Sunspots - Wednesday February 5th

 Solar flux is 191 and the SSN 194.  A=6 and K=1.

Huge sunspot

Apparently there is a very large sunspot that could result in increased solar activity this week. 

Is it or isn't it?

The Yaesu FTX-1F puzzles me. 

This radio was announced, and deposits taken, by many dealers months ago, yet (as far as I am aware) we have never seen any preliminary specs. 

The only data I am aware of was the demo at the Tokyo Ham Fair last summer. I am still getting the feeling that Yaesu is "tweeking" the design or was just testing the market to judge whether or not it would make any money. 

From what we have seen already it has fewer features than the 5 year old ICOM IC-705, meaning it would be unlikely to make Yaesu much, if any, profit.

As I have said many times, it has to be feature-rich and keenly priced to be a real winner. There are many loyal Yaesu fans, but the market place has become far more fierce since the FT817 was launched.

Come on Yaesu! Where are those specs?

Shetland sunrise - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned before, one of my friends on 365project lives on the Shetland Islands. He takes some stunning photos including this one of the sunrise over Mousa.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My IC-705 was turned on at 0914z. 

UPDATE 1318z:  17 spots of me.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 500mW beacon was turned on at 0914z.

UPDATE 1320z: 17 stations are spotting me today.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 4th

 Solar flux is 220 and the SSN 153. A=4 and K=1.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

With my IC-705 I am TXing on 6m FT8 using the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far this afternoon, 12 stations in England have spotted me.

UPDATE 1712z:  17 English stations have spotted me.

RF in the shack

By turning the power down I seem to have proved that there is RF floating around the shack. So far I have tried one clip-on ferrite bead on the antenna coax as it enters the rig. I have more clip-on ferrite beads on order which I shall add on the leads between the USB plug on the PC and various rigs. These should be here later this week.

OFCOM licences

OFCOM has announced granting ground station licences to Amazon for its satellite system, mainly aimed at providing internet services. I think their system of low earth orbit satellites is to compete against Starlink.  No doubt there will be a price war. See the OFCOM website for more details.

This will result in a huge number of additional satellites in low earth orbit. At some point these either burn up or fall to earth!