10m 5W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 0830z.

UPDATE 0858z:  Just spotted by 2 G stations and, surprisingly, nobody spotted here on RX. 

Happy Easter!

 

These were the Easter treats from the village bakery. Shame they are not all for me!

Sunspots - Friday April 3rd

 Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 152. A=43 and K=4.

10m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

My 10m FT8 was turned on at about 1050z.

UPDATE 1513z: 132 stations have spotted me this afternoon.

UPDATE 1639z:  139 stations have spotted me including Brazil, Thailand and South Africa. See map.

Back to the moon

So Artemis 2 has blasted off to go around the Moon. It seems incredible that the last time humans went there was 1972, not long after I started work.

I have mixed feelings. Clearly many are excited that humans are again venturing into space and this could be a stepping stone to Mars. 

On the other hand the vast amounts of money could have been invested in the real challenges of climate change, which unlike certain leaders in the USA, I believe to be very real and a threat to humankind in the years ahead.

King's, Cambridge, UK across the meadow

As mentioned yesterday, about now is good in Cambridge with few students and visitors. 

The photo shows the world famous King's College Chapel across the meadow. 

There are often cattle in this field.

Just out of view is room K6, which I went to for a meeting when I first came to Cambridge in 1970.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

 My gear was turned on a few minutes ago.

UPDATE 0820z:  Spotted by 4 stations with the best GW7SMV (242km).  

10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

 My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE  0816z:  Just spotted by a station in Greece so far.

The windmill next door

This fully restored 200 year old windmill really is right next door.

At a guess, it is about 10m from our kitchen. We can see it having breakfast and from the lounge. 

The sails turn around only on special occasions and sound then like a creaking ship! 

20m FT8 RX (Wednesday and early Thursday)

Since about 1915z last evening I have been on 20m FT8 RX. My antenna is totally unsuitable being an end-fed that hardly matches on 20m and is probably far too low.

UPDATE 0809z: 2 stations spotted. The noise floor on 20m is S9+. Now QRT on 20m FT8.