Sunflowers

These are fun plants. I planted some seeds in the ground and a tray and about 7 are coming up and should soon be in flower.

UPDATE 1721z:   All these are now supported.

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.