Sunspots - Tuesday November 19th

 Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 118.  A=4 and K=1.

Gifts - NOT amateur radio

It is getting closer to the season when, in many cultures, gifts are exchanged. This was in the Grand Arcade, Cambridge earlier today.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My QRP FT8 has been on 50.313MHz with my QMX+ since just before breakfast. 14 stations have spotted me.  See map.

UPDATE 2004z:   QRT.  55 stations have spotted my QRP 6m FT8  today.  See map.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)

My QRP beacon has been on since just before breakfast. So far, just 25 spots by EA8BFK (2880km).

UPDATE 1933z:  Now QRT after 40 stations spotted my QRP today.

6m MSK144 - total failure

 Overnight I monitored 50.280MHz MS144, which was supposed to be the best place to lurk for 6m MS in the Leonid meteor shower that was due to peak November 17th. In total, I spotted precisely nothing at all! It was a total failure. 

I was wondering if my internet connection had failed but there was nothing on my screen either, suggesting nothing had been received. Perhaps people have moved to a different mode or it was  a poor shower?

Sunspots - Monday November 18th

 Solar flux is 146 and the SSN 117.  A=8 and K=2.

Vandalism - NOT amateur radio

Back in the 1500s in the Reformation many statues were destroyed as being "idols". Looking back, this was pure vandalism. 

The example shown in the photo is the Lady Chapel in Ely Cathedral.  

We are still doing this in the world! These are part of our history. We may not agree with our forefathers but we have absolutely no right to destroy it.

6m MSK144 (Sunday)

Having confirmed that most 6m MS activity is around 50.280MHz in Europe, I am again monitoring this overnight.

10m DX in 2012

One of my Facebook memories today was of a report from the USA 🇺🇸 when I was using my ultra-simple CW transceiver on 10m.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-lesser-chirpy .

OFCOM news

OFCOM is to auction off chunks of mm wave spectrum near 25GHz and 40GHz. It also updates the information it holds on licences etc.. See the OFCOM website.