Cambridge Christmas - NOT amateur radio

This was central Cambridge earlier today. It was very cold. There were fewer people about than normal. This may have been because of the cold or because there is less spending money.

2m MSK144 RX (Thursday)

 As it is the Geminids MS shower, I am on 144.360 MHz MSK144 RX using the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. I am hoping to copy some DX on 2m, probably early morning. I am told this is the best place to look.

UPDATE 2212z: DL2NBU (791km) spotted strongly.

Winter wonderland - NOT amateur radio

This morning we drove into Cambridge. My wife had her U3A course and I went shopping. She took this photo through the car window. 

10m FT8 RX (Thursday)

At the moment (1611z) I am on 10m FT8 RX. It seems wide open to North America. I was going to go on 8m FT8, but for some reason the SWR is very high.

UPDATE 1956z: 323 stations spotted so far.

8m local experiment

For several days over the last few weeks I have been doing tests with local stations to see if 10mW ERP 8m WSPR could be copied locally. In the end, 6 locals were able to get the signals and as far as I know they all used antennas that were not cut for 8m!!

My conclusion is that 10mW ERP WSPR beacons would definitely cover the local area. My own interpretation of UK ISM rules is that anyone may legally transmit beacons at 8m in the ISM band as long as they meet the technical requirements and IR2030 without a licence. With Es conditions such beacons will be copied in Europe occasionally.

My local tests have now stopped. 

Sunspots - Thursday December 15th 2022

 Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 174. A=4 and K=2.

Brrrr ... NOT amateur radio

This holly bush in our UK garden, really sums up the last few days - very cold, icy and snow. It should get a lot milder from Sunday.

10m FT8 next year

Currently, I  expect to be on 10m QRP (5W) quite a bit next year. Possibly I may also try 15m FT8.   I find voice QSOs hard these days. Many people are moving to FT8 now.  Around sunspot maximum, working the world should certainly be possible with QRP 10m FT8.

Staging post - NOT amateur radio

It appears the windmill next door is a staging post for starlings off to roost. It is not uncommon to see 100 on the sails (and a few squabbling on our bird table!) before flying off to their roost. In some parts of the UK,starlings are getting rarer. Not here!

If you look carefully at the photo, you may be able to see them starting to gather.

As you can see, still cold here - minus 4 degrees Celsius mid morning.

1896 (or 97) snowball fight - NOT amateur radio

This movie dates from the late 1890s and shows a snowball fight. It is believed to be the first movie of a snowball fight ever made.