Every few weeks I give an update on activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. It is very low!
The only activity seems to be from Germany and these are just "59" exchanges. As far as I can tell, this is a total failure. The satellite works well, but people do not like talking through this "repeater in the sky".
It is a monocular and a zoom camera. It is available from several sources.
As I already have micro-SD cards and a USB-C lead and charger, I would only need to buy the basic camera.
At about 0925z, I turned on my 500mW W5OLF WSPR 10m beacon. So far (at 0957z) 4 unique stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1550z: 8 unique stations have spotted my 10m WSPR QRP today.
UPDATE 1925z: QRT.
Every month I take part in the 2m and 70cm UKAC activity contests organised by the RSGB. My voice is poor and I only run QRP to my big-wheel omni antenna. I am usually on for less than an hour. I also have a go at the FT8 activity contests.
Although I rarely use SSB and FM outside contests, I gather activity with these modes is down on the past. I guess there are several reasons. Firstly, people can chat for free on the internet by video with anywhere on the planet, so there is less need to use the amateur bands just for chatting. Secondly, the average age of amateurs is increasing, with the hobby appealing to retired people. Some of these are now getting infirm so less active. Thirdly, there are more digital modes not needing much bandwidth. For example, the FT8 slot is often busy, but very little bandwidth is needed.
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| QSOs on 2m UKAC last Tuesday |
Change is inevitable, but you do not just chance upon FT8 as this needs specialist software. People will no longer just chance upon amateur radio. The danger is numbers decline over the next 10-20 years unless we can galvanise the interest of younger people.
Later, I expect to be on 8m TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 with 2.5W QRP. The winter Es season seems to be in full swing, so I am hopeful some in Europe will spot me.
UPDATE 1927z: No spots. QRT.
Yaesu has announced the ending of production of the FT818 transceiver claiming parts shortage as their reason.
When the FT818 was launched, like many, I was completely under-whelmed. What a complete failure!!
The FT818 offered none of the things people had expected and that would have been very easy to do. Instead, they opened the market to others and gave us the impression of a company that had totally lost its way.
In my view they have one last chance in 2023. Based on their muddled performance in 2022 I am not too hopeful. If they are after profits, they have surely lost their chances already. Compared with, say, 10 years ago there are far more competitors. At one time they ruled the QRP market and were leaders not followers.
In my time I have owned many Yaesu transceivers. I was a Yaesu fan.
It would not surprise me at all if Yaesu left the amateur radio market within 5 years.
One of the pleasures of Cambridge is gliding along the back of the colleges on a punt on the river Cam. Many prefer others to do the puntin...
