2m activty contest (UKAC) last week

 Last Tuesday was the activity contest organised by the RSGB. My incredible score (I am joking!!) has just been submitted as I almost forgot. Tomorrow evening is the 70cm activity contest.

The impression I am getting is interest in this contest is waning with the FT8 contest on the following evening doing better. This is pity as it is a very "un"contest contest with people happy to see the activity levels up. I have been taking part for several years.

The stations contacted are shown on the map.

Earth-electrode "antenna"

My earth-electrode "antenna" has been reinstalled. 

Much to my surprise I am unable to tune it using the internal auto-ATU suggesting the impedance is greater than 150 ohms. 

I shall have to try a new matching transformer to bring it in range of my auto-ATU. This make take a few goes. I want a good match at MF.

Sunspots - Monday April 10th th 2023

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 52. A=6 and K=3. 

Rain Gauge - NOT amateur radio

One of my wife's Christmas presents was a rain gauge. We record the rain that has fallen each day and total up the month. February was very dry and, so far, in March, we have already had more than the whole of February!

2m Fredbox QSO

This was in 2011 and shows me in QSO with the 10mW 2m AM Fredbox. Many years ago I had a cross channel QSO with it handheld. These days it is hard enough having an FM QSO on 2m!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/fredbox. 

Grand master? - NOT amateur radio

Playing chess with one of my grandsons

There is no way I am good at chess! 

A very useful app is https://www.chess.com/ where you can play against others online or against the computer. 

The more successful chess players think well ahead - unlike me!

8m band

This is midway between 10m and 6m. It is only allocated to the Amateur Radio Service and in a few countries it has been allocated for experiments only to a handful of stations. In some cases this is very reluctantly. 

It is my view that others could gain access without a licence in the ISM band from 40.66-40.70 MHz as long as local conditions are fully met. You need to convince yourself of the legality. In the UK this means 10mW ERP. On WSPR, this can go a very long way. In Australia 5mW of 8m WSPR has spanned 5000km!

In the next few months in the Es season 10mW ERP will definitely allow UK stations to be copied across Europe on 8m WSPR.

With sunspot numbers high at the moment, the F2 MUF exceeds 42MHz on occasions so very long distances are possible at times with FT8 or WSPR even with QRP.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/8m-band .

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!