Sunspots - Sunday March 27th 2022

 Solar flux is 119 and the SSN 48.  A=7 and K=2.

Summer migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

It is fair to call me a fair weather bird watcher. I are very unlikely to look for birds in the rain! 

There have now been a couple of reports of swallows (to some they are known as barn swallows) in South Devon. The earliest I have seen them in East Anglia is April 7th. Last year there were very few.

Already returning chiffchaffs can be heard and sand martins seen in Devon.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/.

Dipole calculator

In the next few days, I have to make a dipole for the 8m band on which I have special permission to TX for 12 months. At my QTH, the most suitable antenna is a simple wire dipole. You may be interested in this calculator.

See https://www.wireantennas.co.uk/dipole-calculator . 

Burwell ( Lincolnshire) - NOT amateur radio

We live in Burwell, Cambridgeshire. There is a much smaller Burwell in Lincolnshire shown in the photo. 

UK 8m permits

As I understand it, 3 people in the UK have already got 8m TX permits. Others could follow. 

The coming Es season could be interesting. Certainly at least 2 will be on FT8 and a single USB dial setting will be needed, so just monitoring this should help with reports and QSOs. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/8m-band .

Spring in the garden - NOT amateur radio

The last few days have been warm and sunny, so we have done some jobs in the garden and had some meals in the sunshine. 

Later next week it is expected to be much colder! 

Norwich tapas - NOT amateur radio

Tapas, as far as I know, is a Spanish invention. Instead of a large meal, you are served several small dishes of your choosing, all of which you can share. We had a lovely tapas lunch in Norwich yesterday and the price was extremely reasonable. I was just about to pay a tip when I was told the bill included the tip!

See https://www.dontxoko.com/ .

Medieval manuscript - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we went to Norwich on the train. It is about an hour on the train. This medieval book was on display in St Peter Mancroft church in the centre of the city.  Amazing to think this was done by monks by hand many hundreds of years ago.

2m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

It is now 0930z. After a brief TX period with 2.5W to the big wheel (4 Gs spotted me), I am now RX only, but nobody spotted yet.

UPDATE  0948z:  6 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost DJ0PY (453km).

UPDATE 1505z:  46 stations in 6 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2212z:  62 stations spotted on RX today as the map shows. 

Sunspots - Saturday March 26th 2022

Solar flux is 112 and the SSN 50.  A=10 and K=1.