Big sunspot maximum?

People have remarked that the upward slope from sunspot minimum looks faster than we were expecting. It is still far too early to tell, but this is a promising. Many thought this would be a slow climb. It will be interesting to see new forecasts for the next maximum.

Amaryllis - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, we have 2 of these plants in flower. The more correct name is hippeastrum, but as I have always called them amaryliss I am unlikely to change now! 

Transnistria - NOT amateur radio

Transnistria is a breakaway state between Moldova and Ukraine. Until today, I had never heard of it!

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnistria_(region) 

10m FT8 QRP

At 1115z I QSYed to 10m FT8. So far, (at 1148z) no spots. With the high solar flux, I am hopeful of some 10m FT8 activity.

UPDATE 1523z: Still no 10m spots.

UPDATE 1650z:  3 spots all day: 2 Gs plus IS0DDL (1427km) on 10m FT8 RX. Nobody spotted me.

15m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

At 0910z, I turned on my 15m FT8 QRP gear with 2.5W to the indoor loop on the shack windowsill. It is now 1006z.  So far today, 25 stations spotted on RX with the best being PU2KRL (9578km) . 

Sunspots - Wednesday November 25th 2020

Solar flux is 100 and the SSN 37. A=4 and K=3.

QSY to 2m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

As 15m was quiet, I have QSYed to 2m FT8 QRP (2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna) for the evening. That was at 1738z. It is now 1820z. So far, 7 stations in 3 countries have spotted me already and I have spotted 3 countries on RX. No QSOs.

UPDATE 2220z: 33 stations in 6 countries spotted and on TX 18 stations in 3 countries. Now QRT. The map shows the stations spotting my 2.5W FT8 on 2m this evening. To say  FT8 has totally transformed 2m for me is an understatement!  Every day I get spotted in Eire or N.Ireland with my FT817ND and the big-wheel omni antenna. Quite mind blowing. These ranges are staggering. If I worked these with this power on SSB I would be amazed.

2m FT8

The drawback of FT8 is the very "rubber stamp" nature of the QSOs, with just the bare essentials exchanged. As specialist software is needed (free), newcomers cannot just chance upon it. 

The advantages are it only takes 50Hz of bandwidth and is far more sensitive than SSB or CW. A second advantage is most activity is concentrated in a few kHz, making DX easier to spot. In my case, not having to use my poor voice is another benefit. 

Even with 2.5W and an omni antenna, I get reports from over 500km away every day. I suspect this is some sort of scatter. 2m FT8 has been transformative, although I can see why some do not like it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2m-ft8

Bluetit on fatballs - NOT amateur radio

 

It was very hard to take a good photo of this bird as it kept moving! It is a bluetit eating our fatballs. Often jackdaws try to eat them too - they are as big as the feeder!

There were lots of long tail tits flitting about too. These were too fast for me.

UK aid budget cut - NOT amateur radio

Apparently, the UK aid budget is to be cut by law to help the chancellor balance the books and to help pay the enormous budget deficit as a result of Covid-19. 

If this is made permanent, some will see this as a backwards step. I hope that we still continue to provide meaningful aid (not arms) to countries that need it.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55053719 .

15m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

About 10 minutes ago, I turned on 15m FT8 QRP (2.5W and the indoor loop). It is now 1007z. Just 6 stations copied on RX so far with one in East Africa.

UPDATE 1235z:  4 spots of me so far from Eastern Europe, but 95 stations spotted on RX including Africa and South America.

UPDATE 1548z: 121 stations spotted so far today on 15m FT8 RX including North and South America.

Wifes' birthday

Today is my wifes' birthday. In these odd days we are having a quiet day. Here she is looking at one of her presents. 

Sunspots - Tuesday November 24th 2020

Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 38. A=8 and K=0.

2m FT8 QRP

As there have been no spots here on 15m FT8 for several hours, I have QSYed to 2m FT8 using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. Although nothing spotted on RX so far, 5 stations have spotted my QRP.

UPDATE 1855z:  So far, 6 stations have spotted me with the furthermost being EI2FG (565km).

UPDATE 2216z:  QRT.

Black Friday "deals"? - NOT amateur radio

Recently (about 6 weeks ago) I bought an Echo Dot from Amazon. It even recognises my poor voice, which surprised and impressed me. In the latest Black Friday deal, Amazon are offering the latest version for about 30% more than I paid. 

Sometimes, these bargains are not what they seem!

Although there may be some good bargains, do check.

FT8/FT4 presentation

Southgate News has a link to a USA YouTube presentation on these modes. There are lots of presentations about these digital modes on YouTube. FT8 works with low power and simple antennas, but is not a mode for chatting. 

I have to admit, I have not yet tried FT4.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/november/ft8-and-ft4-lecture-video.htm#.X7ufE2iTLrc

70cm activity contest results

Most definitely I am not a contest person!  However, I usually take part in the RSGB organised activity contests each month on 2m and 70cm on Tuesday evenings. Usually most activity in these friendly contests is on SSB and after a short while I give up because of my poor voice. 

