Sunspots- Thursday May 8th

 Solar flux is 154 and the SSN 84. A=8 and K=2.

QMX and QMX+ out portable

The latest software now includes constant envelope SSB and good reports are being received. Especially the QMX, which is tiny, makes an ideal unit for SOTA or POTA activations.

Buyer beware!

Just a word of warning. 

Many amateur radio dealers are getting older and may retire and close the business. So, before you buy and have a guarantee think will the dealer still be around in a few years' time if I hit problems or to honour the guarantee? At least one European dealer has already gone. 

Think before parting with your money.

Caveat emptor.

Lilac - NOT amateur radio

One of the joys of spring is seeing new life and everything fresh after a dull winter. 

This cycle has gone on for millions of years, but is ephemeral. 

One example is the double lilac blossom that comes, then goes until next spring. 

We enjoy it whilst it is here. My wife took the photo.

2m activity contest yesterday

As usual, I went on SSB in the UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB. 

3 contacts were made before my voice screamed "stop".  

I am sure many more QSOs would have been possible had I stopped on. See the map for the QSOs made.

10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)

 

My W5OLF beacon was turned on just before 0700z.

UPDATE 1324z:  30 spots with the furthermost V51RS (8481km). See map.

UPDATE 2012z:  35 stations have spotted me today. See table. Now QRT.

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear (2.5W to a low dipole) was turned on just before 0700z.

UPDATE 1950z:  8 spots of my QRP. See map. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Wednesday May 7th

 Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 90. A=15 and K=2.

Ground cover - NOT amateur radio

 

Quite near us is a house with some great ground cover plants. These are colourful and cover well.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

With just a single spot of me on 8m FT8 I have QSYed to 6m FT8.  The QSY was made at about 1441z.

UPDATE 1800z:  Spotted by 18 English stations. See map. Using 2.5W and a V2000 vertical omni antenna.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

 When I am on 8m FT8 I can use the 10m WSPR beacon as this does not need the 10m antenna or PC. My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 0840z.

UPDATE 2002z: Spotted by 18 stations, mostly in central Europe, presumably via Es. Also spotted in Brazil and on St.Helena.  See map.                   

Back on 8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 Whilst I still have my 8m TX permit I am again on 40.680MHz FT8 (offset about 1950 Hz).

UPDATE 0920z:  Just EI3KF (574km) spotting me.

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

At the moment I am on 10m QRP FT8 with 6W from the IC-705.

UPDATE 0656z: 23 stations have spotted me. All are single hop F2 or Es I think.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 6th

 Solar flux is 159 and the SSN 108. A=29 and K=3.

8m disappointment

We are now in the Es season, but we still have far too few countries on the band. 

After my 8m T&I permit expires later this summer I have no plans to continue. 

Far more would be learned if we had many more countries on the band, even for a short period. Although there may be some F2 propagation in the autumn and spring on 8m it is likely to decline especially on E-W paths.

I have tried to my best to encourage the RSGB and OFCOM, but I give up.

My plan is to go on 6m instead.

Shield bug? - NOT amateur radio

Our grandson brought this in the house this afternoon. It is ladybird size (about 5mm long) and I think it is a shield bug, although I am unsure.

New Yaesu radios

As I think I have mentioned before,  Yaesu has announced 2 new radios: the FTX 1 Field and FT1 Optima: the 6/10W and 100W versions.

In my view both are over-priced and lack some of the features I was expecting. My own view is these products will not save Yaesu and I expect they will "throw in the towel" and quit the amateur radio market within 5 years. Hopefully I am wrong as I have bought many excellent Yaesu transceivers over the years. 

There is no doubt they make some very good kit, but they seem to have "lost their way"  in recent years. I was seriously considering the FTX 1F, but I won't bother as the spec offers me nothing I really want and the price is far too high. 

I really was expecting the FTX 1F to be under £1000. At that price they had a chance, but at the current price many, like me, will simply say "why bother?". Some will always want the newest shiny radio, but I cannot see a mass market like the FT817. 

When the FT817 came out a quarter of a century ago it was a real first and a world beater, unlike today.

During WW2 - NOT amateur radio

During WW2 my dad was a Pathfinder flying Lancasters. 

He often flew night raids over enemy territory and must have been so scared and brave. 

He talked very little about the war. He was lucky to survive and died quietly in 1987. 

This photo was taken quickly from the Mall flypast today from the TV screen. They we celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE day.

Yellowhammer - NOT amateur radio

 

In my youth these birds were quite common, but they are much rarer now.  They’re famous for their song “ a little bit of bread and no cheese”. They are on the RSPB red list suggesting they are an endangered species.

See Yellowhammer Bird Facts | Emberiza Citrinella

Our churchyard yesterday - NOT amateur radio

This was our churchyard yesterday, with lots of cow parsley now in flower, and trees in leaf.

