Sunspots - Tuesday August 30th 2022

 Solar flux is 131 and the SSN 87.  A=14 and K=2.

10m FT8 QRP

 At about 1350z, I QSYed to 10m FT8 from 10m WSPR. It seems very quiet with no spots on 10m FT8 RX or TX.

UPDATE 1447z: Just a single spot by local G0LRD (26km) of me on QRP TX with PA2WDR (280km) on RX. I am quite surprised.got

UPDATE 1607z:  ZD7BG (7606km) spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1732z:   Unless things dramatically improve, today has been terrible on 10m here.

UPDATE 1936z: It got no better. Apart from the ZD7, just 2 Gs spotted. Basically dreadful!  Now QRT.

Free Scrapbook PDF reminder

This is just a reminder that my G3XBM Project Scrapbook is available as a free download. 

You can just look at it online or, if you want to, download it and print off. You could always just print off what you want. I want no money for this. I just want people to realise our hobby does not have to be expensive at all, and experimentation is fun.

Girton, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

One of the nicest churches we have visited with our grandson bellringing is Girton, just to the north of Cambridge. I would go as far as to say the churchyard was lovely and very peaceful and perhaps one of the best.

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.