10m 500uW WSPR experiment (Friday)

 Although my beacon, with the PA off, has been on all morning, no spots today. Output is about 0.5mW (500uW).

UPDATE 1429z:  Still no spots.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 8m 2.5W FT8 was turned on about 1240z. Just local G4WSZ (12km) spotting me so far today.

UPDATE 1505z:   4 stations have spotted me (3 in the Caribbean) on 8m FT8, with one QSO with a station in the Cayman Is..  At the moment, my 2.5W and dipole seem to cross the Atlantic most days.

UPDATE 1547z:  I have to pinch myself to remind me this is with 2.5W and a low dipole on a VHF band!  The table shows the stations that have spotted my QRP 8m FT8 to 1545z today.

UPDATE 1657z:  17 stations have been spotted on 8m FT8 RX today.

Stations received on 8m FT8 today

Cold!!! - NOT amateur radio

For the third morning in a row we have had a frost. For us, it is very cold. Although 1011z, it is still below freezing. The photo shows our back garden.

Solar data

It looks like the peak of solar cycle 25 may have been reached. November 2023 was the month shown as the predicted peak of this cycle. This has not changed for months on my favourite site for solar data.

We can expect conditions to be for several more years.

Rallies this Sunday

 The following have been notified to me. As I always say, check before travelling any distance.

Sunday December 3rd - Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur  Club Rally Spennymoor Co. Durham, DL16 6DB. Contact bdingle@hotmail.co.uk .

Sunday December 3rd - Royal Wootton Bassett Swapmeet and Auction, , Swindon, Wootton Bassett, SN4 8EN. Contact  not given, but check website http://www.bvws.org.uk .

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

14 stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR overnight. See table.

Sunspots - Friday December 1st 2023

Solar flux is 167 and the SSN 138. A=5 and K=4.

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 1830z. So far, at 1848z, 6 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2212z: 11 stations have spotted me this evening.

Australian beach - NOT amateur radio

This photo was posted on Facebook recently by a friend in Australia. It shows a beach in the south of Australia.

Baa Humbug! - NOT amateur radio

 

These were some of the Christmas displays in a big store in Cambridge.