10 Feb 2018
Sunspots - Saturday February 10th 2018
Solar flux is 77. Sunspot number is 23. A=5 and K=2. This is the highest flux and sunspot numbers for some time and bucks the trend towards the next minimum.
9 Feb 2018
Return to 472kHz WSPR RX
After a break, I returned to 472kHz WSPR RX at about 1950z. Quite a few spots already including some stations I have not seen before this season. As before, I am still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. There would seem to be far more stations on MF WSPR than on LF WSPR.
UPDATE 2020z: So far, 11 unique stations spotted.
UPDATE 2310z: For a while I have the shack PC on charge, so I can go on 472kHz WSPR RX overnight with a low noise floor. I'll put the shack PC back on battery power for the overnight period.
UPDATE 2020z: So far, 11 unique stations spotted.
Fewer rallies?
On Southgate News I read about there being just one Kempton rally this year rather than two.
The organisers mention several reasons, but our hobby is going to change as people die and fewer young people enter the hobby. At one time, it was a chance to see, maybe buy, a glossy new radio. These days many do this online, checking reviews and downloading brochures.
I have cautioned before, but I think we'll see fewer new radios, fewer magazines and less activity in the next 10-20 years. As I have said before, I hope I am proved very wrong.
See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/february/kempton-rally.htm#.Wn3I70x2vIU
The organisers mention several reasons, but our hobby is going to change as people die and fewer young people enter the hobby. At one time, it was a chance to see, maybe buy, a glossy new radio. These days many do this online, checking reviews and downloading brochures.
I have cautioned before, but I think we'll see fewer new radios, fewer magazines and less activity in the next 10-20 years. As I have said before, I hope I am proved very wrong.
See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/february/kempton-rally.htm#.Wn3I70x2vIU
A REAL FT818???
It seems there may be a real FT818 coming to replace the FT817.
I have no facts, so this could all be wrong. From what this hints at, I am underwhelmed. The replacement should have been launched in 2013 (latest) and not on the way down to the biggest lull in solar activity in a very long time. Any replacement will have to have some real killer features.
Unless this is a real success, I could see Yaesu go out of business. As a Yaesu fan since the 1970s I hope I'm wrong. In recent years though they have been timid followers rather than leaders in my view. Others may see things differently, but look at the FT991A, hastily launched to try to win business back from the ICOM IC7300.
See http://qrpblog.com/2018/02/yaesu-ft-818-details-leaked-ft-817nd-replacement/
I have no facts, so this could all be wrong. From what this hints at, I am underwhelmed. The replacement should have been launched in 2013 (latest) and not on the way down to the biggest lull in solar activity in a very long time. Any replacement will have to have some real killer features.
Unless this is a real success, I could see Yaesu go out of business. As a Yaesu fan since the 1970s I hope I'm wrong. In recent years though they have been timid followers rather than leaders in my view. Others may see things differently, but look at the FT991A, hastily launched to try to win business back from the ICOM IC7300.
See http://qrpblog.com/2018/02/yaesu-ft-818-details-leaked-ft-817nd-replacement/
10m FT8
After a disappointing evening on 136kHz with just G3XDV (61km) spotted on OPERA and nobody on WSPR, I have QSYed to 10m FT8 RX.
No spots as yet, although I only turned the rig and PC on about 10 minutes ago.
UPDATE 1027z: F5RD (681km) spotted.
UPDATE 1247z: A couple of Gs to the west of London spotted, probably off the aircraft stack for London Heathrow?
UPDATE 1645z: No further spots since this morning on 10m FT8 here. With promising solar numbers (relatively!) I was hoping for better. I'll give it an hour or so then probably QSY to 472kHz WSPR RX.
UPDATE 2030z: Doh! Since before teatime I was trying to receive 10m FT8 with the RX off! Stupid boy! I turned off the PSU when I was soldering wires to my 472kHz preamp and forgot to turn it back on again. I feel so stupid.
No spots as yet, although I only turned the rig and PC on about 10 minutes ago.
UPDATE 1027z: F5RD (681km) spotted.
UPDATE 1247z: A couple of Gs to the west of London spotted, probably off the aircraft stack for London Heathrow?
UPDATE 1645z: No further spots since this morning on 10m FT8 here. With promising solar numbers (relatively!) I was hoping for better. I'll give it an hour or so then probably QSY to 472kHz WSPR RX.
UPDATE 2030z: Doh! Since before teatime I was trying to receive 10m FT8 with the RX off! Stupid boy! I turned off the PSU when I was soldering wires to my 472kHz preamp and forgot to turn it back on again. I feel so stupid.
Amaryllis one year on - NOT amateur radio
I noticed a few weeks ago that it was still going, so I replanted it and brought it back inside again. Since then it has started to grow again, although we'll have to wait and see. It would be great if it took off and flowered.
8 Feb 2018
10m WSPR TX beacon now ON
The 10m 500mW WSPR beacon has now been turned on. This is on TX 100%, but the frequency is randomised. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1655z: No spots.
UPDATE 1835z: Still no spots, so QSYed to 136kHz RX.
UPDATE 1655z: No spots.
UPDATE 1835z: Still no spots, so QSYed to 136kHz RX.
6m MSK144 RX and 10m WSPR TX
Although I am on 6m MSK144 RX, I may well turn on the 10m WSPR TX beacon as conditions look quite promising. I can do this as I use a different antenna and the beacon does not need a PC.
UPDATE 1354z: No spots.
UPDATE 1650z: GM4FVM (428km) spotted very strongly (+10dB S/N) earlier this afternoon.
UPDATE 1354z: No spots.
UPDATE 1650z: GM4FVM (428km) spotted very strongly (+10dB S/N) earlier this afternoon.
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