Thursday)

Since teatime I have been on 160m FT8 RX with the active Wellgood loop on the shack window. So far (at 1939z) 86 stations spotted with the furthermost RN7T (3082km). 

Desk Calendar - NOT amateur radio

This is for my room. The cover is of the windpump at nearby Wicken Fen. 

UK Christmas Parties? - NOT amateur radio

With the new Omicron Covid-19 variant it would appear that this is more transmissible than earlier variants, but indications (early) are that it is less severe. For most people it presents a bit like a cold, not needing hospital treatment.

With luck, this will soon become the dominant variant and herd immunity will result in the virus subsiding. There is a risk still that hospitals could be overwhelmed, so the UK government has taken measures to slow the growth.  It seems inevitable that this variant will soon be the dominant one.

Recently rumours have emerged about parties at the UK Prime Minister's premises in Downing Street last Christmas. These have always been denied, but they are being investigated.

What seems to be true is that the UK people largely follow the Covid rules despite the government rather than because of them.

Government credibility would be higher if they always led by example.

Clearly any gathering carries the risk of spreading the virus.