Click bate - NOT amateur radio

 In the last few weeks I seem to have lots of adverts telling me (from the photo) that adding things like cola or toothpaste to the car fuel tank has "taken Brits by storm" and saved lots of money. Curiosity encourages many people to click to view. This is pure click bate and I HATE this!! 

137 kHz in 2011

 This was in 2011.

Sunspots - Saturday September 3rd 2022

Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 71. A=8 and K=4.

Sunspot cycle 25 peak

The latest predictions still show the peak of the current cycle exceeding that of the last one. The last had 2 peaks separated by about 2 years, with the second peak greater than the first.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png .

East Anglian Churches blog - NOT amateur radio

When we visit a local church (usually with our grandson ringing bells these days!) we try to update our churches blog. This week we visited Dullingham, which is about 8 miles from us.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.com/ .

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

In the end I decided to give 6m QRP FT8 ago this morning. 

The gear was turned on about 0943z.  

So far 3 G spots of me with the V2000 vertical and FT817ND with the furthermost M1ABK (70km). Nothing spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1216z: Spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost HA2NP (1482km). 39 stations have been spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Plenty of Es I assume. 1 QSO with a station in Croatia. These maps are now old!

UPDATE 1253z: 54 stations spotted on RX and 9 stations have spotted my QRP. 2 QSOs.

UPDATE 1608z:  20 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP and I have spotted 70 stations on the band. The maps below are from earlier in the afternoon.

UPDATE 1645z: The Es opening seems to be over.

6m FT8 RX

6m FT8 QRP TX

10m FT8 QRP

When I turn things on, I may give 10m FT8 QRP a go. Only if this is promising might I give 8m FT8 QRP a go.

It is some time since I last tried 6m FT8. Maybe that is worth a go?

4m TX fault

Yesterday, I tried my 4m QRP transverter on TX with the FT817ND. It said "HI SWR" on the FT817ND. Not sure what was going on, but it is probably something simple, like a dry joint. 

I was very pleased with the results yesterday on 4m FT8 RX with just the 40 MHz antenna.

If the fault really is trivial, I am undecided about the erection of a 4m halo. Such an antenna would give me access to 4m.

Shack in 2013

This photo shows my shack in 2013 shortly before my stroke which changed my life for ever. 

Caterpillar - NOT amateur radio

We went blackberry picking yesterday afternoon. On the way back we saw this fellow. 

I am not sure what it turns into. 

It was about 5cm long.