Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge for a walk around the grounds.  

This is the house. 

The grounds are extensive. 

10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

 My 500mW beacon was turned on at 0800z. 

UPDATE 0814z: No spots. 

UPDATE 2206z: 15 stations have spotted me today.  Now QRT. 

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My 6W FT8 was turned on at 0800z.

UPDATE 0841z:  13 stations have spotted me. All of these are English plus one GM.  It always surprises me how far away my 6W to the vertical gets spotted in England.

UPDATE 1310z:  72 stations have spotted me so far today. See map. 

UPDATE 2205z: 126 stations spotted me today. 

Sunspots - Thursday May 15th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 53.  A=16 and K=2.

Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

We go for a walk here regularly as it is only a few miles away  by  car. 

The grounds are extensive. 

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

My 500mW beacon was turned on mid morning 

UPDATE 2150z: 41 stations have spotted me in the last  12 hours. Today was a good Es day.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

 From late morning I have been on 6m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 2155z: 467 stations spotted me. We are clearly in the Es season!

QRP transceiver

This ultra simple 40m CW transceiver was  originally from Brazil.  

In its original form it was even simpler  without the IC.

This version is called the Pititico 2 from the DX Explorer YouTube website .

Marconi

 

Marconi is considered the father of radio.  

At one time I  nearly  joined the  Marconi  company  in Chelmsford  on a long  sandwich  course. 

Sunspots - Wednesday May 14th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 54. A=16 and K=4.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 Sadly I QSYed from 8m FT8 to 6m FT8 and immediately got spotted by  6 stations yet no spots all day on 8m

I think from now on I will stick with 6m.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 500mW beacon was turned on just before breakfast. So far 2 spots from the Canary  Islands. 

UPDATE 1530z: 5 spots of me. See map from WSPR rocks. 

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on just before breakfast.  No spots .

Sunspots - Tuesday May 13th

 Solar flux is 116 and the SSN 64. A=6 and K=1.

Iris- NOT amateur radio

 

This was in a neighbour’s garden. 

Goodbye 8m?

 After being on 8m TX for a few years and  trying  my best to get radio amateur access to the band, I give up. The RSGB, OFCOM and the FCC just do not get it!! All we were asking for was a tiny band,  narrow digital only around solar maximum. It is already too darn late!! Basically they all seem a bunch of idiots that don't have a clue. 

10m QRP WSPR (Monday)

Although  my 500mW beacon was turned on just before breakfast no spots . Maybe there is an issue at WSPRnet?

UPDATE 1715z: Spotted in Sweden and Austria 🇦🇹. 

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My gear was turned on at about 1040z on 40.680 DF about 1950 Hz.

UPDATE 1633z : Just a single station in Spain spotting me. Disappointing. 

Sunspots - Monday May 12th

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 77. A=16 and K=1.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

My IC-705 at 6W was turned on  just before breakfast. 

UPDATE 0949z: 38 stations spotting me today. See map. 

"Our" windmill next door - NOT amateur radio

 As this is National Mills Weekend, the windmill next door had it sails turning in the sun.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

My 500mW beacon was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE 1410z:  Spotted by 2 stations in the Canary Islands. Still just these two mid-afternoon.

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 

My IC-705 at 6W was turned on at about 0630z. So  far, just UK stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 1403z:  36 stations have spotted me today. See map.

2.4GHz

Apparently this was the first QSO on 2.4 GHz. I am not sure of the date. 

Sunspots - Sunday May 11th

 Solar  flux is 126 and the  SSN 70. A=15 and K=4.

10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

 My 500mW beacon has been on most of the day.

UPDATE 1440z: 4 stations have spotted me.

Network radio

Quite by accident I found a photo this morning of my network radio. This is basically an Android phone with a PTT. 

It can access things like EchoLink that uses the internet as the backbone. I also used mine to access DMR. 

Mine has not been used for some time.

They need no antennas just an internet connection. I did not get excited by mine.  Maybe when conditions take a dive?

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My 6W FT8 was turned on at breakfast time.

UPDATE 0837z:  10 spots in 3 countries so far.

UPDATE 1518z: 27 stations have spotted me. See map.

Swifts return - NOT amateur radio

 When swifts (birds) return from Africa is an important moment for me. It is a sign that something that has gone on for millions of years despite wars and invasions still exists. It is a symbol that everything is still alright. 

There are fewer nest sites but they still fly thousands of miles to breed here stopping just a few months. I saw a couple a few nights ago and one yesterday. They are back. 

Sunspots - Saturday May 10th

 Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 77. A=15 and K=4.

10m QRP WSPR (Friday)

 My 500mW beacon was turned  on at 1311z .

Slapton Sands - NOT amateur radio

 

This is a long sandbank with a road on it dividing the freshwater Slapton Ley in Devon from the sea. In the next 50 years I expect the road to be moved to the land side of the Ley. This is a massive task.

In WW2 it was used as a practice area for the D-day landings in France. 

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My IC-705 at 6W was turned on at 1311z . So far just English spots.

Sunspots - Friday May 9th

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 84. A=12 and K=2.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 Unlike yesterday, 8m has been very quiet, so I have QSYed to 6m FT8 with 6W from the IC-705. Just English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 stations so far.

Behind closed doors- NOT amateur radio

 For Catholics around the world, the conclave of cardinals is a serious business of electing the pope. 

This is a very ancient and secretive thing done behind locked doors . 

This humorous photo was sent to me by G1KQH. I am sure this doesn’t happen but it’s always good to laugh 😆.

10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

 My 500mW beacon was turned on about 0625z.

UPDATE  0851z:   No spots.

Brave hero - NOT amateur radio

During WW2 my dad was a Pathfinder flying Lancasters. Pathfinders were considered the elite and many did not survive the war. My  dad did survive and died in 1987. He hated the war. 

He dropped food over Holland and repatriated PoWs from Lubeck (see top right), "stealing" officers' newspapers to give to the PoWs! 

He  talked little about the war. He was very brave and must have been so frightened every night.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 My QRP FT8 was turned on at about 0625z. Already spotted by EI3KF. Is this some kind of scatter?

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

When I remember (!) I give an update of activity on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. Although activity was a bit higher than the last time I looked, it is still far lower than I was expecting.

See QO-100 / Es'hail-2 Narrowband WebSDR