Nearly Christmas - NOT amateur radio

This was outside a village shop earlier today.  Not long now. 

I prefer when everything returns to normal and the evenings start to get lighter again. Ba humbug!

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Saturday)

Funny, but I keep forgetting that I can go on 10m WSPR TX with my stand-alone beacon whilst I am on 6m FT8 with the IC-705 and the PC as the antenna is different.  Around 1130z my 10m QRP WSPR TX was turned on.   No spots yet.

UPDATE 1812z:  It helps if the beacon is powered!  Since turning the power on (doh!!) 9 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE  2154z:  Now QRT. 13 stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR. See table.

Old Practical Wireless

An old work colleague popped out yesterday. It was great to see him.  I had not seen him for perhaps 30 years. He very kindly brought some Practical Wireless magazines mostly from the early 1980s. For those that don't know PW is a UK radio magazine you can buy in shops.

What struck me was the very high number of advertisers, which is not the case today. Clearly radio was very healthy back then. These days, the majority of adverts are from just one company. If they stopped then PW would probably be in deep, deep trouble.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Once again, I am on 6m QRP FT8 with the IC-705.  I have been on since about 0910z. So far, just 9 English stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1155z:  34 stations have spotted me with the furthermost D4L (4518km) in the Cape Verde Is..

UPDATE 1513z: With 77 stations spotting my 6m FT8 QRP today, there is little doubt that 6m behaves more like an HF band at the peak of the solar cycle. Today I have been spotted in both North and South America. See map with bars.

UPDATE 1750z:  130 stations spotted here on 6m FT8. See map with dots.

UPDATE 2147z:  Now QRT. 83 stations my 6m QRP FT8 today.

Sunspots - Saturday November 30th

 Solar flux is 220 and the SSN 162. A=8 and K=3.

More Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

These are some more images of Cambridge. 

The top picture is of the round church of which there are very few in the UK. 

When I first came to Cambridge in 1970 it was an active church. Now it is a brass rubbing centre.
 

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My QRP 6m FT8 from the IC-705 was turned on just before breakfast.  So far 6 spots of me, all English.

UPDATE 0953z: 23 spots of me, all in Europe.

UPDATE 1554z:   95 spots of me with many in N.America. See map.

UPDATE 1744z:   103 stations have spotted me.

Sunspots - Friday November 29th

 Solar flux is 214 and the SSN 149. A=4 and K=2.

Rally this Sunday

 The  following rally has been notified. I always recommend checking before going far

Sunday December 1st - Wiltshire Radio Winter Rally, Kington Langley, SN15 5NJ. Contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club .

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 So far this morning 12 stations have spotted me with the furthermost 3W9T (9944km) in Vietnam. It seems when the MUF goes this high my vertical V2000 omni antenna is fine.

UPDATE 1152z:12 stations have spotted my 6m QRP FT8 including VK.

UPDATE 1712z: 52 stations have spotted my QRP 6m FT8 today with the furthermost VK6NH (13739km). Remember this is VHF with QRP and an omni antenna!