10m WSPR TX (Thursday)

 It is now 0850z and I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW for about 30 minutes. Nobody has spotted me yet.

UPDATE 1153z:  12 people have spotted me today so far. 

8m experiment (Thursday)

Later today I expect to be on 8m FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial. Most days I am spotted by Es propagation. Yesterday 3 people spotted me and the day before 9.

UPDATE 0827z: TX turned on at about 0820z.

UPDATE 1312z:  3 stations have spotted me today and 2 in Croatia have exchanged FT8 reports. Unless you are OFCOM or the RSGB, these used to known as FT8 QSOs. QSOs?? Odd concept in the UK on 8m FT8!!

UPDATE 1320z:  Stations in 8 countries have spotted my 8m FT8 QRP so far.

UPDATE 1835z:  8 stations have spotted my QRP 8m FT8 today.

Fulbourn Fen - NOT amateur radio

 

Orchids at Fulbourn Fen yesterday. 

Sunspots - Thursday June 9th 2022

 Solar flux is 100 and the SSN 0. This is the first spotless day for a long time. A=5 and K=1.

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

Most of the afternoon, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. Widely spotted in Europe by Es.

UPDATE 2147z: Yesterday 50 stations spotted my 500mW WSPR on 10m. Today it was 9 the last time I checked. 

Vancouver - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken in 2012 when we visited western Canada. 

8m experiment (Wednesday)

Yesterday was my best day yet on 8m QRP FT8 TX with 9 stations spotting me and 2 in Slovenia exchanging reports. I cannot say QSO because of OFCOM!!!!! All of these were via Es . Personally I think the OFCOM and RSGB position is totally, utterly, stupid. 

Later I hope to be on 8m FT8 TX again although some thunder may cause some interruptions. 

UPDATE 2145z: Spotted by 3 stations today on 8m FT8 QRP TX. 

Sunspots - Wednesday June 8th 2022

Solar flux is 101 and the SSN 23.  A=8 and K=1.

More Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was glorious this morning, we did a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

10m WSPR QRP TX (Tuesday)

Today, has been my best day on 10m WSPR TX for very many years. There is a lot of Es about and my 500mW from the W5OLF beacon has been spotted by 45 unique stations.

8m experiment (Tuesday)

My QRP TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 was turned on at 1116z.

UPDATE 1527z:  Spotted by 7 stations today so far on 8m FT8 TX.  My best day yet.

Anglesey Abbey earlier - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken at nearby Anglesey Abbey earlier. The weather was good. 

The future

Yesterday, I expressed my views on Yaesu. I may be very wrong, and hope I am. 

However, these are the inevitable facts that we have to face:

1. Many radio amateurs are retired.
2. Within 20 years many will have died or be in care homes.
3. The pool of amateurs able to buy new commercial radios will probably diminish considerably.
4. Many of the big Japanese amateur radio manufacturers will no longer be interested in amateur radio.
5. Low cost manufacturers will dominate.
6. Many amateur radio dealers will leave the market or go bust.
7. There will be fewer dealer adverts.
8. Some amateur radio magazines will go and those that remain will struggle.

In my view, I think we are in for hard times ahead in our hobby. We have to attract and keep younger people or we risk the hobby just dying out.

My view is the real future is in self training and research. Radio amateurs can do research for nothing. By self training we grow future radio engineers who are hard to find.

The future is in our hands.

Sunspots - Tuesday June 7th 2022

Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 45.  A=10 and K=2.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

As the 10m antenna is again free, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. It is now  0933z and I have been on for about 30 minutes. So far, just spots of me by OE3XOE (1233km).

8m experiment (Monday)

As we are going out later, my QRP TX operations today may be limited. The last 2 days there has been lots of Es around and I have been spotted by 6 unique stations on 8m QRP FT8.  Just spotted by EA3ERE (1133km) in Spain and HC02 (1808km) SWL in Portugal so far.

How it all started

Way back in 1961, my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas. Little did I know then that this would later become my career and lifetime hobby.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/heathkit-electronics-workshop

Grandson and their cat - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows our elder grandson with their cat yesterday. 

Jubilee celebrations - NOT amateur radio

As readers in the UK will know, this was a special weekend to celebrate the queen being on the throne for 70 years. This was the entrance to the churchyard. 

Jubilee weekend - NOT amateur radio

A royalist I am not, and I abhor status and wealth simply because of who you or your ancestors are/were. However, I have great respect for the UK queen, who has been on the throne for 70 long years. She has been a symbol of stability all that time. In all my years, I cannot remember anyone else.  I think Charles will have a hard act to follow. 

If the UK was to become a republic, I cannot think who would be president! Nobody comes to mind as a really well respected person.

Maybe the future is a reformed monarchy with less stuffiness and fewer "hangers on"?