10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1052z.  

UPDATE 1411z:   Spotted by 15 stations. See table.

UPDATE 1518z: Spotted by 18 stations now.

More on Sable Island DXpedition

The dates for this are expected to be March 19-31 2026. I imagine the pile-ups will be massive! I hope to hear them, but my days of chasing DX are gone! I am not sure what modes or bands they plan.

See https://t-rexsoftware.com/cy0s/

OFCOM and satellites

Today OFCOM announced its final decisions about direct to smartphone communication via satellites. This could allow ordinary smartphones to use satellites to communicate giving coverage at sea and in very remote areas. Currently this needs special satellite phones.  I am not sure what antennas will be needed as special satellite phones currently have bulky antennas.

How this develops remains to be seen.

Tuesday plans

 Today I expect to go on 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8.

AD and BC

Has the world gone stupid?  

The "politically correct" phrases are now BCE and CE (common era).  Whether we believe in Jesus Christ or are of some other faith or none, why the heck change it?  

In my view this political correctness gone mad.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 9th

 Solar flux is 186 and the SSN 146.  A=2 and K=0.

Sable Island 2026 DXpedition

Sable Island is a small island of shifting sands in the North Atlantic belonging to Canada. There is a DXpediton there in 2026. I think there are no people permanently living there. 

There are wild horses there. It is continually changing shape.

See https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ns/sable .

Change of plan

 In the end I decided to go on 10m 500mW WSPR TX. 10 stations have spotted me 6 of which were in the USA.

UPDATE 2010z:  Spotted by 12 stations. Now QRT.

zBITX

 You may like this transceiver from India. For the price it is remarkable. It is built around a Raspberry Pi.

Monday plans - no radio?

 As we have to go into Cambridge for some Christmas shopping, I may not go on the radio today.