Sunspots - Friday October 31st

 Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 68. A=38 and K=4.

10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)

 

My beacon was turned on at about 1200z.

UPDATE  1825:  So far spotted by 24 stations. See table.

UPDATE 2219z:   QRT.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

 

Yet again, what looks like Es to the Balkans.

UPDATE 1222z: 10 stations have spotted me  today. My gear was turned on at about 1200z.

UPDATE 1820x: 75 stations have spotted me. See map.

UPDATE 2220z: QRT.

YouTube videos

There are huge numbers of videos on YouTube. Many people now watch YouTube on TV which is a recent change. 

Whatever your interest, you are almost certain to find a video. If you do a search I can almost guarantee you will find something. 

Last night we watched a video about transport in the time of Queen Victoria in the UK. This was on the TV.

If you want videos about Russia I have found TimesRadio and Joe Blogs videos informative.

2m and 70cm antenna

Many years ago a local amateur G0LRD very kindly erected my big-wheel omni antenna which I use on 70cm SSB/FT8 and 2m SSB/FT8. Although a 2m antenna it seems to work really well on 70cm although I have no idea about polar plot on 70cm,

The big-wheel is a horizontally polarised antenna with some gain. It is an array of half-waves, suitably matched.

It is ideal for this and regularly gets a long way even with my QRP.

Sunspots - Thursday October 30th

 Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 80. A=20 and K=3.

Ukraine war

The "special military operation" will soon be in its 4th year, with huge numbers of casualties both amongst Russians and Ukrainians. This is a tragic waste of young lives. 

I watch videos on YouTube from TimesRadio.

10m 2W FT8 (Wednesday)

 My 10m 2W FT8 was turned on at about 1230z.

UPDATE 1631z:  So far, 177 stations have spotted me.

Wednesday plans

 Later, I shall probably try 10m, 12m, and 15m 1W WSPR frequency hopping. Maybe some 10m QRP FT8 later.

Sunspots- Wednesday October 29th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 91. A=19 and K=3.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

UPDATE 1948z:  Spotted by 47 stations with 2 in Brazil.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

 

My gear has been on since 1023z.

UPDATE 1135z:  32 stations have spotted me today so far.

UPDATE 2015z:  Spotted by 51 stations. See map. Es? Every day I go on 6m QRP FT8 I seem to get spotted at great distances. Are we seeing more E layer openings due to climate change?

UPDATE 2200z: 55 stations have spotted me today.

Meshstastic video

 This video may help explain meshtsatic concepts.

Tuesday plans

 Probably 500mW 10m WSPR TX and 5W 6m FT8 again later.

The future of experimentation

For a long time, I have been wondering about the future of radio experimentation. 

Fewer amateur radio people carry out experimentation preferring instead to buy ready-made transceivers to communicate. 

In the future I am sure a small number of people will want to carry on with radio experiments although, more and more, I am convinced this will be outside traditional amateur radio. 

I suspect many will go the ISM direction or possibly other forms of communication such as light beams or sub-8.3kHz. In the past I have experimented at 481THz (red light) and very low frequencies through the ground.  Neither require licences. No licences are required to use ISM, although a self-declaration of conformity may be needed, certainly in the UK.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 27th

 Solar flux is 121 and the SSN 96. A=6 and K=3.

Meshtastic

Last Friday the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) had a talk on Meshtastic . This is a form of "off grid" mesh communications. 

This uses LoRa and ISM bands. It is yet another form of experimentation that does NOT need amateur radio. 

Operation on the ISM bands is licence-free.

Brandon Country Park, Suffolk, UK

We went here this morning. The leaves were beautiful.

6m 5W FT8 (Monday)

My gear was turned in at about 1335z.

UPDATE 2022z:  Spotted by 29 stations. See map. Now QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1325z. 

UPDATE 2031z:    Spotted by 24 stations. See table. Now QRT.