The QMX is a popular SOTA radio as it is very compact and works on SSB with a firmware update.
3 Dec 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My stand-alone beacon was turned on at about 1015z.
UPDATE 1333z: 19 stations spotting me.
6m 5W FT8 (Wednesday)
My gear (5W to the V2000 vertical omni) was turned on at about 1015z.
2m UKAC activty contest (December)
Really, this is too hard for me now.
After about 30 minutes I find my poor voice struggles these days in contests. I had to stop.
I worked a new square for 2025 in the form of JO03, but I really could not manage any longer.
2 Dec 2025
That season again!
We put our tree up just now.
I swear its only 5 minutes since we took it down last time!
10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)
UPDATE 2100z: 15 spots. See table. Now QRT.
Google spam filter
Daily I get told all my photos are about to be deleted - but occasionally it gets things wrong.
G3ZQQ had apparently sent me an email that must have ended up in SPAM and been deleted. He sent a second yesterday that ended up in SPAM. Luckily I saw it and marked it as not SPAM.
The answer seems to be always check. I usually do see if anything is in SPAM by error, but his first email must have been deleted before I checked.
UPDATE Monday 1945z: Since writing this I had an email claiming illness and asking if I shopped at Amazon. Definitely SPAM!! Now back in SPAM! Caveat emptor. There really was a reason it was in SPAM.
Rain
For the last 3 years, I have measured the amount of rain daily. This has been the driest of the three years. For the last few years we have had about 760mm of rain. This year we are on target for about 650mm.
1 Dec 2025
10m 2W FT8 (Monday)
My gear was turned on before breakfast.
UPDATE 0904z: 53 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1926z: 488 stations have spotted me today. Even with 2W 10m FT8, spots from across the planet. See map.
Advent service
This village is special having 2 churches in the same churchyard. The service was sung by the excellent Cambridge Voices .
Solar Activity
Near the start of the month my favourite site for solar data is updated. I have not checked yet but this is usually done early in the month. It is worth taking a peek so we can see how the cycle is progressing.
We are on the down-slope, but conditions on the higher HF bands are likely to remain good for a few years.
It is my view that with modes like FT8 we will find 10m open more than we thought.
UK weather
Yesterday was a glorious day here with bright blue skies and cold.
That's the trouble with UK weather. One day it can be lovely and the next dull and wet.
Simple VHF receiver by Charles Kitchen
This is a circuit for a VHF receiver that can be adjusted to decode SSB, CW and NBFM in addition to AM.
See https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9712039.pdf .
Keeping an eye on CB
Although the CB bands are just below the 10m amateur band it is often busy on CB when 10m seems dead. This suggests it is a lack of activity rather than poor conditions. Hopefully FT8 will help to show us 10m is still good on some paths.
In the meantime, it may be worth keeping an eye on the CB bands.
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