New rig? No.

Last year I put £1000 in a savings account. I expected to trade in my IC-705 for the FTX-1F.  To say I was shocked by both the high price and lack of features of the new Yaesu would be an understatement.

My thoughts turned to other rigs. I considered the FT710 (again) and the IC-7300, but decided I would gain very little: 4m is very quiet outside of the Es season and my IC-705 more than does all I need up to 70cms.

So, for now I have decided I do not need anything at all besides what I have.

Should ICOM do a true portable I might reconsider.

Sunspots - Sunday August 3rd

 Solar flux is 146 and the SSN 132. A=9 and K=1.

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

My QRP beacon was turned on at about 1744z.

UPDATE 1835z: So far, no spots of me. Then I realised the PSU was not even switched on!  Switched on PSU at 1834z!  Doh!

UPDATE  19011z: 13 stations have spotted me with the furthest EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Is..

UPDATE 2032z:  QRT.

2m QRP 5W FT8 (Saturday)

At about 1744z I QSYed to 2m FT8 using my big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE  2018z: Spotted by 20 stations. Furthest is SQ2GJS (1077km). Surely this must be troposcatter. On RX 23 stations spotted with the furthest DL2KCK (497km) in Germany. 

UPDATE 2030z:  QRT.

UK football season already

It amazes me that we are already in the UK football season.  

The teams I follow are Plymouth Argyle (recently demoted to League Division 1) and Cambridge United (in League Division 2).  

I wish both teams luck this season.

UPDATE 1533z: Plymouth were losing 1:2 and Cambridge winning 1:0.

MLS and the FTX-1

With great fanfare the UK dealer MLS has announced that soon people who pre-ordered the rig will get deliveries after the first UK unit arrived.

I fail to see what the attraction is: it is £400 more than the ICOM IC-705 and, as far as I can see, offers less than the ICOM rig apart from 4m in European versions and the larger battery.  The IC-705 is now several years old .

When I saw what was on offer I was seriously underwhelmed. In my view at under £1000 they might have stood a chance.  At £1599, no chance. 

People who must have a shiny new radio, maybe, but the vast majority will give it a miss at this stupid price. 

If ICOM next make a true mutlimode, multiband portable, they could make a killing. In my view Yaesu has seriously "lost the plot"..... and the market.

Buddlia bush

A few years we had a small tree that had been disturbed by the wind, so we replaced it with a small buddlia. 

It has flowered for the first time. 

Buddlia flowers are supposed to attract butterflies.

10m 2W FT8 (Saturday)

Today, I am trying 10m FT8 with 2W FT8. It was turned on at about  0855z.

UPDATE 0930z:   Already 79 Es spots of me. Even with very low power I get spotted by many stations on FT8. Who needs kilowatts?

UPDATE 1740z:  221 stations have spotted my 2W QRP 10m FT8. On RX 317 stations spotted here with the furthest the Falklands. Still plenty of Es about. 

Anglesey Abbey

We went for a walk here earlier this week avoiding the rain. 

As it is summer holidays for schools they are gearing up for kids as they have crazy golf. 

The scissors ✂️ are for a fashion exhibition.

Loop antennas

 These can be surprisingly effective, especially if the loop is made with really low loss material. What surprised me was how well they did with QRP and normal wire .

This photo dates from August 2013 in the garden at the old QTH.