10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)

My W5OLF beacon was turned on at about 0530z.

UPDATE 1835z: 3 stations spotting me.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on at about 0530z.

UPDATE 1838z:   4 spots of me (OZ, IT9, EI and EA). QRT soon. See map.

Sunspots - Monday May 5th

 Solar flux is 159 and the SSN 92. A=25 and K=3.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

 My 500mW beacon was turned on at about 0630z.

UPDATE 1635z: 4 stations have spotted me today. See table.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 2.5W to the low dipole was turned on at about 0630z.

UPDATE  1636z:  Just one spot from EI today.

Sunspots - Sunday May 4th

Solar  flux is 152 and the SSN 77. A=26 and K=3.

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza - NOT amateur radio

 Although I do not profess to properly understand the full history or know the whole story I know enough. 

• The October 7th attacks on innocent people in Israel was wrong.
• Taking innocent people hostage is wrong.
• Treating the people of Gaza so badly and raising much of it to rubble is wrong.
• Not allowing aid in to Gaza is wrong.
• Not allowing reporters freely into Gaza is wrong.
• Destroying homes in the West  Bank is wrong.
• Wishing to destroy the state of Israel is wrong.

Why can't people just live in peace with their neighbours? 

I am sure there are wrongs on both sides, but war rarely solve issues. We never learn from history it seems. In the end all sides have to compromise.

Are we at risk if power disappears? - NOT amateur radio

With the recent nationwide power cuts in Iberia, it begs the question of how we would cope if power disappeared for several days, whether due to natural causes or a cyber attack. From the (thankfully) rare occasions when the power goes down we realise just how much we depend on electricity for so much: lights, cooking, trains, traffic lights, card payments, email, charging, internet and so much more.

The threat is real. 

At one time "preppers" were thought as harmless cranks. Not any more. 

Maybe we all need a small stock of canned food, some batteries, a torch and some means of finding out what is going on.

One thing Covid taught us all: although a shock at first, humans adapt.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My 2.5W to a low dipole has been on 8m FT8 since about 0630z.

UPDATE 1755: 2 spots today (EI and I).

10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

My 500mW beacon was turned on at about 0630z.

UPDATE 1653z:  5 spots of me. See table.

MLS price for FTX 1

Apparently this will be available late May in 10W and 100W versions. In my opinion the prices are far too high. 

Also,  I have yet to see a spec sheet.

In my view this product is over £600 more expensive than it should be at £1599 for the 10W version.

I personally give Yaesu less than 5 years before they leave the amateur radio market. 

I suspect this product will be a total failure. Who in their right mind would part with this much money for a product without a spec?

According to the WIMO site,  Bluetooth is an option!! 

Wake up Yaesu - you have lost your way BIG time!!

Sunspots - Saturday May 3rd

 Solar flux is 152 and the SSN 38  A=39 and K=5.

Lilac in full bloom - NOT amateur radio

The lilac in next door's garden looks at its best now. 

In a few weeks time the flowers will be past their best until next spring.

Laburnum - NOT amateur radio

 

This is about 300m from our house and is now in full flower and looking at its best especially against a blue sky.

Yorkshire pudding - NOT amateur radio

My wife always makes her own Yorkshire Pudding. For those readers who are not familiar with this English food, it is like a thick pancake, usually savoury.

It was traditionally eaten as a first course to help "fill you up" so you needed less meat. 

These days it is often served with the main course. 

Our 17 years old grandson loves it.

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Friday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0830z. Already spotted by 2 stations in central Europe, probably Es.

UPDATE 1034z:  Spotted by 5 stations. 

UPDATE 1350z:  Spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost Namibia. See table.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 8m gear was turned on at about 0830z.

UPDATE 0934z:  Already spotted by 5 stations on 8m FT8!  Thank you.  

UPDATE 1423z:  Spotted on 8m FT8 by 7 EU stations, mostly I assume by Es.

UPDATE 1438z:  I just cannot understand the totally blinkered and very negative attitude in the UK and USA to even a very tiny 8m amateur band, digital only, time limited around sunspot maximum, by application only. The impression you get is they just do not understand and are stupid in the extreme! It is not that they are neutral: the impression you get is that the RSGB and ARRL are dead set against this!!

UPDATE 1645z:  Spotted by 8 European stations.

 

Friday plans

Although conditions look disturbed, my plan is a repeat of yesterday with QRP 8m FT8 and QRP 10m WSPR. 

Sunspots - Friday May 2nd

 Solar flux is 152 and the SSN 59. A=28 and K=4.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

 

This is near where I come from in South Devon. In the distance is Bolt Tail with an Iron Age fort. One of my ancestors probably helped man it.