10m FT8

Since returning from our walk I have been on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna.

UPDATE 1330z: 6 Southern Europeans spotted but just local G4KPX (14km) spotting me so far today. Thanks Richard.

UPDATE 1340z:  Now 10 stations spotted and my 2.5W has been spotted by 3 stations including a couple in Southern Europe, suggesting Es.

UPDATE 1715z:  96 stations spotted on RX and 11 stations spotted my 2.5W, mostly in southern Europe. Then I had to unplug everything because of thunder and lightning. The BBC weather forecast made  (as usual), no mention of this.

UPDATE 1802z: The storms have passed, so I have reconnected things. At the moment the storms are near Norwich. Now 97 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2138z: Now QRT.  101 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

Easter video - NOT amateur radio

This will be a strange Easter with many families trying to hook up by video rather than face to face. We hope to chat later.

Ornamental cherry - NOT amateur radio

The blossom on our cherry tree is not around for long, but lovely for a few days. I see other trees now with green shoots.

Sunspots - Sunday April 12th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2.

More from yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

This was the view at the start of the walk yesterday along part of the Devil's Dyke in Cambridgeshire

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

As it was cooler this morning we have just got back from a walk around the village. The photo shows a thached cottage on the way. We walked about 2.7 miles.

10m FT8

When we get back from our walk, I may try 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna. Again I shall be using the FT817ND with 2.5W. If I get spotted at all, I shall be pleased.

UPDATE 0950z:  Now on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 2.5W.

UPDATE 1307z: No spots so far today.

UPDATE 1640z: 2 local spots so far today with no DX.

UPDATE 1837z: A QSO with M0BXF (local) was the first 10m QSO this year. Some Spanish stations spotted on RX, probably Es.

Sunspots - : Saturday April 11th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.

Devil's Dyke - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we did a nice walk along part of the Devil's Dyke in Cambridgeshire. I think there is another one near the South Coast. The one we walked on is about 7 miles long and was built as a defensive barrier not long after the Romans left, so it is probably well over 1400 years old. It is a chalk path with a deep ditch. We saw few people.

CDARC net tonight on GB3PI at 8pm

With kind permission of the repeater group the local Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) is holding a second club meeting virtually. The topic is the HB9CV antenna. It starts at 8pm.

UPDATE 2119z: A very successful net.