Solar cycle peak this year?

My favourite site for solar data has just been updated. It still show the peak of solar cycle 25 as November 2023 with a peak of 144.2 (this is up slightly). This seems early, but it has been late this year now for a very long time. If so, conditions could still be good for several years to come. It is definitely worth watching 10m FT8.  I suspect 10m will remain open far more than we thought.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 For a change, I am on 10m (not 6m) FT8 with my 2.5W.  The 10m antenna is a low Par end-fed. At 0816z 3 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost FR4OM (9763km) on Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Just 3 spots of me, all in Europe.

UPDATE 0842z: 7 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today (see photo).

UPDATE 1106z:  13 stations spotted on 10m FT8  RX so far today.

UPDATE 1735z:  132 spots of my 2.5W QRP FT8 with 2 in South America.

6m FT8 yesterday

 As well as the usual crop of 6m FT8 European stations received via Es yesterday I spotted D2UY (6525km) . Call me suspicious, but I suspect this was a pirate in Europe. Does anyone know if this is genuine?

Yes, you may call me "lord"!! - NOT amateur radio

 I had a very ordinary life!

Sunspots - Tuesday August 1st 2023

Solar flux is 177 and the SSN 197. A=6 and K=2. 

FT-710 on 8m

Someone posted on Facebook today that the FT-710 is about 10dB deaf on 8m. It can be persuaded to TX on 8m by putting it is engineering mode by pressing buttons. However use outside of offered amateur bands probably invalidates your warranty. I have no idea what power it puts out on 8m as I never tried it. I sold the FT-710 some time ago.

Optical communications - over the horizon

When fitter, I really enjoyed experimenting with this. Actually, I don't think this needs a licence at all, but it is real experimentation. Anyone can do this without costing much. 

All my gear and much of my test gear was homemade and very inexpensive. It is real "back of the garage" stuff. All my gear was homemade in the back of the garage. The only special test gear was a very weakly lit LED. If you have a multi-meter and scope, you really don't need much else. In my view optical communications is easier than microwaves as the test equipment is easy.

I was quite surprised how easy it was to copy an optical signal "over the horizon".

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/optical-nanowaves/over-the-horizon . 

Water lily - NOT amateur radio

 

This water lily was at RHS Bridgewater, near Salford last week.

By the windmill - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows me with one of my sons and grandsons near the windmill next door.  It was taken this weekend.

10m WSPR QRP (Monday)

So far today, my 500mW 10m WSPR has been spotted by 3 stations. 

UPDATE 1345z:  Just 4 unique station spots of me today. Is the Es season on the wane?