10m FT8 (Sunday)

At 0945z, I turned on my 10m FT8 using the FT-710. So far, spotted by 9 stations and I have spotted 43 stations after just 5 minutes.

Stations spotting me
on 10m FT8 TX
(8W) late morning

UPDATE 1342z: 230 stations have spotted my 8W 10m FT8 TX today (see map). On 10m FT8 RX 698 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1725z:  688 stations have spotted my 8W 10m FT8 today and 1485 stations spotted here. I have not seen 10m this good for many years.

UPDATE 2055z:  1909 stations have been spotted and 817 stations have spotted me today on 10m FT8 with 8W. 

UPDATE 2110z:  QRT.

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

 

Activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite are still very low with plenty of space. In my view, this satellite is a failure with activity levels way below what was expected.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/.

30 THz experiments

Isn't it great when you read about someone in our hobby doing real experiments that truly explore the boundaries? Such cases are the experiments at 30 THz and above by M0LRH and M7HBL in GQRP SPRAT 193 and 194. Their DX is crossing a field, but to me this is really pushing the boundaries. Excellent!

Sunspots - Sunday March 19th 2023

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 35. A=8 and K=3.

6m FT8 (Saturday)

As my FT-710 is now working fine with FT8, I am currently on 50.313 MHz FT8  on 6m. So far, (at 1717z) 15 stations have spotted me. On RX I have , so far, spotted nobody, despite a huge number of people monitoring 6m FT8 in Europe. Interestingly, hardy any monitors in Russia. Most monitors are waiting for the Es season before going on TX, it would appear.

UPDATE 1721z:  I guess I could go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. Don't think I shall bother.

UPDATE 1811z:   18 stations have spotted me (furthermost GW0GEI (308km)) and I have spotted 1 station. Spotting very few on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1825z:  19 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 TX (see map).

UPDATE 2005z:   20 stations have spotted me.

Wymondham (pronounced Windum) - NOT amateur radio

Today, we went to Wymondham in Norfolk. This is a delightful market town, not far from Norwich. It has a great abbey. Some of my wife's family lived here once.  It is about an hour away by car.  A friend staying with us drove.

The photo of the meal was taken last year. We visited exactly a year ago.

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

Electric cars and batteries - NOT amateur radio

We are still awaiting a breakthrough in batteries for electric cars. Lithium, used in most (all?) electric vehicle batteries is a rare earth material in short supply. These batteries are expensive and big. There is also the issue of charging.

A breakthrough may be on the way promising much better ranges, less cost, and fast charging times. Until this happens, I cannot see a tipping point when there is a really big take-up of electric cars.  Imagine - far less expensive electric cars, very infrequent charging, long ranges. It will happen.

See https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/solid-state-battery-ev/ .

A Facebook memory yesterday - NOT amateur radio

 This was a Facebook memory yesterday.

Optical tests over the horizon in 2013

This was a test at 481THz in 2013 over the horizon. 

2013 tests below 9 kHz

This was 2013 below 9 kHz. Amazing with amateur power and back garden antennas. Some of these took hours to see!