Sunspots - Thursday February 8th

 Solar flux is 188 and the SSN 164.  A=4 and K=1

St Ives near Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Few people think of the attractive town of St Ives not far from Cambridge. If you live in the UK, you probably think of St Ives in Cornwall.

For us, it is a free guided bus ride from Cambridge of about 20 minutes. The guided bus uses the route of the old Cambridge-St Ives branch railway. The buses run quite fast on special concrete tracks in quiet countryside with no traffic.

Wrong side of history? - NOT amateur radio

This evening, I heard that Mr Netanyahu had rejected the truce proposals in Gaza. I am no expert on the history of the Middle East, but I am sure his response to the appalling events on October 7th will win him and Israel no friends. Until there is a fair and lasting settlement there can be no peace.

In the meantime innocents are killed or maimed. Sadness goes on. Surely the only fair outcome cannot be won by bullets and weapons. 

What I find puzzling is why the USA and UK seem so pro Israel and passive about the people of Gaza. Surely the USA and UK should be working overtime to seek a just peace, or Israel never ever gets support in the future.  Recognising Palestine would be a start.

2m FT8 UKAC activity contest

 At 1900z, the RSGB 2m FT8 activity contest is being held. Already, there is a contest on in Europe, so the 2m FT8 segment is already busy.

UPDATE 2042z:  Over 50 stations in 6 countries spotted and several QSOs made.

UPDATE 2142z: 73 stations spotted as the map shows. I am pretty sure conditions were not "up" and this is normal with FT8. Remember, the antenna is just a big-wheel omni, with no beams!

Old friends - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we met old university friends. I must be old!!

630m WSPR receive with the earth-electrode "antenna"

The table shows the stations received on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground in the last couple of weeks. For an invisible compromise antenna it is not bad.

Spring is coming

We went to Anglesey Abbey on Monday. There are signs of spring coming with spring flowers starting to appear (see collage).

6m QRP FT8 ( Wednesday)

I QSYed to 6m FT8 from 2m using 2.5W and the vertical omni V2000 antenna. 8 stations have spotted me at 1136z. 

UPDATE 1436z:  11 UK stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8.

2m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

As my 10m beacon is sending 500uW, my 2m big-wheel, FT817ND and PC are free, so I am on 2m QRP FT8 with 2.5W.  G0LRD has a very useful on line grabber so I can see if my signal is clean.

500uW 10m WSPR (Tuesday)

As the solar conditions seem quite promising, I shall probably try 10m WSPR TX with my beacon PA turned off. I like a challenge! My first thing is to remove my attenuator soldered in line for 22m QRPP tests with the FT817ND.

UPDATE 1000z: My 10m WSPR TX beacon with the PA off was resynced to internet time at 0958z.

UPDATE 1810z:  No spots. It would appear conditions have to be very good for this QRPP to work. It is far easier at 10mW!! As for 500mW - well that's QRO, HI.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

An average period with 18 stations spotting my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. As mentioned before, I suspect this is down on a big antenna and ground system, but it works! Way up in Norway again.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 7th

 Solar flux is 190 and the SSN 175. A=8 and K=1.

UK King's cancer diagnosis - NOT amateur radio

Whatever views you hold on royalty, the announcement yesterday that the UK king has cancer was a shock. Hopefully it has been caught early and it can be cured with treatment. For many now this happens (it is cured) far more times than in the past when cancer felt like a death sentence.

One thing it reminds us all of is that life is finite. Whatever your views are on life after we die, our time on Earth is limited. In every moment there are things around us we have never noticed to be enjoyed. We are all reminded that there is beauty all around us if we look.

Googlese - NOT amateur radio

One of my Facebook memories reminds me of some of the STUPID language used by Google in its communication.

I quote:

Fungus - NOT amateur radio

This fungus on a log at Anglesey Abbey has been on before I think, but this is a different angle.

Postcards- NOT amateur radio

These days people send fewer postcards preferring to send photos by email or WhatsApp. Looking at this shop near King’s College, Cambridge you would find that hard to believe!!

Hellebores - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday, we caught up with old university friends we have known since the 1960s (gosh I must be old!!) and went for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. One of the flowers now out are Hellebores. I thought the flowers were meant to face the sun (hence the name), but most of the ones I have seen have heads down!!

HiFer 22m ISM band (Tuesday)

Once again, I am trying my luck with low milliwatts WSPR on 13.5539MHz in the HiFer band using ISM restrictions. For the last 2 days I have been spotted in Europe, but not in the USA. Always hopeful!! 

UPDATE 0944z:  Spots by OE9GHV/Q (871km).

UPDATE 1711z: 3 European spots again, but nothing from the USA.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

18 stations spotted my 10mW QRP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground in the last 24 hours. No great DX, but another decent session.

Amateur VLF DX in 2011

 It’s some years since I did experiments at VLF. This was my first DX on 8.97kHz VLF.