Plans for today (Friday)

My current plans are to go on 10m FT8 RX for most of the day and maybe 8m QRP FT8 TX later if things look promising. 

I must remember to go on 10m WSPR then as the antenna will be free and the PC will not be needed. Usually, I forget this!

Common darter (I think) - NOT amateur radio

We saw this some years ago I think this is a common darter, but I am no expert! 

Sunspots - Friday October 7th 2022

Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 139.  A=18 and K=4.

Optical communications 2012

10 years ago I got 3 phlatlights from the USA with the intention of doing more "over the horizon" (NLOS) optical tests at 481 THz. Then my stroke got in the way. There are 3 in the drawer unused. 

Norwich - NOT amateur radio

Norwich Cathedral
West Window

We went to Norwich by train today. We like Norwich a lot. On the train with our senior railcard, it is probably as cheap going by train. I enjoy trains as you can just sit back and enjoy the journey. 

We went to the market, up Tombland Alley,  down Elm Hill, in the cathedral and a nice walk beside the River Wensum where Caen stone was brought up years ago from France to build the cathedral.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

We spent the day in Norwich, but I turned on 8m FT8 QRP shortly after we got back at about 1630z.  At 1827z no spots.

HF conditions

We can all agree that HF conditions are good on the whole. The higher HF bands are suitable for worldwide contacts and conditions are likely to get better still as we run up to the next solar maximum. At the moment this is forecast to be over a year away still. Bands like 15m, 12m and 10m are good again.

You may get some ideas from my Pipit 15m rig that dates from about 30 years ago.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/15m-qrp-cw-pipit .

Sunspots - Thursday October 6th 2022

Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 151. A=14 and K=3. 

2m FT8

A few minutes ago, (about 1715z) I turned to 2m FT8 RX.  

There is an RSGB FT8 activity contest starting at 1900z, but I think there is a European contest earlier.

UPDATE 2021z:  86 stations spotted on 2m FT8 this evening (see map). I was spotted by 5 stations with the furthermost G7RAU in Cornwall.

2m RX this evening

After the rain - NOT amateur radio

We have just had a rain shower passing through. This is the windmill after the shower. The windmill is right next door. This photo was taken from the kitchen window.