Litter - NOT amateur radio

In Spain one thing you notice is there is no litter. They have civic pride, despite the unemployment rate being very high. When they come to the UK they must think what a scruffy lot we are. I don't understand how we can be so lacking. It was the same last year in the Baltic states. Despite being poor compared with the UK they seem to be litter free. It is as if they do not drop litter ever. What is wrong with us?

Besalu - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to a delightful medieval village in Catalonia called Besalu. Most of the centre is very old. It is quite close to the Pyrenees.

Sunspots - Monday September 9th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=10 and K=3.

Medieval fair - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to a Medieval Fair in the next village. It was very good.

IC-705 website

As there is quite some interest in this new QRP radio from ICOM, I have created a webpage that I intend to update over time as more details emerge. Already there are some useful links to bookmark.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/ic705

Old Renaults - NOT amateur radio

Last weekend several old Renault cars visited our local museum. They were quite a sight.

Sunspots - Sunday September 8th 2019

Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

Hair raising - NOT amateur radio

Today we went on a 2 hour "train ride" high above the town of Roses on the eastern edge of the Pyrenees. It was hairy raising with jaw dropping sides of the road. The views were amazing. As you can see, the train was on roads. In places these were narrow dusty tracks up steep hills.

Weak signal modes

Since my 2013 stroke my voice has been poor, so I have made more use of digital modes to save my voice and help others! On 630m I still use WSPR, but on most bands I use FT8. WSPR works with very weak signals but transmissions take 2 minutes. FT8 is much faster but less sensitive. In both cases they work with signals much lower than CW. They are not chatting modes. All the software needed is free.

Locks - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday were on the Canal du Midi in France and went down these locks.

Something for the weekend

Every week I get the MLS email offering deals for the weekend. This weekend it is about second-hand stuff. None of this interests me!

Rockall - NOT amateur radio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall#/media/

File:Rockall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1048791.jpg

Many years ago I had a website about this isolated islet in the north Atlantic. It was even referenced in a book on shipping areas! That was years ago.

It was inhabited briefly some years ago by a British explorer, but often storms can batter it and crash right over the top. I think the British "annexed" it in 1955 to claim fishing and oil rights. Many nations dispute ownership. Really it is just a small rock miles from anywhere.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall

Sunspots - Saturday September 7th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=8 and K=1.

Rally

Saturday 7 SEPTEMBER : CAISTER LIFEBOAT RALLY

Caister Lifeboat station, Tan Lane, Caister on Sea, Norfolk NR30 5DJ. Access via car park in Beach Rd. Doors open 9:30am till 2pm, (8am for sellers) with easy parking. Indoor spaces and outdoor pitches available. There will be a raffle and the onsite café will be open. The museum will also be open. A special event station will be on the air. To book call Zane, M1BFI on ‪0771 121 4790‬ or Email m1bfi@outlook.com www.m1bfidx.wixsite.com/cl-radio-rally.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Canal du Midi - NOT amateur radio

One of our trips today was on the Canal du Midi in SW France. The weather was very good and not too hot.

GQRP Club

For very many years now I have been a member of the GQRP Club. This is an excellent organisation that produces a quarterly magazine called SPRAT. If push came to shove, this is the one magazine I should keep. Back issues of SPRAT are available on  a club DVD.  It is worth joining just for this as members get a discount. SPRAT is filled with simple projects to build and members' news. If you like QRP radio, you will enjoy SPRAT.

See http://www.gqrp.com/

Sunspots - Friday September 6th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=14 and K=2.

Boat trip - NOT amateur radio

Today we went on a boat trip to a nearby village in North East Spain. It was very sunny but windy making the sea choppy.

Same swifts? - NOT amateur radio

At home swifts flew south many weeks ago apart maybe for the odd stragglers. Today in NE Spain we have seen quite a few. It is odd to think that some of these could be the very ones overhead in the UK just a few weeks ago, but now taking on fuel.

Oscar 100

Periodically, I take a look at the Goonhilly SDR to check activity on the narrowband section of this geosynchronous amateur satellite. The last time I looked was Sept 3rd 2019.

Oscar 100 bandplan from Oscar-DL

Although it is hard to judge with casual looks, my feeling is that activity levels have not increased. My sense is that new people enjoy the challenge of getting a signal through the satellite, but many thereafter lose interest. They know they can then work stations day after day within the footprint of the satellite, just like any repeater. The difference is this one is 22000 miles up and uses microwave frequencies and fixed dishes.

It is important to keep uplink powers such that the output levels are no stronger than the beacons. If you get an alarm then reduce power! Use just enough power and never too much.

This is the first time that half the amateur world can be connected day and night without QSB with small antennas.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/