432MHz activity contest

Every month the RSGB organises an activity contest on the second Tuesday of the month on 70cm. Better stations were working Germans. As usual I was on with my poor voice, 10W and 2m big-wheel omni antenna.  In 40 minutes I managed 4 SSB QSOs out to 105km. .Then I gave up!

Sunspots - Wednesday January 13th 2021

Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 0.  A=9 and K=1.

Aurora

In Scotland, there was a visible aurora last night. The BBC was full of pictures of this today. 

I am not sure how far south it was visible. I have not heard if there were VHF QSOs via this aurora. When access to 6m was first granted I recall having a 6m auroral QSO using 1W CW and a wire dipole.

Another 8m winter Es QSO

This afternoon there was another DX QSO on 8m between EI and 9A.  This was winter Es.

I expect this band to be available more widely in the years to come.  At first it will be individuals asking their local authorities for spot frequencies. Sandwiched between 10m and 6m, this could be a most interesting allocation. Even a very narrow allocation and low power initially would be useful.

Sonic boom - NOT amateur radio

Years ago we used to hear the sonic boom from Concorde at my parents house in Devon every night. At lunchtime we heard another loud bang that turned out to be a sonic boom. An RAF Typhoon jet was scrambled to escort a civilian plane that had lost communications into London Stansted airport. It was very loud and we thought at first it was something on our roof.

G3KKD Silent Key

One of the regulars on our Monday night East Cambs net died of a heart attack last night. Ian G3KKD was a regular who rarely missed.  As we get older more and more of us will be SKs. Still sad though. None of us expected this. Ian was keen right to the end.

He was especially keen on ATV and had recently experimented with digital.

Church Lane - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year every thing appears dead.  There is mud everywhere!

Look more closely and there are signs of new life. 

Only this morning I saw a field of winter wheat and snowdrops are beginning to flower as in the lane leading to our local church. Another month and there will be daffodils common and buds just starting to appear.

January is one of the most depressing times of the year. At least days are getting longer and spring is coming.

OFCOM Communications Monthly

 OFCOM has updated its statistics in its Communications Monthly. See the OFCOM website for details.

15m FT8 RX

At the moment I am on 15m FT8 RX using the FT817ND (2.5W) and the tiny indoor loop. 27 stations already spotted after just a few minutes with the furthermost 5Z4VJ (6858km).

UPDATE 1212z: 219 stations spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1520z:  Recently, I decided to go on QRP TX on 15m FT8. So far 7 stations have spotted me. 437 stations spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX with the indoor loop.

Stations spotting me

UPDATE 1850z: 36 spots of me and 2 QSOs - amazing for such a tiny indoor loop and true QRP (see photo of the spots of me an hour ago). 651 stations spotted here on 15m FT8 RX today.

Stations spotted here 
today on 15m FT8 RX

UPDATE 1926z:  662 stations in 5 continents spotted on 15m FT8 RX today.

Dayton 2021 cancelled

My friend Steve G1KQH has forwarded me an announcement that the Dayton Hamvention, perhaps the biggest ham gathering in the world, has been cancelled for 2021. This is obviously as a result of fears over Covid-19. I guess we all feared this. They hope to hold it again next year. 

This is the place where many manufacturers announce new products.