Lode Water Mill - NOT amateur radio

 

This is an unusual view of the water mill at Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge from our Boxing Day walk.

Friday plans

My 500uW 10m WSPR TX will continue and I shall continue on 6m FT8 as this was encouraging yesterday. I may try 8m later.

Sunspots - Friday December 29th

 Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 83. A=3 and K=1.

Flower - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw this on our Boxing Day walk. I think it is a Calendula.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendula .

10m QRPP WSPR TX (Thursday)

 My 500uW (0.5mW) TX WSPR beacon is on 10m again, but no spots today at 0941z.

UPDATE 1714z:  No spots all day.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Looking at my Facebook memories today, I noticed that I monitored 6m FT8 a few years ago and was spotted by several stations by mid-winter Es. So, I have decided to try 50.313MHz FT8 with my 2.5W and V2000 vertical omni. At 0925z, just one G spotting me with a couple of stations received including a station in Brittany, France.

UPDATE 1224z:   Several G spots of me. Best DX on RX was a station in Germany.

UPDATE 1500z:   There looks to be some winter Es about. I have been spotted by 10 stations and have spotted stations on 6m FT8 as far as southern France.

UPDATE 1717z: 12 stations spotted my QRP 6m FT8 today with the furthermost OH1MN (1633km). See map.

UPDATE 1902z: 14 stations have spotted me including 3 in Scandinavia, presumably by winter Es.

Plans for Thursday

My 10m QRPP 500uW WSPR tests will continue but I may try a new band on QRP FT8.

630m QRP overnight

A disappointing night with just 6 stations spotting me. Certainly in the UK it was very windy and this may have put off some with high antennas.

Sunspots - Thursday December 28th

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 78. A=4 and K= 0.

630m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

At 1620z, my QRP 630m WSPR was turned on. As usual 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2025z: 5 stations have spotted me. Furthermost PA0LSB/V (326km).