Sunspots - Saturday May 21st 2022

 Solar flux is 166 and the SSN 109.  A=12 and K=3.

Rally

The Dunstable Downs RC rally is in Stockwood Park, Luton this Sunday May 22nd. Check before travelling if there is any uncertainty.

Corfu - NOT amateur radio

We're having a week in Corfu. We have not been abroad since 2019. Everything seems normal again. 

The first photo shows the view looking from our hotel room. The collage shows scenes from Corfu Town. 

Well, someone has to do the hard tasks!! 😉😉

Solar peak - better than we thought?

The recent solar data (flux and sunspots) are better than expected. Does this point to maximum greater than we expected? I hope so. Are we heading for a peak higher than 200?

Sunspots - Friday May 20th 2022

Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 154. A=10 and K=2.

8m DX

The better equipped 8m stations have been getting spots from a very long way away such as Argentina, Chile, South Africa and off Angola. With my low ERP I think this will be well beyond my expectations. 

My experiment is to find out what is possible with low ERP QRP and modest, low wire dipoles. So far, my conclusions on FT8 and WSPR is that locals and Es stations can spot me, but I have had no success, so far, with other G stations on 8m. 

By the way, FT8 or WSPR were used for these DX spots.

The favourite spot seems to be 40.680 MHz USB dial and the favourite mode FT8.

In my view, it seems a pity that all beacons don't have FT8 as part of their cycle and were all at 40.680 MHz USB dial so they all could be monitored 24/7. Of course they would all be on different audio spots so they were separated.

Imagine the excitement of seeing the spots after you'd been out of the shack for a while! I suspect if they were all on a single dial setting then more would be spotted at unusual times.

Birketts

Many will have bought components from John Birkett in Lincoln. Sadly he has died at aged 93. I have no news about the shop, but I saw it in Lincoln last September. I hope his family carries on the business. 

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2022/may/john-birkett-g8opp-sk.htm#.YoYAHo7MLrc .

Sunspots - Thursday May 19th 2022

Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 147.  A=7 and K=3.

Jay W5OLF

Although I have tried to email him on 3 occasions, I have not had any response. Does anyone have any news please? 

RF-zero

This is an Arduino based unit that can be used from well below 10 kHz to 300 MHz. As it stands, it can be used as a beacon with 20mW output. Before today, I had not heard of it. Sadly, it is out of stock due to the worldwide shortage of semiconductors. 

I guess a PA could be added to reach a higher power out for a beacon for example.

See https://www.rfzero.net/ .