SAQ - Dec 24th transmission

The heritage VLF alternator transmitter on 17.2kHz CW in Sweden has a special transmission on December 24th. See their website for more details. Somewhere I have a QSL card for a transmission some years ago. You amy want to consider this PC receiver. It works very well.

See https://grimeton.org/event/?lang=en

Sunspots - Sunday December 8th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=0.

2m FT8

Stations that spotted me this afternoon on 2m FT8 RX

Just now I called CQ on 2m FT8 with about 10W to the big-wheel omni. In all, 31 stations spotted me with the best DX report being by S51AT (1251km). Judging by the strong report (0dB S/N) from a couple of Slovenians, I think this was aircraft scatter.

On RX 40 stations spotted on 2m FT8 with best DX being YT5DEY (1752km). Again signal report suggests aircraft scatter.

UPDATE 2339z: At bedtime 66 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX. As you will see below from Jan, he thinks my DX may be MS or winter Es.

Burwell, Cambs, UK - NOT amateur radio

Since 1975, we have lived in this East Cambridgeshire village. It is about 10 miles from Cambridge, 4 miles from Newmarket, 17 miles from Bury-St-Edmunds and 12 miles from Ely. In recent years the population has soared to about 6500. When we came it was about 4000. Luckily, it still feels like a friendly village.

The village has a fine church (see photo) and fully restored 200 year old windmill, the latter being part of one of the best local museums in the whole UK.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burwell,_Cambridgeshire

Lesser Chirpy (10m)

At the moment, at the depths of sunspot minimum, 10m is not exactly busy! In the late spring and summer 10m can be very good for Es communications up to around 1500km. Often, much further can be reached with 10m Es. Es can be effective at any part of the solar cycle.

Years ago, when 10m was good, I designed the Lesser Chirpy ultra-simple 10m transceiver. Like all simple transceivers, it is a compromise, but it is fun.

In the Es season it is capable of decent QSOs e.g. from the UK into Europe. In decent F2 conditions (may be a few years off yet) it should be possible to cross the Atlantic with it. The main limitation is the RX. Only TX if you know the frequency is clear.

Oscar 100

From time to time I look at the webSDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall monitoring the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. This is a very unscientific look at activity levels, which must vary a lot depending on the day and time of day. Nonetheless, it provides a snapshot of activity levels.

As far as I can tell, it is beginning to get a bit busier, approaching levels I might have expected. The last time I looked (albeit a weekend morning) there were 10 stations on SSB. This is more than I have observed in the past, suggesting more people are becoming active. By now, I was expecting the narrowband section to be full. Even now, there is plenty of space.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

SDRs and amateur radio

Southgate News has a piece about the impact of SDR on our hobby, mentioning that it will soon be possible to buy a 3.5GHz transceiver for about £50. As the piece says, we live in exciting times.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/foundations-of-amateur-radio-07-12.htm#.Xetv3eiTLnE

Sunspots - Saturday December 7th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0. Sunspots seem pretty rare!

Trinity Street, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

On my way to my relativity course in Cambridge, I walked down this street, Trinity Street. This is one of the most famous streets in Cambridge. About 200m behind me is Kings College Chapel.

Day off

As I have my U3A course on relativity in Cambridge on Fridays, I am not active currently.