Christmas food - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year we make lots of minced pies and savoury tarts. I am responsible for rolling the pastry (the secret is to roll it very thin!) and doing the savoury tarts. All these go very very quickly. The savoury tarts have mushrooms, tomatoes and onion plus a small amount of chutney topped with cheese. Some have ham too.

500uW 10m WSPR TX tests continued (Tuesday)

Today I decided to continue my 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR TX tests on 10m. No spots today at 0945z.

UPDATE 1527z:  No spots today.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 Yesterday was a surprise with 2 spots of my 2.5W QRP from the Caribbean. My QRP FT8 is already on 40.680MHz (at 0930z). Who knows what today will bring?

UPDATE 1555z:  No spots. I get the feeling there will be no spots today.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 19th 2023

 Solar flux is 161 and the SSN 165.  A=28 and K=2.

Reflections on 2023 and plans for 2024

Looking back on 2023, the stand-out things are my 8m QSOs with 2.5W and a dipole with stations in the Caribbean and my 0.5mW WSPR tests on 10m.  At the moment, I have no firm plans for next year.  What is clear is that I prefer WSPR and FT8. There are several reasons.

1. My voice is poor and it is a strain to talk.

2. DXCC was worked back in the 1980s with QRP SSB on 10m. DXCC is no longer a priority.

3. I prefer experimenting to just talking with stations.

4. One-way signals (looking on the internet to see when I am being received) are as important for me than two-way QSOs.

Everyone is different and I can totally understand that working DXCC and new countries is important to some. It is just that, for me, it is no longer important. When I was fitter going out in the wilds on 481THz or VLF was good fun. These days I try to do experiments from home.

United Ireland? - NOT amateur radio

It won't happen in my lifetime, but I can see Ireland and Ulster becoming united again at some point this century. 

Power sharing has been suspended for 2 years because the DUP is not happy with the BREXIT deal. They are already the minority party. Over time, they will be even smaller as a result of the birth rate.

There will be some political fudge that ensures the Protestants in Ulster are safeguarded.

I have no strong views on this. All I want is peace and fairness for all.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My 8m FT8 2.5W is currently on. No spots until 1330z (TX or RX). 

As there is a small Es peak in mid winter, there is a chance of some European spots if there are people monitoring. I suspect there are fewer people monitoring at this time of year.

UPDATE 1725z:  Surprisingly, 2 spots of my QRP 8m FT8 from the Caribbean this afternoon.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

My 500mW WSPR TX beacon is on and has already been spotted by 4 stations. The best suggests I might have been copied with the PA off.

UPDATE 1123z: I have reverted to 500uW as it was too easy at 500mW!!  😄😄

UPDATE 1730z:   No spots at 500uW.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

In all, 14 stations spotted my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. No astounding DX, but it works and is invisible to XYL and neighbours.

Christmas - NOT amateur radio

Last night, we went to the Carols by Candlelight service at our local church. 

The photo shows the installation outside.