Royal Gloucester Bell - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to the exhibition at Norwich Castle Museum of the Royal Gloucester ship. This is the ship's bell. 

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

As I was not on the air yesterday, I intend to go on 8m FT8 later. As the 10m antenna is available I will be on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW too. 

UPDATE 0927z:  Gear turned on about 0820z. No spots on RX or TX.

UPDATE 2044z:   QRT. It is now some days since I have had any spots on 8m FT8. Es seems to have been poor so far this season.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 16th 2023

Solar flux is 135 and the SSN 103. A=6 and K=1.  Numbers look back to normal.

No amateur radio today

Today we went on the train to Norwich where we met my wife's brother and his wife. We treated them to high tea as it was their 50th wedding anniversary. We also went to Norwich Castle to see a special exhibition on HMS Gloucester which sank off the Norfolk coast in the 1600s. 

So, no amateur radio today!! It is a tough life, but someone had to eat it 😉😋

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. It was a Facebook memory from a few days ago. 

12 years ago on 137 kHz

 

This was my 50uW LF signal 12 years ago. 

Sunspots - Monday May 15th 2023

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 109. A=8 and K=1.

Leaving 8m?

Never thought I would say this, but I am seriously thinking of quitting 8m. 

I thought this would be the year when lots of stations would come on 8m. This could either be at very low power under ISM rules without a licence or by gaining temporary permission from a national authority, perhaps for the Es season or until the next solar peak has passed. At the moment (I may be wrong) it looks like just the old faces are active with few new people.

This next week is critical. Unless I see many more coming on to 8m TX, I think my experiment has to close for now, sadly. My only "new" thing will be working more stations or getting FT8 reports.

If I leave 8m, I shall concentrate on 10m FT8 QRP.  I may also try FT8 on 4m during the Es season.

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At about 1300z I QSYed to 10m FT8 with 2.5W. 8m seemed hopeless. My QRP has been spotted by a local and I have spotted 3 stations so far. 

UPDATE 1542z:   As there was a little bit (I think) of 10m Es, I have gone QRT on 10m and QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 ever hopeful. Several spots on RX and on TX (2.5W) 3 spots including a couple of Italians.

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we walked to Wicken Fen passing this boat.