28 Apr 2026

Yesterday on 10m FT8 RX

 

In all, 112 stations on 5 continents were spotted yesterday. See map.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 28th

Solar flux is 142 and the SSN 122. A=7 and K=0. 

27 Apr 2026

Weather in April


April is an odd month in the UK. Some days can be hot and sunny, whereas other days can be cold and wet. 

No wonder we like to talk about the weather in the UK! This was this day some years ago, whereas today it is very sunny.

10m 3W FT8 (Monday)


Currently I am on 10m 3W FT8 since breakfast.

UPDATE 1133z: 
Spotted by 4 stations. Currently RX only with 34 stations spotted in 4 continents. 

UPDATE 1557z: 67 stations spotted here on RX. See map.

VLF earth mode


Many years ago I did quite a bit of experimenting below 10kHz. This was reception of G6ALB at 3km on 8.97kHz. I think he was running about 40W. This was 2011.

See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/vlf-using-earth-mode.

Windmill next door


Several times I have mentioned that we live right next door to a fully restored windmill. It is usually open (along with the museum it is next to) from Easter to late October at weekends and bank holidays. It is well worth a visit. 

Our hedge is at the front of the photo. That's how close we are!

See https://burwellmuseum.org.uk/

Sunspots - Monday April 27th

 Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 137. A=14 and K=3.

26 Apr 2026

Tea in the garden


Yesterday was the first time we could have tea in the garden. It was warm and sunny. It should be similar today. 

FAST or China's Sky Eye


This news came to me via Amateur Radio Weekly.

Some years ago the huge radio telescope at Arecibo in Puerto Rico failed terminally when some of its cables broke. It is not going to be repaired.

China has built a larger and more sensitive dish in a project called FAST. I had no idea about this. As far as I can tell, it puts China far ahead of the USA in space exploration. It is built in a remote region of China and has a radio-quiet area of 5km around the dish. It can detect very weak signals, far weaker than those that could be detected at Arecibo.


10m 3W FT8 (Sunday)


Today, I am on 10m 3W FT8.

UPDATE 0802z: 4 English spots of me and I have spotted 6 stations here today.

UPDATE 1019z:  Currently RX only with 28 stations spotted here.

UPDATE 1040z:  Back on TX again with my best spot by V51F (8209km) in Namibia. 29 stations spotted here on RX.

UPDATE 1329z: RX only again. 75 stations spotted here. See map.

UPDATE 2013z: RX only currently. 145 stations spotted here. QRT soon.