New Year resolutions? - NOT amateur radio

Many people start the new year with resolutions to do things differently. At the moment I have not made any plans apart from going on a diet!! 

Plans for today

Yes, I shall test my SDR later!! Also, I intend to go on 10m WSPR QRP TX and 8m QRP FT8. 

8m permit renewal?

As there seems little prospect of even a tiny 8m amateur band by NoV, I have asked OFCOM if it will renew my T&I licence when it expires in April. Awaiting a response. If it and the FCC are so dead set against an amateur band at 8m for research at least they could explain why. 

Sunspots - Saturday December 31st 2022

Solar flux is 162 and the SSN 121. A=31 and K=3.

No SDR testing today?

Most of the day, I have been busy and I have not got around to testing the SDR. Unless I get it tested tonight, it will have to wait until the weekend.

Sunspot maximum late next year?

The site I most use for data is still predicting that solar cycle 25 will peak in November 2023. This seems quite early. Certainly conditions have been good for some time now. 

Even if this is correct, we can expect solar conditions to remain good for several years. I was quite surprised how FT8 proved solar conditions were respectable north-south even when there were no sunspots. 

Often there is a second peak about a year after the first. Fingers crossed!

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Plans for Friday

 As I  did not get around to trying my SDR yesterday, my main aim is to get this going. If time allows, I hope to be on 10m QRP WSPR TXand 8m QRP FT8.

8m permits in 2023?

It would be really great if many more people could come on 8m TX in 2023. What would be helpful would be if many asked for limited access i.e. for a fixed time with limits. The reason is radio science research around solar maximum.

Please ask your local body responsible for permits for limited 8m access. The following would be what I would suggest you ask for:

1. 40.680-40.685 MHz (just 5 kHz within the ISM band limits)
2. 100W ERP 
3. Narrow digital only e.g. CW, QRSS,FT8 or WSPR
4. April 2023 to September 2023 
5. Strictly non-interference i.e.  if any harmful interference the station can be told to immediately go QRT.

This would give access during the Es season in the northern hemisphere. Ideally the permit should be for 12 months, covering the F2 DX season in the expected sunspot maximum (November 2023).

Sunspots - Friday December 30th 2022

Solar flux is 163 and the SSN 113. A=11 and K=3.

GD6ICR on QRZ.com

Mike has this excellent photo on his QRZ.com page.

See  https://www.qrz.com/db/GD6ICR .