Sunspots - Sunday April 9th 2023

Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 49. A=6 and K=0.

Soon to be obscured - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, some of the hedge on the south side of our garden was cut back. The view of the village church about 300m away is now very good. In a few weeks' time this will be obscured by leaves on the trees. 

Now this foliage is cut back I want to replace my earth-electrode "antenna". In a few weeks this will be much harder.

Next door - NOT amateur radio

This fully restored windmill is right next door. Our hedge in front!

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My 10m FT8 with the tiny QDX transceiver was turned on at 0835z.

UPDATE 1140z: 149 stations spotted and 42 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP today with the QDX.

UPDATE 1520z: 80 spots today of my QRP 10m FT8 from the tiny QDX transceiver.

Stations that spotted my QRP
today with the tiny QDX

UPDATE 1909z: 216 spots of my 10m FT8 QRP today with the QDX.

Plans for today

 One of my aims for today is to reinstall my earth-electrode antenna in the ground and try it out on MF with the FT-710. I shall probably go on 12m or 10m FT8 with the tiny QDX. 

Absent friends?

It is odd how you do not see postings from people you know about for a while and then realise they are not there. Many times there is a good reason and they pop up again. For some time I have not heard from Mike Rainey W1TJ or Jay Wilson W5OLF. Just wondering if they are OK? If you have any news please let me know. They're kind and generous people. 

First swallow seen - NOT amateur radio

Last evening I saw my first swallow of the year. Considering it had flown all the way to southern Africa and back is quite incredible.

See the RSPB website for details: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/

Sunspots - Saturday April 8th 2023

Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 38. A=8 and K=2. 

Ready, aim, fire - NOT amateur radio

 

At the pub with our grandchildren this afternoon.

Simple 10m FT8 RX as the Es season approaches

Now seems a good time to remind people of my very simple 10m FT8 receiver, the 10FT8R. Even buying all parts new, I doubt it would cost more than 4 cups of coffee out. It allows the "big rig" to be used for something else whilst keeping a watchful eye on 10m FT8. The design uses low cost crystals and a Polyakov mixer that requires injection at half frequency in a direct conversion RX. The design appeared in RadCom last year. It works remarkably well. My thanks to Jay, W5OLF for doing the schematic drawing.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .