Sunspots - Sunday December 29th

 Solar flux is 260 and the SSN 213.  A=4 and K=1.

Stiff competition

Since the Yaesu FT817 was introduced almost a quarter of a century ago, a lot has changed. There was serious competition e.g. the ICOM IC-705, many Chinese radios, plus the offerings by QRP labs, HF signals and Elecraft,  There are others.

At one time Yaesu had a captive market. This is far from the case today. There are still loyal Yaesu fans around, but the new FTX-1F will have to be very good and keenly priced for volumes to be high.

I was puzzled when ICOM introduced their microwave transceiver as I could not see many being sold.

No, the amateur radio market is changing and fierce. Many will fall by the wayside in the next 10 years.

Simple WSPR beacon

At  the end of the year Amateur Radio Weekly shows the most popular clicks of the year. 

One of these was a simple WSPR beacon.

Shetland sunset - NOT amateur radio

This was posted on 365project recently by a friend who lives in the Shetland Islands. It shows the ferry arriving on a calm sea.

10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

 

My 500mW beacon has been on since about 1020z.  At 1053z, spotted by 4 Europeans. See table.

UPDATE 1130z:  Just spots by 6 Scandinavian stations.

UPDATE  1415z: The map from WSPRrocks by Phil VK7JJ shows where my 10m 500mW WSPR has been spotted today.

UPDATE 2040z:  QRT. 21 stations have spotted me.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 My QMX+ was turned on at about 1020z. So far (at 1032z) just  9 English stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1129z:   So far just 15 English and Welsh stations have spotted my 6m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1404z:  23 stations have spotted me including 2 in France. 

UPDATE 2051z:   QRT. spotted by 25 stations today. See map.

Sunspots - Saturday December 28th

 Solar flux is 259 and the SSN 233. A=4 and K=1.

10m 500mW WSPR (Friday)

My QRP 10m, WSPR beacon has been on since about 1036z, but no spots of me yet.

UPDATE 2125z:  30 stations have spotted me. Now QRT.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on about 1038z. At 1042z 5 English stations spotting me.

UPDATE 2113z:  23 stations in 4 countries have spotted me today. Now QRT.

zBitx

Steve G1KQH has brought my attention to the zBitx from HF signals which is due in February. It has some very impressive features built in.

It looks remarkable value and far less expensive than the IC-705 and probably the FTX-1F.

Yaesu has a real battle on with their new FTX-1F.

Faroe Is - NOT amateur radio

This fabulous photo was recently posted on 365project by a friend who lives in the Faroe Is. The days are short and the nights are long at this time of year.

See https://365project.org/mubbur/365/2024-12-25 

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroe_Islands 

Rally on Sunday

 This rally has been reported to me. Check details.

• Sunday December 29th -  Sparkford Radio Rally, near Yeovil, BA22 7QX. Contact m3vhv@hotmail.co.uk.

Christmas rose - NOT amateur radio

 

The rose in the photo is just outside our front door. We usually have several flushes a year from this bush.

Sunspots - Friday December 27th

 Solar flux is 256 and the SSN 211.  A=3 and K=0.

SSTV from the ISS

 Apparently, there will be slow scan TV from the International Space Station over the holiday period until January 5th. I have never tried to receive this from the ISS. Maybe I should try?

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My QRP TX beacon has been on since about 0930z.  Spots so far from Italy and Portugal.

UPDATE 2016z: 30 stations have spotted me. QRT soon.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 My QMX+ was turned on at about 0930z. So far just English stations spotting me.

UPDATE 2019:  20 stations have spotted me. See map.  QRT soon.

Sunspots - Thursday December 26th

Solar flux is 253 and the SSN 218. A=5 and K=0.

This Christmas - NOT amateur radio

 

Found this earlier. It says it all. 

New QSL card from Antarctica

The operator at the German base in Antarctica has a new QSL card for DP1POL. 

I have been spotted down there on 10m 500mW WSPR,

My last actual SSB QSO was with 10W SSB with a station on the British base in the 1980s. I think they had a big Rhombic antenna if I recall. It was a very solid QSO.