Sunspots - Thursday July 20th 2023

 Solar flux is 189 and the SSN 141. A=5 and K=1.

Fordham Abbey - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we visited the Japanese garden at nearby Fordham Abbey with our village history society. It was very good. They make Saki there which is a Japanese rice wine.

See https://fordhamabbey.co.uk/. 

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

I keep forgetting that I can use my 10m W5OLF 500mW TX WSPR beacon if the 10m antenna is not in use. At the moment just G4KPX (14km) spotting me. At least I know I am getting out!

UPDATE 2002z:   8 unique stations have spotted me today.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

As my 8m system is currently out of action, I am again on 6m FT8. So far today  14 stations have spotted using my 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna with the furthermost US2YW (1864km) in Ukraine. On 6m FT8 RX 4 stations spotted. There would appear to be far more people monitoring 6m than actually TXing.

UPDATE 2007z:   25 stations spotted my 2.5W QRP FT8 today.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 19th 2023

 Solar flux is 219 and the SSN 142. A=16 and K=1. 

Medieval stained glass - NOT amateur radio

Ely Cathedral is very very old yet most of the stained glass is from the 19th century. The window shown here is medieval and was bought from Rouen cathedral in France after the French Revolution. 

Low cost 10m FT8 RX

If you just want to monitor 10m FT8, may I recommend my 10FT8R receiver? This is easy to build, even "dead bug" style, yet works really well. It uses a low cost crystal, that is pulled. With this RX you will not miss much.

Mine was built ugly style, but worked well. It would make a great club project for a winter evening on a PCB. It would surprise me if it cost you more than a few cups of coffee out.

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

Lunch companion - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went to Ely Cathedral and had lunch in the Almonry that dates back to the 13th century. Imagine eating here then!

We had a companion for lunch: a robin that came to our table and, at times, was just a few inches away. I am sure it would have eaten out of my hand given more time. As it was, it had some of my wife's cheese scone when she was not looking!

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni) was turned on at 0741z. So far (at 0757z) just spots by 5 Gs and no Es. On 6m FT8 RX 3 Gs near Birmingham spotted.

UPDATE 0816z:  Spotted a station in Ukraine on RX. He has also spotted me on QRP TX.  Must be some Es about ,even though it did not look too great.  See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/.

UPDATE 1126z: 24 spots of my 6m QRP FT8 and 21 stations have been spotted here on RX. Plenty of Es.

UPDATE 1230z: Spotted by 56 stations today on 6m QRP FT8. Plenty of Es.

Stations spotting
me at 1306z

UPDATE 1306z:   A very good Es day on 6m QRP FT8 with 66 stations spotting me. I proves that with Es, not much ERP is needed.

UK strikes - NOT amateur radio

As in many countries, the high rate of inflation, higher fuel costs and higher interest rates are fuelling a round of strikes by people who are finding the cost of living too high. I am not sure of the answer, but remember the painful days of high inflation in the last  century.