8m early start

At 0629z my QRP 8m FT8 was turned on. This is far earlier than normal.

UPDATE 1047z:  No spots.  It is now days since I have copied anyone or anyone has copied me on 8m FT8!  By now, I was expecting daily, good, Es. Conditions have been disturbed, but I was hoping for better. At the moment, 2023 is less promising than 2022. I shall stick with it a bit longer.

UPDATE 1150z:  Still no spots. Unless I get some spots by 1300z, I propose to QSY to 10m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1540z:  As there was (I think) a bit of Es on 10m, I have gone back on 8m FT8 QRP, ever hopeful. No spots.

UPDATE 1625z:  Disappointed. Been on 8m FT8 much of the day, but with no success on RX or TX. I shall stick with it until dark, but seriously poor. What disappoints me most is the apparent lack of interest by Gs to, what could be, a really interesting part of the spectrum. Unless things seriously improve, I suspect I can learn little more. I was hoping for lots of interest this spring/summer. It would appear people prefer talking about fish tanks on 40m with commercial rigs than real research👎👎

UPDATE 2050z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday May 14th 2023

  Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 134.  A=11 and K=3.

How do they do it?

Banggood is selling a handheld SSB transceiver covering 40, 20, 15 and 10m for just £95.93.  

I have no idea how they do this for this price and I have no idea of how well it works. I have never heard of this before.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

This is probably not a great idea!  

At about 2000z, I decided to QSY to 50.313 MHz QRP FT8 using my vertical omni V2000 antenna. On RX there were signs of a weak signal, but nobody was decoded and nobody has spotted me. 

I shall turn things off when I go to bed. I was hoping to reach a few locals.

UPDATE 2007z:  No spots. QRT .

BBC weather - NOT amateur radio

BBC weather rant time. 

Today the BBC was saying the clouds would burn back and we would have sunshine and light cloud as they are saying right now!!! 😉 It has been full cloud all day. I know BBC weather is a joke, but I object to my money being wasted on super-computers when looking out the window is free and just as good!! 

Rant over. I feel better 😁😉

Swallows: more? - NOT amateur radio

 

This year, I have already seen more swallows than all of last year. Perhaps I have been lucky.

First cuckoo - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we walked to Wicken Fen. We saw several bird species including stonechat, wheatears, swallows and swifts. We heard reed warblers and cuckoos. We saw highland cattle, and konik ponies in the distance.

See https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cambridgeshire/wicken-fen-national-nature-reserve .

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My 8m FT8 was turned on at 1145z. I am on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1950 Hz, TX in first period).

UPDATE 1900z:   No spots all day.

Mills on the air weekend

This weekend expect quite a few special stations operating from windmills and watermills. Our local club (CDARC) is operating from Fulbourn windmill near Cambridge as GB2FM. 

See https://fulbournwindmill.org.uk/

Our own windmill next door has free entry all weekend.

See https://burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 1145z.

UPDATE 1545z:   No spots.

UPDATE 1634z:  No sure if it is just that propagation has at last been possible or they have just come on, but my 10m signal is being received in the Canary Islands.

UPDATE 1814z: 4 unique stations have spotted me including 2 by Es.