10m FT8

Since early morning, I have been on 10m FT8. At first I called CQ (2.5W), but no spots resulted. Most of the time I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, 4 stations spotted in 2 countries with best DX spotted being EB5EEV (1480km) in eastern Spain.

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

The 200 year old windmill right next door feels like ours, although it is owned by the village museum. We overlook the windmill whilst having breakfast and sitting in the lounge. The photo was taken earlier from the lounge window.

See  http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/

472kHz WSPR overnight

Although I 'd describe last night as "average", I did manage to get my 10mW ERP 472kHz WSPR copied up in Norway. LA3EQ (769km) spotted me just once and this was only just at -31dB S/N. In all, I was copied in 4 countries.

Stations that received my 10mW 

ERP 472kHz WSPR last night.

On 472kHz WSPR RX, a total of just 7 stations were spotted. There seem to be fewer active TX stations in range, although with just the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground I may be 10dB down on the better equipped stations.

Stations spotted here on 472kHz WSPR overnight.

Sunspots - Sunday March 17th 2019

Solar flux is 69 today and the SSN=0. A=12 and K=4.

472kHz WSPR

At about 1945z, I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR using 10mW ERP (20% TX, 80% RX) from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far, a couple of spots of my signal and the best DX on RX being DL4DCL (561km). At the moment it looks like there are only 2 Gs active on this band on TX.

UPDATE 2251z: GW3UCJ (286km) is the best report, so far, of my 10mW ERP this evening. I shall remain on overnight, but doubt many more stations will spot me.

Shower bacterium - NOT amateur radio

For years we were puzzled by a red deposit near our shower. At first we thought it was from the bricks behind the tiles. A chance internet discovery points to this being a bacterium. Apparently this bacterium likes damp moist conditions. My wife is trying the recommended treatment.

New Zealand - NOT amateur radio

My wife and I were lucky enough to go there in 2009, shortly after we retired. Without any doubt, it is the most beautiful place we have ever been to. The shootings yesterday must have been a real shock. In the past it always seemed immune from terrorism and safe.

Even today it is probably still one of the safest places on the planet, but NZ seems somehow to have been violated. The actions of a madman could happen anywhere. I hope the good people of NZ brush this off as a sad day and are able to move onwards.

If you get a chance to visit New Zealand, do so.  I would be amazed if you are not blown away. Someone once said that around every corner of NZ it just gets better and better. With a population just a fifteenth of that of the UK, this is perhaps no surprise. Imagine Scotland, Wales, England and France with few people all in one beautiful place. Throw in a few tree ferns too. No, NZ takes some beating.

Another place we went to was Iceland. I was expecting it to be barren and desolate, but it was beautiful with green hills and lots of lupins growing wild. Another surprise was South Africa, which truly had everywhere in one country. Some parts were like Scotland, others the Mediterranean, others scrub.  It was very different from how we imagined it.  But, of all the places we have been fortunate to visit, NZ was the best.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand.

Above 95GHz in the USA

To most of us, the mm wave spectrum above 95GHz (to 3THz) is definitely too hard, but Southgate News reports that the FCC is introducing new experimental licences that may lead to this part of the spectrum being exploited in future. Although there might be some amateur interest, I suspect most take-up will come from commercial interests.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/march/fcc-moves-to-open-95-ghz-to-3-thz.htm#.XIzE_fZ2u00

Narcissus - NOT amateur radio

My wife loves these flowers as they smell wonderfully, evoke childhood memories and signal better times ahead.

To me, they are spring.

10m FT8

At about 0918z, I put out a brief CQ (2.5W) on 10m FT8 which was copied just by local G4WSZ. Now I am RX only again.

Yesterday was better than it has been here on 10m with 8 stations spotted in 4 countries, albeit all Europeans.

UPDATE 1124z: No spots so far today on 10m FT8 RX here. As this is the weekend, I would have expected more activity than in the week.

UPDATE 1306z: M0NPT (125km) and 2E0XXO (121km) spotted.

UPDATE 1617z: 4 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. All are Gs.