Hope - NOT amateur radio

We usually have a good show of daffodils under the trees in our close. Snowdrops are appearing everywhere now and these daffs are now pushing through. In a few weeks time, they will look great. Winter is still here, but there are signs of hope and new life.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Since just before lunch, I have been on 10m WSPR QRP TX with the W5OLF beacon. So far, 3 unique stations spotted.

Whenever I go on 10m WSPR QRP TX, I seem to get spotted by much the same stations. Local G4KPX always gets me if he is about as do a couple of stations in the Canary Is. Occasionally I get spotted in S.America. Rarely, others spot me. 

In the last solar peak I was copied across the planet. However, more people seem to have swapped to FT8 for weak signal communications. There is more 10m WSPR than I was expecting though. If the 10m antenna is available, I go on 10m WSPR TX.

8m NoV - zzzzz

A week ago I got an email from OFCOM saying someone was chasing my 8m NoV application submitted last October. 3 weeks after chasing them I have had no progress update - zzzzzz. 

If I was offering them £2M for a mobile phone licence I would have probably heard by return in October.

How can you be impressed by such shabby customer service? In my working life I was told customers are our most important asset. Such service from OFCOM would (rightly) get someone the sack. 

Optical beacon

This photo shows my optical beacon built 10 years ago. I still have it. 

160m FT8 RX in the last 12 hours

Overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX with the non-resonant 10m antenna. In all 499 stations were spotted, but fewer USA stations than I expected. 

Sunspots - Saturday January 29th 2022

Solar flux is 113 and the SSN 77.  A=8 and K=4.

160m FT8 RX

This evening, I am on 160m FT8 RX using the 10m antenna. So far (at 2117z) 355 stations spotted with the furthermost HS0ZNR (9696km).

UPDATE 2220z:  428 stations spotted including 1 in the USA.

Ely market - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the market square in Ely not too far from here. Sadly, there are too many 1960s buildings around, which would not be allowed today.  I suspect if they had been developing the square today they would have chosen designs much more in keeping.

The famous Ely cathedral is very close to this spot.

Soon be spring - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken in Cambridge earlier today. Spring is not far away. 

Me?

This could be me in the early 1960s.