Sunspots - Friday October 2nd 2020

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0. A=11 and K=2.

20m FT8.

Most of the day, I have been on 20m FT8 RX with the indoor loop and the FT817ND. For the last few minutes (it is now 1542z) I have been on TX with about 2.5W to the indoor loop. 196 spots on RX and nothing yet of me on TX. 

UPDATE 1645: Just a single spot of me so far EA5HVW (1548km). 208 stations spotted. Disappointed than more. stations have not spotted me yet. 

UPDATE 2212z: QRT. 

Outside Peterborough Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows my wife and I outside Peterborough Cathedral earlier today. Later it rained. Our good old friend Peter drove us up there.

Peterborough Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

We went here today. It is where Catherine of Aragon is buried. It has a fine entrance. 

ISS - SSTV

 Although I have never tried, I understand there may be some SSTV from the ISS this afternoon (October 1st 2020). Not sure of the pass times. You can get free software for smartphones. I believe the transmissions are expected to be on 145.8MHz PD 120.

See https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/

East Anglian skies - NOT amateur radio

Compared with some parts of the UK East Anglia is flat with few real hills. But we do get some great skies! 

IC-7300 5 years old?

Southgate News has a piece on the impact of the IC-7300 on amateur radio. I find it hard to believe it is that old.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/september/10-ways-the-icom-7300-has-impacted-ham-radio.htm#.X3WEckjYq00

Solar data

September was very disappointing in terms of days with sunspots. Usually my favourite site for solar data updates its numbers early each month. It has just been updated.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/

Tree: what is it? - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we were in Norwich and saw this tree. It had what looked like small apples, but I did not know what it was. 

Sunspots - Thursday October 1st 2020

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0. A=15 and K=5.

Covid-19 videos

In these strange days it can be hard to see reliable data. I was recommended the videos of John Campbell. These are updated most days.

 

OFCOM Communications Market Report

OFCOM  has just published this. See the OFCOM website for more.

2m FT8 (1W to the big-wheel omni)

 At about 0835z I decided to go on 2m FT8 with 1W from the FT817ND. Already (0843z) spotted by 5 Gs.

UPDATE 1530z:  36 stations in 6 countries spotted and I have been spotted by 9 stations so far.

UPDATE 2115z : QRT. 

In Norwich - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows my wife and I on a recent trip to Norwich. 

Sunspots - Wednesday September 30th 2020

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0. A=16 and K=4.

MLS trade-in

As many know, I am a dedicated QRPer. Apart from the price, the ICOM IC-705 as a 5/10W radio appeals. It supports GPS, D-star and WiFi. It can be used for FT8 which is one of my main modes since my voice deteriorated after my stroke.  Results today on 2m FT8 with an omni antenna and 1W confirm that QRP is usually fine.

I asked MLS (a major UK dealer from whom I bought the FT991A a little over a year ago) if they were interested in a trade-in for the IC-705. They have offered me a good trade-in price ,which I am considering. In these difficult times it pays to think which dealers will survive and which may not. 

New replacement for WSPR coming?

Joe Taylor has released a release candidate for WSJT-X that has new modes to replace WSPR. One is a QSO mode and one a beaconing mode. I am not sure when these will be formally released.

See https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html for more details. My thanks to Bob G3WKW who alerted me.

2m FT8

For a change I am on 2m FT8 with 1W from the FT817 to the big-wheel omni antenna. At the moment after about 15 minutes (it is now 1047z) 5 stations have spotted me with the best G4MSA (222km) and on 2m FT8 RX the best DX spotted is DO1KRT (522km). 5 stations in 3 countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 1122z:  Now best DX with 1W TX is GW8ASD (242km). See photo.

UPDATE 1636z:  31 stations in 5 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. 12 stations in 2 countries have spotted me so far today on 2m FT8 TX (1W).

OFCOM plans

 OFCOM  has updated its plan of work. See its website for details. I bet you can't wait.

Pye days - NOT amateur radio

In 2008 I retired after about 40 years in the Philips empire. When I started it was still Pye Telecom. The photo shows some of our products. I worked on the design of several. 

Old graffiti - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we were in Norwich Cathedral. On the walls of this fine Norman cathedral is some graffiti that is very very old as the photo shows. 

Sunspots - Tuesday September 29th 2020

Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 0. A=33 and K=3. Wednesday could see G2 solar storms.

