OFCOM and protecting radio astronomy

OFCOM is consulting about how best to protect radio astronomy just below 26GHz. See the OFCOM website for details.

Best ever QSO?

My best ever QSO was probably in 2007 when I had a 1W CW QSO on 6m (50MHz) with a station in the USA by E layer propagation. It was a very good 6m opening. My antenna was just the V2000 vertical omni. The other station was well equipped, but we had a solid QSO and I have the QSL card to prove it.

Burgh Island , Devon - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of Burgh Island in Devon taken a few years ago. The hotel on the island has had some famous visitors including a future king and the authoress Agatha Christie. 

The island is connected to the mainland by a narrow sand strip at low tide. At other times access to the island is by a sea tractor made locally.

136/137kHz - which modes?

A few days ago I tried spotting on 137kHz WSPR. Nothing was copied. 

I am wondering what modes are used mostly these days on this band?   Perhaps WSPR is less popular on 137kHz than it once was.

Shack 1970s

The photo shows my "shack" in the late 1970s. It was a desk in a bedroom. Looks like I used a Liner-2 2m SSB rig and an Eddystone EC10 receiver. Between the EC10 and Liner-2 is my VXO controlled 10m TX.

Sunspots - Friday December 3rd 2021

Solar flux is 87 and the SSN 45.   A=10 and K=1 .

OFCOM and terahertz spectrum

OFCOM is seeking views on how best to use spectrum above 100GHz. 

The cynic in me says they are really looking for how to make yet more money from licences. See the OFCOM website for more details. 

Just think a few more 5G licences could bring in a few billions.....What a good way to make a bit more.

Sinclair Micromatic MW reflex RX

These were basically tiny pocket receivers for medium wave broadcast.  I was reminded of this recently. Some were converted to 160m RX picking up AM stations which were quite common in the late 1960s when this kit was available. 

Reflex circuits originated in the valve era when valves were expensive.  Reflex circuits allowed valves to be used as RF and AF amplifiers. The same idea can be used on transistor circuits. Although I have not tried it, this maybe a way of making a 10m AM RX with a narrower bandwidth than a super-regen? Sensitivity should be good.

I have the honour of me being asked by Clive Sinclair for advice!! Yes, he asked me for advice! This was in the 1970s when he was after an antenna for his pocket TV. I can remember this like yesterday. Quite an honour.

Peter has kindly given me permission to use his images.

Solar cycle 25 latest

 At the moment it looks like the current solar cycle (25) will be very similar to the last one and that a big peak is unlikely. At the moment, it is very slightly better than the last one.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/comparison_recent_cycles.png .

10m FT8 QRP (Thursday)

At about 0820z, I turned on my 10m FT8 system. At first I was on TX of a very short while, but now am RX only.  Nobody copied me.  On RX, at 0831z, 3 stations have been spotted, with the furthermost ES5QA (1753km).

UPDATE 1411z:  103 stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1540z:   131 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 2230z:  174 stations spotted today.  QRT.