Staging post - NOT amateur radio

It appears the windmill next door is a staging post for starlings off to roost. It is not uncommon to see 100 on the sails (and a few squabbling on our bird table!) before flying off to their roost. In some parts of the UK,starlings are getting rarer. Not here!

If you look carefully at the photo, you may be able to see them starting to gather.

As you can see, still cold here - minus 4 degrees Celsius mid morning.

1896 (or 97) snowball fight - NOT amateur radio

This movie dates from the late 1890s and shows a snowball fight. It is believed to be the first movie of a snowball fight ever made.

Geminids Meteor shower

This peaks in the next few days. Starting tomorrow I hope to be on MSK144 on 8m. The best times are early morning, I think. So I shall be on 24/7.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

 As my PC will be tied up with my QRP 8m local tests, I will be on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon.  I expect to be on from 0900z. 

UPDATE 1140z:  The usual spots from the Canary Isles as well as Turkey.

8m experiment - last day at 10mW ERP (Wednesday)

Today is the last day of my 10mW ERP 8m WSPR tests locally. The TX is due to be turned on again at 0900z. 6 locals have copied me with 10mW ERP even with non resonant antennas. 

My reading of the UK ISM rules suggests that anyone may operate 10mW ERP beacons without a licence, with callsigns not legally needed (or make one up) as long as the technical requirements and IR2030 are both met. For beacons, that do not result in a product going on the market, self declaration is fine. If you are in any doubt, seek your own legal advice. I honestly think OFCOM cannot really be bothered as we make them no money!

UPDATE 0931z: Been on 10mW ERP TX since 0858z (40% TX). No spots.

UPDATE 1437z:  Steve G4WSZ (11km) has only spotted me twice today. He had to move his 6m dipole as his fence was being replaced. It looks like with his 6m dipole at only 1m over the ground, it is very marginal.

UPDATE 1445z:  There has been speculation on the 8m io group just why the FCC and OFCOM seem so dead against allocating even the tiniest amateur band at 8m with heavy restrictions. The answer in many countries may well be the military have the last word and want to keep people off. This is pure speculation, but it would make sense. Secrecy rules probably saying so right out!

Frosty morning - NOT amateur radio

This was our garden yesterday. We have had a very cold snap. 

It is still very cold this morning. 

Sunspots - Wednesday December 14th 2022

 Solar flux is 153 and the SSN 159. A=4 and K=1.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

Tonight was the 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB. After just a single contact I gave up. Activity seems lower than it was although I only use 10W pep and the 2m omni big-wheel antenna. 

Speech contests are hard work these days for me and the shack was quite cold. The 70cm FT8 activity contest tomorrow evening is a bit easier for me.

The Knowledge - NOT amateur radio

Every day, I get a news briefing in my email. This is quite useful if you are short of time. It takes just a few moments to read and contains the essence of what you need to know to keep up-to-date. It is written by someone who used to write for "The Week".  

As far as I can tell, it is fairly neutral.

See  https://www.theknowledge.com/ .

Shack - December 2022

As it has been very cold recently, I spend less time in the shack.

It is heated, but the central heating is off most of the day. I only go in the shack for skeds and contests. 

WSPR can be monitored in the lounge which is warm. I can be in the shack in seconds if there is any issue. 

When the weather is more normal, I shall spend more time in the shack.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/shack .

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

Yet again (since 0858z) I am on 10m WSPR with my 500mW TX beacon. It is now 0930z and the usual spots from the Canary Isles have been received.

UPDATE 1938z: 14 stations spotted today on 10m QRP WSPR.

8m 10mW WSPR tests continued

My 10mW 8m beacon was turned on again at 0900z. G4WSZ (11km) seems to be getting me stronger. I wonder if Steve has changed something?

UPDATE 1325z:  G4WSZ (11km) has been consistently been spotting my 8m 10mW WSPR beacon a few dB above the minimum detectable.

UPDATE 1448z: G1NHG (5km) is also spotting my 8m 10mW WSPR.

Windmill next door in the snow - NOT amateur radio

This is the lane leading to the windmill next door. Yesterday, we had snow. 

Sunspots - Tuesday December 13th 2022

Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 142. A=6 and K=0.

Winter - NOT amateur radio

This is the view from our lounge - brrrr.  It is dark and cold. 

10m WSPR QRP (Monday)

My 500mW TX beacon was turned on at about 0900z. 

UPDATE 1204z:  3 unique stations spotted.

Continuing 8m ISM tests (Monday)

This morning I am continuing my 10mW ERP 8m WSPR tests simulating ISM rules. 

UPDATE 2050z:  G4WSZ (11km) has spotted my 8m WSPR 10mW ERP 88 times. I am disappointed that nobody else either managed to copy or did not try. I shall leave the 10mW ERP beacon on (0900-2300z) until Wednesday bedtime.

Snow - NOT amateur radio

Last night we had the most snow this year. This morning a very kind neighbour cleared our drive. I guess we have about 3cm of snow 

Sunspots - Monday December 12th 2022

Solar flux is 148 and the SSN 141. A=10 and K=0.

Plans for tomorrow

Starting tomorrow morning after breakfast my intention is to go on 10m QRP WSPR TX (500mW) with my W5OLF beacon and continue my 10mW ERP 8m WSPR beacon local tests.