10m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My IC-705 was turned on at 6W at about 0715z on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1050z:  137 stations have spotted me with the furthermost India and the Seychelles. On RX 275 stations were spotted with the furthermost Indonesia. 

UPDATE 1452z:  410 spots of my QRP today and 755 stations spotted here on 10m FT8. The map shows the stations spotting me.

Nature reserve this weekend - NOT amateur radio

This was Kingfisher Bridge nature reserve, near Ely UK, this weekend. 

As well as many birds (including marsh harriers) we saw Konik ponies (used to keep the grass short) plus water buffalo and daffodils with Ely Cathedral on the horizon.

EI7GL blog

A reminder that one of the best amateur radio blogs I have come across is the one by John Desmond EI7GL.   Whenever I look it is a goldmine of information.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/ .

Time synchronisation

All this with Windows 10. I have no idea what happens in Windows 11.

For years I used an internet time service to ensure my PC time was accurate. A few months ago Steve G1KQH pointed out that internet time sync is built in to Windows 10 and I assume Windows 11. 

Just right click on the date and time in the bottom right of your screen. Choose "adjust date/time" from the menu that appears. 

A box appears and select "sync now". When the tick appears you know your PC is synced to internet time. 

I am not sure how long this syncs for, but on my PC I have had absolutely no issues for a whole day at all using modes in WSJT-X making additional programs for time sync unnecessary. 

Although I am unsure how often you should re-sync, I do this whenever I turn on my PC i.e once a day.

Sunspots - Monday March 17th

 Solar flux is 186 and the SSN 185.  A=10 and K=3.

Quatermass and the Pit - NOT amateur radio

When this was first broadcast as a series on BBC TV in 1957, I recall being terrified. 

It was produced as a DVD and we are watching it again. 

It still is pretty good even now. It raises the possibility of a racial memory that is deeply buried within us all, perhaps for millions of years.

Best SDR transeivers

This is a Chinese video (I think) promoting Chinese SDR transceivers. Many (including me) are still a bit concerned about Chinese quality and reliability in amateur radio products.

They have definitely "got there" in many consumer products with most goods bought these days having a "Made in China" label. We are addicted to low costs with labour costs in China (at the moment) much lower than in Europe or the USA.

When it comes to SDR transceivers, the Chinese offerings are much lower cost than the Japanese offerings. In the future this is the competition. 

As labour costs in China go up, I can see people scanning the world to see where labour costs are lower, or adopting more automation to compete.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 My IC-705 at 6W  has been on since breakfast.  11 spots (G, and GW) so far at 1036z.

UPDATE 1632z:  18 stations spotting me.  All G and GW.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon has been on since breakfast. Plenty of European spots of me. 

UPDATE 2113z:  42 stations have spotted me with the furthermost Brazil.

Sunspots - Sunday March 16th

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 187. A=18 and K=3.