10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

 My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE 1608z:  36 stations spotting me. It looks like F2 propagation. Furthermost is Brazil.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 18th

 Solar Flux is 185 and the SSN 218. A=15 and K=3.

8m frustration?

Since I have been active on 8m (nearly 3 years now) I have tried again and again to get a tiny narrow digital only 8m amateur band in the UK. 

I was suggesting 5kHz, but even 3kHz would be enough to allow propagation research to proceed. In the past, just a Notice of Variation (NoV) would have been allocated, much as was done years ago when I started VLF tests.

Sadly, it would appear the RSGB and OFCOM just cannot be bothered: it is all too much hassle. Instead they are happy for people who want to do 8m research to pay up for doing so. In the USA the FCC seems equally blinkered. 

The most important things would have been found out around sunspot maximum. Sadly, it would seem self-training and propagation research no longer matter!  2000kHz of low VHF spectrum can be found for DTV work, yet just 3kHz can not be found.

After my 8m Trial and Innovation TX permit runs out, I do not intend to renew it.

RSGB membership? Why do I bother?

A just peace - NOT amateur radio

Both in the Ukraine and Gaza, peace is possible. 

Whatever the outcomes, it is essential that the peace is totally just for the inhabitants of those that live in these troubled lands. 

Peace cannot and must not be imposed on them.

8m QRP FT8 TX (Monday)

My gear was turned on at about 1000z. 

UPDATE 1747z:  Spotted by EI4DQ (580km) in southern Eire.  This is the first 8m spot in several days. QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)

My beacon was turned on about 30 minutes ago.

UPDATE 1745z: 19 stations spotting me.  117 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km).  Best DX a spot by ZD7GB (7607km). Now QRT.

Tree Hole - NOT amateur radio

This was in a tree at Anglesey Abbey seen last week.

One wonders what lives within! I expect the kids love it and imagine all sorts!

Sunspots - Monday February 17th

 Solar flux is 185 and the SSN 271 (high).  A=18 and K=2.

World order - NOT amateur radio

It would appear a new world order is emerging.  For over a century the USA was seen as the dominant world power. We are now seeing this change as China comes to the fore.

At one time the USA was seen as a beacon of democracy and one that could be aspired to. 

Recently, I cannot see many in the world wishing to follow the USA.

No political system is perfect.

Tree root - NOT amateur radio

 

This was a tree root seen a few days ago.

8m activity level

It is fascinating to see how interest in 40.680MHz FT8 has increased. Whereas this was a band hardly monitored, quite a few stations are monitoring it nowadays. 

It is a great pity that so many PTTs cannot see fit to allocate a few kilohertz to the amateur service to allow genuine research to be progressed. Instead, many PTTs seem brain dead. 

The map shows the stations monitoring this afternoon. There are probably more as I don't think PSKreporter shows spotters unless they have recently received something or just come on.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

 In a few moments I expect to turn on my 500mW W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon.

UPDATE 1008z:  My beacon was turned on about 1000z. Just EA8BFK (2880km) spotting me so far.

UPDATE 1639z:  25 stations have spotted me today. Plenty of spotters in the USA.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

Very shortly, I hope to go on 40.680MHz FT8.

UPDATE 1004z:  My 8m gear was turned on at about 1000z.

UPDATE 1638z: No spots.

And the sun appeared - NOT amateur radio

Sometimes you strike lucky as I was a few days ago when the sun briefly appeared. For some reason, just this clump of snowdrops was illuminated and I managed to catch it. 

This photo is totally untouched and this is exactly as it was.

Sunspots - Sunday February 16th

 Solar flux is 184 and the SSN 153. A=28 and K=3.

The sun (briefly) - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday. the sun appeared in the afternoon. Today it is dull and wet again. The photo shows the sun yesterday at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

Anglesey Abbey yesterday - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we had a brief  glimpse of the sun when we went to Anglesey Abbey.

My wife took this photo. It was bright, but very cold.

10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Once I had resolved my "finger trouble", I went on 10m QRP FT8 with my tiny QDX transceiver. Lots of RX spots and 5 spots on TX, although I think I am being clobbered by a strong station. I had better QSY!

UPDATE 1825z:  15 stations have spotted me.

Finger trouble resolved

I keep forgetting that when the audio is muted it also mutes the audio coming in on the USB port! Once mute was turned off, RX audio was received.

8m QRP FT8 issues (Saturday)

Although everything was working on TX, the PC was seeing no audio despite the correct source being selected. It is probably finger trouble, but I have gone QRT for now.