Thurlestone Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows one of the beaches at Thurlestone, Devon. This  is where my ancestors lived at least 500 years ago. In the distance is an iron age hill fort at Bolt Tail. It is entirely possible that one of my ancestors manned this thousands of years ago. Quite humbling. It is still very beautiful.

Valve QRP

Some years ago a friend of mine, Andrew G6ALB, built a QRP TX with Russian miniature valves as shown in the photo. The first CQ call resulted in a Stateside QSO. from memory the power was less than 1W.

Sunspots - Monday September 28th 2020

 Solar flux is 74 and the SSN 0. A=24 and K=5.

More eHam IC-705 reviews

The last time I looked there were 2 eHam reviews of the ICOM IC-705 transceiver. Last week there were none. As more people outside of Japan get them, we can expect quite a few more.

See https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=14776

There is more news of this transceiver on: https://www.fbnews.jp/

Views - NOT amateur radio

My brother plays golf at Thurlestone, Devon. The photo shows the view from the 12th hole. 

The weather was better there than here!

How simple can you go and communicate?

Some years ago I wanted to see how few parts are needed to make a viable transceiver that really worked. The result was the FETer transceiver for 80m. This appeared in GQRP "SPRAT" magazine and copies were made. G3XIZ worked as far as Switzerland with his!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

Modern life - NOT amateur radio

 

We have an old friend staying with us this week. The photo shows him relaxing with his paper and phone this morning. It has been dull and wet here most of the day.

Sunshine in the west - NOT amateur radio

My brother seems to have had better weather than us this weekend. 

Here it is cold, dull, windy and wet. 

There, it seems far sunnier. This photo shows him on the beach with 3 of his grandchildren.

6m FT8 today

For a short while I have been on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni. I have had spots from a couple of G stations and I have spotted 1 G.

UPDATE 1641z:  13 spots of me today. 6 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1915z:  QRT.

Yesterday on 6m FT8

Yet again we saw the benefits of FT8 on 6m. Whilst getting on with other things I was on 6m FT8. There was some Es around that would have been missed by casual listening. Some argue that FT8 is not "real radio" and  it has resulted in less chatting. I agree that many prefer FT8 these days, but it's been a godsend to me with my poor voice and does enable very modest stations to hear and work DX. 

Sunspots - Sunday September 27th 2020

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0. A=20 and K=4.

Vegetables NOT amateur radio

Yesterday my wife went to a farm growing organic vegetables. It is run by people with learning difficulties. 

6m FT8 (10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna)

As Friday was quite successful, I am again on 6m FT8.  I was even spotted in North Africa!  No spots yet at 0754z. 

At the moment I am not even getting spots from Gs, although it is early on Saturday.

UPDATE 0930z:  3 spots received on TX and 3 on RX. So far, all Gs.

UPDATE 1435z: 22 stations have spotted me today so far. Some of them seem like Es. 

UPDATE 2152z: QRT. 

Logbook of the World (LOTW)

One of my winter projects should be to find out how to use LOTW.  I see Southgate News has a link to a guide. I must read it! Although I use eQSL, I am way behind, so need to update things. 

LOTW seems the way to go in future. I may transfer some of my old QSOs when I join. I can't do them all as this could take days and days!

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/september/lotw-user-guide.htm#.X27tsd7Yq00

Sunspots - Saturday September 26th 2020

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 11. A=20 and K=4.

2m FT8

At about 1900z I QSYed to 2m FT8. Already a QSO with a station in Brittany and my 10W to the big-wheel omni spotted by 15 stations in 4 countries.

UPDATE 2117z:  26 stations in 5 countries have spotted me so far, as well as several QSOs on 2m FT8.

Solar farm - NOT amateur radio

A UK company wants to build a large solar farm with back-up batteries around villages in the area. I have replied to their questionnaire on line. If eventually approved building will start in 2022 and the farm will be operational in 2025. 

Although I have few concerns overall, I have raised the issue of RF pollution if they design and fit power converters "on the cheap". This unlikely to affect me, but could make life tough for those trying to detect weak signals nearer these sites.

That wind - NOT amateur radio

Today has been very windy in East Anglia. A local friend took this picture from a bus that was delayed 45 minutes because of a fallen tree across the road.  He had to direct the driver on an alternative route.