VOTE!! - NOT amateur radio

In any democratic society, we are given the right to vote for the government every few years that we believe best serves us . 

In the next week the people of the USA vote for their president. This is their decision. 

The important thing is to vote.

Solar Data

Early in the month I enjoy looking at the forecast for the solar cycle on my favourite site for such data. At the moment the peak for sunspots in cycle 25 looks like August 2024, but it depends on the smoothing period. 

What should be the case, is solar conditions should be good for some time yet. I wanted to link to the image on the solan website but failed. Clearly the copyright is with solan.

https://www.solen.info/solar/

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

 This is the windmill next door in the autumn mist .

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

As my 10m antenna is available, I am on 10m WSPR with my beacon. No spots yet today at 1000z.

UPDATE 1130z:  Spotted by 17 stations, by what I assume is F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1600z: Furthermost today is again F61695 ((9729km) in the Indian Ocean. 72 stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today.

UPDATE 1940z:  QRT. Furthermost was PP5DZ (10174km) in Brazil.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My QMX+ is again on 6m FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. At 1008z, spotted by 15 stations in England.

UPDATE 1145z:  Spotted by 27 English and Welsh stations. 

UPDATE  1417z:  5 spots of me from the USA and Canada on 6m QRP FT8. 46 spots of me overall. It is good to see F2 E-W opening up on 6m. I suspect this is as the SSN is currently high.  Next year I hope the E-W MUF reaches 8m if not 6m.

UPDATE 1449z:  84 stations have spotted my QRP, which is the most this year, with lots from the USA. 

Stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today

UPDATE 1712z:  133 spots of my 6m FT8 QRP, most in the USA. See map.

UPDATE 1933z:  Now QRT with 136 stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today. This must go down as one of my best days ever on 6m QRP FT8. 

Our local garden nursery - NOT amateur radio

 This was our local garden nursery earlier this week.

Sunspots - Saturday November 2nd

 Solar flux is 256 and the SSN 210. A=7 and K=1.

Money to burn?

The price of amateur gear surprises me. 

A major UK dealer is advertising a second hand receiver for £3299. 

I am not judging others who have a perfect right to spend their money as they see fit. 

Just count me out!

Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

This image reminds me just how ephemeral childhood is. 

In a couple of years they will be grown up and "flown the nest".  

We think these days will last forever, but know they will not.

Website reminder

 A reminder that most of my projects are detailed on the G3XBM website. There are some videos on my YouTube channel.

Rallies this Sunday

The following rallies this Sunday have been notified to me. The usual caveats apply.

• Bushvalley ARC annual rally, Limavady, N.Ireland, BT49 0DF.
• Holsworthy Radio Rally, Holsworthy, EX22 6DN. Contact boltoncycles@gmail.com . 

10m QRP WSPR (Friday)

My stand-alone 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been on since mid-morning and my QRP has been spotted by 52 stations at 1230z including North and South Americans.

UPDATE 1644z:   92 spots of my little 10m WSPR beacon today.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

 

Already my 6m QRP FT8 is being spotted in Asiatic Russia and Canada. In total, 58 stations have spotted me by 1227z.

UPDATE 1651z:  65 stations have spotted me today. I was expecting lots of USA and Canadian via F2, but nothing here apart from the station in Newfoundland. I guess this could have been F2 or even Es. I reckon my output is about 3W.

Sunspots - Friday November 1st

 Solar flux is 270 and the SSN 187. A= 9 and K=1.

Cambridge Art Gallery - NOT amateur radio

This was an art gallery in the Grand Arcade, Cambridge this morning. 

They always seem to have unusual paintings on display.

Village History - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we walked to our village garden nursery to buy some plants. 

Opposite was a plaque to an old Jewish cemetery. It is called "Jerusalem Gardens".  I cannot imagine a Jewish community here centuries ago in the time of King Henry II.

UPDATE Nov 1st:  I did not realise King Henry II was in the 1100s AD.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

 After returning from Cambridge, I turned on my stand-alone 10m W5OLF WSPR TX beacon. Plenty of USA spots plus F61695 (9729km).

UPDATE 2042z:  In all today 74 stations have spotted me.

At last! 6m F2 "across the pond"

 When I returned from Cambridge after lunch, I turned on my QRP 6m FT8.

For the first time in many years this autumn, 6m was filled with USA and Canadian signals on 6m FT8. This looks like F2 propagation.  

Even my 6m FT8 QRP was reaching Canada and the USA. See map. On RX there are several USA stations active.

UPDATE 1550z: My QRP 6m FT8 spotted by 4 Canadian and 1 USA stations today. No QSOs sadly.

UPDATE 2045z:  Spotted by 76 stations so far.

Sunspots - Thursday October 31st

 Solar flux is 270 and the SSN 200. A=15 and K=1.

Village tree - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we did a  nice walk to our local garden nursery to get some plants and passed this tree.