8m experiment (Tuesday)

 Yesterday was hopeless with no stations spotting me and no stations spotted. 

As May goes on, Es should get better and more common. With my QRP, I am not expecting great things, but most active 8m stations in Europe should be in range at some time. There are also a number of stations monitoring , if not able to TX.

At the moment (0828z) I am on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX.

My usual pattern is TX FT8 in the first period around 1950Hz audio for about 30 minutes, then go on just RX for about 30 minutes, then QRT whilst the rig cools, then repeat.

UPDATE 0926z:  No spots given or received yet. Currently RX only.

UPDATE 1030z:  Currently QRT as the rig cools. Back on FT8 TX (40.680 MHz USB dial) at 1100z. No spots still today.

UPDATE 1550z:  Back on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX. My earlier attempts on 8m FT8 TX and RX have been unsuccessful today. I hope I catch some Es at teatime. It often peaks around noon and teatime - no idea why.

UPDATE  1748z:   It looks like today will pass without any 8m spots. Currently RX only.

Buttercups - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the view outside our village post office with lots of spring flowers. 

Sunspots - Tuesday May 3rd 2022

Solar flux is 112 and the SSN 69. A=6 and K=2.

Springtime - NOT amateur radio

All the seasons have their own beauty, but spring is my favourite. Everything  has a promise with new growth, new flowers etc.. 

The flowers and new growth were seen on walks recently.

GS3PYE/P

The Camb-Hams group is in Scotland again on the Isle of Skye (EU-008) until May 6th. They are being widely worked on VHF.

10m WSPR TX

With 500mW from the W5OLF beacon, I am on 10m WSPR TX. No spots yet. 

UPDATE 1523z:  6 unique stations have spotted me so far today. This looks like a mix of Es and single hop F2 propagation.

8m experiment (Monday)

 After a brief period on FT8 TX (40.680 MHz USB dial), I may try WSPR TX at 0900z on 40.662 MHz. 

UPDATE 1730z:   A very quiet day. No spots given or received. Most of the day I was on FT8, sometimes TX and sometimes RX.

Sunspots - Monday May 2nd 2022

 Solar flux is 109 and the SSN 36. A=9 and K=2. 

Quantum Mechanics - NOT amateur radio

 Quantum mechanics is hard and in many ways counter-intuitive. This YouTube video may help.

Outside King's Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went to Cambridge with our grandson. He was hoping to ring the bells in St Edward King and Martyr church which preached one of the first sermons of the English reformation. He was unsuccessful sadly as they were not ringing the bells. 

We had brunch opposite King's where we saw these postcards.

See http://stedwardscambridge.co.uk/ .