Lunch in Ely - NOT amateur radio

This week, we have had our wedding "best man" staying with us. 1971!! He always treats us to lunch out as a way of saying thank you. 

He is a very old and good friend. 

We ate by the river in Ely.

Back on 8m FT8 QRP TX (Thursday)

 For the Es season I am back on 8m FT8 (40.680 MHz) QRP TX with 2.5W to a low dipole. DF is about 1950 Hz.

UPDATE 1516z: Just spotted by EI3KF (574km).

UPDATE 1937z: QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon has been on since mid-morning.

UPDATE 1510z: 4 spots of me with the furthermost Namibia.

UPDATE 1942z:  QRT.

Rallies this holiday weekend

The following have been notified to me:

• Sunday May 4th - Hamfest 2025,Tattershall Thorpe, LN4 4PL.
• Monday May 5th - Dartmoor Radio Rally, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL . Contact 2e0rph@gmail.com.

Thursday plans

 I think it’s time to try 8m again, so will probably try QRP 8m FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR later.

Sunspots - Thursday May 1st

 Solar flux is 148 and the SSN 77.  A=12 and K=3.

Newcastle markets - NOT amateur radio

Last week we spent a few days in Newcastle and Durham. 

We were very impressed with the fine indoor markets in Newcastle and the food prices there.

Overall, Newcastle was a pleasant surprise.

Ferrite rod antennas on TX

It is many years since I tested my own ferrite rods as transmit antennas. Quite by accident I came across this photo from 2012.

In my view these will work as TX antennas as long as the ferrite does not saturate. With modes like WSPR and FT8 on very low power I would expect to be spotted, even though the antenna might be well down on a "proper" antenna.  

As an E-field antenna made of ferrite sort of magnifies space within it it acts like a bigger antenna.

See G3XBM4 - Ferrite Rod TX antennas

It gets worse (Google AdSense) - NOT amateur radio

Every now and again I get a message from Google AdSense. Most of these messages mean nothing to me! Take this one received today (attached). 

Basically, I just ignore these. I am awaiting a message in plain English. No doubt I shall be dead before this comes!!

10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My IC-705 at 6W FT8 was turned on mid-morning. 

UPDATE 1428z: 90 stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 1636z: 105 stations have spotted me today. See map.

UPDATE 1934z:  115 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1943z:   QRT.