10m WSPR QRP TX (Monday)

At 0928z, my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on. No spots yet today. As Es spots are now far less frequent, I expect my best chances will be later with F2 propagation. 

I am tempted to try 10m FT8. If I do this it means I have to go QRT on 8m as I shall need the PC, that I do not need with WSPR.

8m experiment (Monday)

As our visitors have gone out, I have turned on my QRP 8m FT8 on 40.680 MHz USB dial at about 0927z. No spots.  

I am getting the distinct feeling that there are fewer 8m FT8 monitors now the Es season is largely over.

UPDATE 1450z: No spots all day RX or TX on 8m FT8.

Bell ringing obsession? - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows our grandson outside Girton Church just before he rang the bells. 

Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite

Every few weeks I take a peek at the narrow-band transponder of this satellite. No real change. The last peek was mid-afternoon on a Sunday afternoon in Europe at 1316z. 

If the IC-905 ever makes it to market, I wonder if this will make any impact on activity?

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Sunspots - Monday August 29th 2022

Solar flux is 131 and the SSN 79.  A=15 and K=3.

UPDATE 1642z:   Apparently the very high solar flux readings were in error.

Cambridgeshire churchyard - NOT amateur radio

 

This was in Girton churchyard earlier. Girton is on the northern edge of Cambridge. Years ago, it would have been a separate village.

Our grandson was ringing bells here this morning. We were in the churchyard.

QRT

As we have visitors until late tomorrow, I am being "sociable", so I have gone completely QRT with everything turned off. This means I am unlikely to be on 10m WSPR or 8m FT8 until late tomorrow.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Sunday)

My 500mW WSPR TX beacon was turned on about 0948z. No spots of me yet.

UPDATE 1035z:  Spotted by an OH and SM station many times. I have noticed several times that more northerly stations spot me, or are spotted, more often later in the Es season. I wonder if this really is the same mechanism?

UPDATE 1308z: 5 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today.

8m experiment (Sunday)

 As we are out taking our grandson to film some bells until about 1000z, I shall not be on until we get back. As the main Es season has ended, I shall hope to catch a brief Es opening or some F2 when I go on 40.680 MHz USB dial QRP FT8 later.

UPDATE 0948z:  Gear now on QRP FT8 8m TX.

VLF E-field probe?

 

This photo was taken some years ago. I think it shows my VLF E-field probe.  It is just possible it was the VLF loop pre-amp as they looked very similar.