Thurlestone, Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows Thurlestone in Devon near where I come from. 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Sunday)

Once again I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW W5OLF beacon. It is now 1103z and spots have been received from EA8 , 9H1 and OH, presumably by F2.

UPDATE 1251z:   5 unique stations have spotted me today on 10m WSPR QRP TX as shown in the table.

UPDATE 2230z: 12 unique stations spotted me today on 10m QRP WSPR TX.

Repeating local 10mW ERP 8m local tests

As someone missed my recent local ISM 8m tests, I am repeating them again with the WSPR signal appearing at 40.6815 MHz.

The callsign at 10mW ERP will be 8M3ISM. 

UPDATE 1050z: The 10mW ERP 8m WSPR beacon is ON again. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1620z:  G4WSZ (11km) has spotted my QRP 10mW ERP many times. He is using a low 6m dipole.

Bouvet DXpedition 2023

It is a very long time since DXCC was chased.  10m DXCC was managed with QRP SSB back in the 1980s. Ever since it has not appealed to me.

Next January (January 2023), there is supposed to be a DXpedition to Bouvet. This is in the South Atlantic Ocean and is the most remote uninhabited island in the world. It is owned by Norway.  The callsign is meant to be 3Y0J (I think). DXCC chasers will be going mad to work this station. No doubt I shall stand back and leave them to shout! Can you imagine the pile ups?!! Somehow I can imagine those with big beams and big linears will be shouting very loudly! Let's hope the operators like wind, penguins and seals.

The photo attribution is the International Space Station crew, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvet_Island.

Sunspots - Sunday December 11th 2022

Solar flux is 142 and the SSN 111. A=8 and K=2. 

Bah humbug - NOT amateur radio

This was the Grand Arcade in Cambridge a few days ago gearing up for Christmas. 

At least, the lights cheer us all up at a dark time of the year. They say Christmas was originally a Pagan festival.

Frosty morning - NOT amateur radio

When I first came to Cambridge in the early 1970s, it was cold and frosty in the winter. Snow, when it occurred, usually lasted for several days. These days, snow is rare and frosts are infrequent. The climate is milder. 

These last few days it has been exceptionally cold. The photo was taken a few days ago outside our bungalow. It is extremely cold (for us) at the moment, although we have escaped most of the snow.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 Despite being on QRP FT8 most of the day, no spots.

Someone else to do 8m ISM tests locally

Another local ham is to do tests on the 8m ISM bands. 

Once the weather gets better, he is doing some 10mW ERP tests (using his signal generator) to me across the fens. Hopefully I can receive him.  He usually very strong on 2m FM with 25W. I think he erecting an 8m dipole for these tests. Antenna work needs better weather!

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

It is now 1002z. I am again be on 10m QRP WSPR with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. 

UPDATE 1023z:  2 spots so far today. It looks as if I am again reaching the Canary Isles.

UPDATE 1512z:   10 unique stations have spotted me.