Sunspots- Sunday August 25th

 Solar flux is 232 and the SSN 172. A=10 and K=2.

Bird roosters - NOT amateur radio

We get fewer small birds in the garden than we did some years ago. In the hope of helping more small birds to survive the winter I have bought some raffia roosters to sleep in overnight.

I hope they get used to these and use them.  These are mainly placed in the tree nearest the bird feeders.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Stations spotting my 2.5W
10m FT8 up to about 1120z

10m FT8  is "humming" with plenty of stations spotted with the furthermost VK3WK (16832km). In all, my 2.5W FT8 has already been spotted by 161 stations. The map shows the stations spotting me until about 15 minutes ago.

Stations spotted here
on 10m FT8 today

UPDATE 2052z:   So far today, I have spotted 565 stations on 10m FT8 and 346 stations have spotted my 2.5W 10m FT8 today. QRT shortly.

Sunspots - Saturday August 24th

 Solar flux is 242 and the SSN 180. A=7 and K=3.

OFCOM updates

OFCOM regularly updates the information it holds on licence numbers etc.. Please see the OFCOM website for the latest.

365project - NOT amateur radio

One of the things I like about 365project is seeing a "window on the world". 

The idea is to post a photo a day. At $19.99 you can have more albums and privacy, but otherwise it is totally free. It has no connection whatsoever with Microsoft.

This photo was taken in the Faroe Islands and recently posted. This is a place I am very unlikely to visit.

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

OSCAR 100 activity

Every few weeks I like to give an update on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. It has been in orbit now for several years. 

Apart from those keen to assemble a ground station (fixed, small antenna, no tower, much of the world in range day and night, no QSB etc.) it has been under-used. 

The last peek was a Friday evening in Europe. Once again it was sadly quiet. 

It has never appealed to me, but I was quite surprised it was not more popular. Based on this satellite, I can't see another for some time.

By now, I was expecting it to be busy. It is not.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb .

Homegrown tomatoes - NOT amateur radio

For some reason, tomatoes grown yourself always taste better! 

With the tomato bags, feed etc, I am sure they cost more than at the local supermarket, but they smell and taste great. These are some of the first this year.

Yaesu competitor to ICOM IC-705?

Although not available until next year MLS has announced a Yaesu competitor to the ICOM IC-705. At the moment I don’t know the price, but it has to be well below £1k to compete with the Chinese . This HAS to sell well for Yaesu's sake. Expect the IC-705 to drop in price!

The exchange rate against the Yen has improved a lot in the last few months.

I wonder if Yaesu has considered designing in Japan but manufacturing in a low cost area?

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/ftx-1f .

More something for nothing

 

Many years ago I experimented with this QRP transceiver circuit on 80m CW. It is hard to find anything much simpler!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2