Orchids - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw these orchids this morning in a meadow near Cambridge. When we went last year, they were dead.

Sunspot peak in November?

 I had not noticed but the solar peak is again shown as November this year. We will see. 

Es so far

We are about half way through the Es season in the northern hemisphere. Although there have been some good openings at times, the impression I have is that overall things have been below average. 

8m FT8 (Friday)

 Although I have been on 8m FT8 since before breakfast, no spots. 

UPDATE 1124z: Just spotted by EA3ERE (1153km).

UPDATE 1552z:  4 unique station spots including a new one G3WCS (223km) in north west England. Is this some kind of back scatter? It is too close for Es and the report is far better than I would expect for tropo. It also looks too weak for aircraft scatter. Nothing from Hugh HC02 today in Portugal. If open to him, he is a very reliable reporter.

UPDATE 1905z:  Best day ever on 8m with spots by 9 unique stations as the map shows. Not bad for 2.5W FT8 to a low dipole.

10m 500mW WSPR (Friday)

Spots of me to 1420z

Before breakfast my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. So far 6 spots. These look like a mix of F2 and Es spots. Tomorrow I intend to do some QRPP tests on 10m WSPR TX. 

UPDATE 1420z: 18 spots pf me so far with the furthermost F61695 (9729km) (see table).

UPDATE 1641z:  25 spots of me so far on 10m QRP WSPR today. Several of these would have copied me at low mW level with a quiet noise floor.

UPDATE 2036z:  55 unique station spots of me today. QRT soon. Quite a decent day.

Sunspots - Friday June 9th 2023

Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 149. A=5 and K=1.

Fancy car - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went for a walk. On the way we saw this car with metallic paint. It looked different colours from different angles. Very flashy.....and no doubt expensive.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 My 8m gear (2.5W to a low dipole) has been on since just before breakfast, but no spots.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon has been on 10m QRP WSPR TX since just breakfast. So far, F2 in evidence but not Es. 5 unique stations spotting me so far.

Sunspots - Thursday June 8th 2023

Solar flux is 167 and the SSN 177. A=5 and K=1. 

2m FT8 activity contest

Stations spotted on
2m FT8 to 2000z

There is a lift on 2m!  

There is an FT8 activity contest at the moment and 126 stations spotted on RX and my 2.5W to the omni has been widely copied.

UPDATE 2136z:  181 stations spotted. QRT.

Haircut time - NOT amateur radio

We have a long laurel hedge about 25m long. Every year it gets cut.  I have done the top and my son will do the sides in a few weeks. 

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

Gear turned on at 0853z. No spots.

UPDATE 1326z: Just spots by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

UPDATE 1800z:  3 stations have spotted me on 8m QRP FT8. Most Es openings this year seem to be towards Iberia.

UPDATE 2020z:  QRT.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

 My W5OLF beacon was turned on at 0853z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1148z: 30 stations have spotted me so far today. Although I know some Es signals can be strong, some reports are amazingly strong. Later this week I might try the FT817ND with an attenuator right on the output to see who still copies me at low miliwatts. I could also do this on 8m WSPR.

UPDATE 1329z:   33 stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today.

UPDATE  1810z: 36 stations have spotted me today with the furthermost PT2FHC (8860km) in Brazil.

UPDATE 2020z:  QRT about an hour ago.

European Es (Wednesday)

Early indications are that European Es is not as good as yesterday, but this can rapidly change. My current plans are 10m 500mW WSPR TX and 8m QRP FT8.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

2m activity contest last evening

Last evening was the June 2023 2m activity contest (UKAC). 

Conditions were well up, but I found it very hard work with my 2.5W to the big-wheel omni. I guess this is a combination of several factors.  Firstly, my low ERP is obviously a handicap with stronger signals being copied over me. Secondly, I have a very poor voice, not cut out to "outshout" others. Thirdly, I have no compressor, so my signal lacks punch. 

In the end 6 stations were worked before I gave up. These days, I find FT8 easier as I do not need to "outshout" other stations. To be honest, I am no longer attracted to VHF/UHF voice contests.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 7th 2023

 Solar flux is 172 and the SSN 133.  A=7 and K=1.

Friedrichshafen - mid June

This is the biggest gathering in Europe for radio amateurs. It attracts amateurs from a wide range of countries. I still keep hoping Yaesu will announce a new QRP SDR radio to replace the FT817. I suspect they will not, alas. In my view they have "missed the boat"....yet again. Personally, I fear Yaesu will leave the amateur radio market shortly. They could well be joined by others.

 "Times, they are a changing".

See https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/ .

The Knowledge newsletter - NOT amateur radio

This has been on before, but I make no apology as I find it so good. 

This comes free by email every day and is a digest of news from across the world's press. It usually takes about 5 minutes to read and seems pretty unbiased.  If you do not want to buy a newspaper or do not have time to read one, I strongly recommend it.

See https://www.theknowledge.com/ .

Shopping - NOT amateur radio

Most weeks we go about 12 miles on the bus into Cambridge. As we are old (!) we have free bus pass, so the journey is totally free. It is also as fast as taking our car. It is a pleasurable ride too.

Like most men, I hate clothes shopping. Instead I had a coffee whilst my wife did the spending!