Whilst I still have my 8m TX permit I am again on 40.680MHz FT8 (offset about 1950 Hz).
UPDATE 0920z: Just EI3KF (574km) spotting me.
6 May 2025
10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
At the moment I am on 10m QRP FT8 with 6W from the IC-705.
UPDATE 0656z: 23 stations have spotted me. All are single hop F2 or Es I think.
8m disappointment
We are now in the Es season, but we still have far too few countries on the band.
After my 8m T&I permit expires later this summer I have no plans to continue.
Far more would be learned if we had many more countries on the band, even for a short period. Although there may be some F2 propagation in the autumn and spring on 8m it is likely to decline especially on E-W paths.
I have tried to my best to encourage the RSGB and OFCOM, but I give up.
My plan is to go on 6m instead.
5 May 2025
Shield bug? - NOT amateur radio
New Yaesu radios
As I think I have mentioned before, Yaesu has announced 2 new radios: the FTX 1 Field and FT1 Optima: the 6/10W and 100W versions.
In my view both are over-priced and lack some of the features I was expecting. My own view is these products will not save Yaesu and I expect they will "throw in the towel" and quit the amateur radio market within 5 years. Hopefully I am wrong as I have bought many excellent Yaesu transceivers over the years.
There is no doubt they make some very good kit, but they seem to have "lost their way" in recent years. I was seriously considering the FTX 1F, but I won't bother as the spec offers me nothing I really want and the price is far too high.
I really was expecting the FTX 1F to be under £1000. At that price they had a chance, but at the current price many, like me, will simply say "why bother?". Some will always want the newest shiny radio, but I cannot see a mass market like the FT817.
When the FT817 came out a quarter of a century ago it was a real first and a world beater, unlike today.
During WW2 - NOT amateur radio
He often flew night raids over enemy territory and must have been so scared and brave.
He talked very little about the war. He was lucky to survive and died quietly in 1987.
This photo was taken quickly from the Mall flypast today from the TV screen. They we celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE day.
Yellowhammer - NOT amateur radio
In my youth these birds were quite common, but they are much rarer now. They’re famous for their song “ a little bit of bread and no cheese”. They are on the RSPB red list suggesting they are an endangered species.
Our churchyard yesterday - NOT amateur radio
This was our churchyard yesterday, with lots of cow parsley now in flower, and trees in leaf.
10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)
My W5OLF beacon was turned on at about 0530z.
UPDATE 1835z: 3 stations spotting me.
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