Results for the November 70cm UKAC activity contest have just been published and I remain about a third of the way down the low power section. Seeing I only use 10W and the 2m (not 70cm!) big-wheel omni and rarely stay on for more than an hour of the contest, this is fine.

15m FT8 QRP

A little while ago I turned on the gear to go on 15m FT8 QRP. As usual, 2.5W and the indoor loop on the shack windowsill. Better results expected on 15m compared with 10m. 

On 15m FT8 TX I have been spotted by 1 station in Greece and 18 stations spotted on RX. No great DX yet.

UPDATE 1204z:  2 spot of me on TX with 53 stations spootted so far on 15m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted on 15m
FT8 RX today to 1650z

UPDATE 1820z:  6 stations have spotted me today on TX and 170 stations spotted on RX in 5 continents.

Housework day - NOT amateur radio

We have a routine of doing housework on Monday's. This is a photo of our garden room with the sun streaming in. This is our second reception room and very relaxing.

I shall start housework shortly! 

Sunny, frosty day - NOT amateur radio

We have a nice, crisp and sunny day at the moment. Let's hope it is sunny all day.

Sunspots - Monday November 23rd 2020

Solar flux is 88 and the SSN 35. A=27 and K=2. 

Trump: just what is he on? - NOT amateur radio

OK, as a non-US person I admit that I am not a great fan of President Trump. 

He still seems totally against conceding he lost the presidential election and has tried, in vain, to contest the results in courts alleging "election fraud" despite no evidence. To the rest of the world he comes across as a spoilt child. He has been noticable by his absence of late.

It would be much better for world democracy if he just conceded and went back to running his business empire and playing golf. Hanging on to power does no good for democracy and reminds me of a certain leader in 1936 at the Olympics.

The people of the USA have spoken. Just listen.

Seen on our walk - NOT amateur radio

 

Some kind person put this colourful hanging basket on a footbridge where we walk. 

We often see Muntjac deer on this walk. This introduced deer is now becoming very common. At night they bark (a dull monotonous bark) that can go on for ages! They eat garden plants A few years ago there was a Muntjac with young in the garden next door.

These days a walk around the village of 3.5 miles feels more like 7. All the time I am giddy and tired.

2m FT8 QRP - Sunday

Overnight, I left 2m FT8 running on RX only. Just after breakfast I resynced the time and turned on TX (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna).

In the last 6 hours,  5 Gs have spotted me and I have spotted 19 stations with the furthermost being DL6YBF (471km).  No QSOs yet.

UPDATE 1324z:  41 stations in 7 countries so far spotted on 2m FT8 RX today. 1 QSO. 17 stations in 4 countries spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 2230z: QRT. 

Amaryllis - NOT amateur radio

This one was put out last winter and forgotten. My wife walked past and noticed it was growing, so we put it on the kitchen table. 

Universal Radio closure

Steve G1KQH has informed me that this USA amateur radio dealer is closing. They will operate online to clear orders. See their website for more information. 

I can see several dealers closing shop in the years ahead not only in the USA. This is because of their reducing margins as fewer new radios are bought and as the average age of radio amateurs increases. 

As I have said many times already in 20 years time many radio amateurs will be very old and our hobby could just fizzle out. Magazines will get fewer, fewer dealers, less revenue, those mags that survive will get smaller....

Already Waters and Stanton seems to have stopped advertising in RadCom and we now see one USA dealer closing.

Sunspots - Sunday November 22nd 2020

Solar flux is 85 and the SSN 23.  A=12 and K=4.

Return to 2m FT8 QRP

At 1827z, I returned to 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna after a fairly fruitless day on 10m. 

So far this evening, I have been spotted by 3 stations and I have spotted 1 station according to PSKreporter. I also spotted a PA0 but this was not reported for some reason.

UPDATE 2225z: 21 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX today as the map shows. 

Slapton Line - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of Slapton Line in Devon. During WW2 it was used by the Americans in "Operation Tiger", which was a rehearsal for D-day in Normandy.  In the far distance is Start Point with its lighthouse. There is no sand, just pebbles.

This is where I come from in South Devon.  In recent years the main road across "the Line" has been washed away twice during storms.  On both occasions the road was rebuilt.

In the next 100 years I think this will be replaced by a road on the other side of the Ley (freshwater lake).  It has been there all of my lifetime, but I cannot see it surviving more bad storms. Building a new road will be expensive. We tend to think of things as permanent, whereas we only see things for a generation. From a repair viewpoint, there comes a point when rebuilding the road along "the Line" is simply no longer viable. It would be better to bite the bullet and replace this important road with a new one that will last for hundreds of years.

If the sandbank is broken, it will change the Ley from freshwater to saltwater, totally changing the ecosystem.

For a laugh - NOT amateur radio

This was on WhatsApp earlier, although I have no idea where it originated.   It brought a smile to my face. 

BTW, I have had some excellent vegan meals and could quite easily be a vegetarian, although I enjoy meat. Being a vegan would probably be a step too far.

See bcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-recipes

Shack photo

This photo was taken a few minutes ago. 

It shows the equipment that I use. 

For FT8 I use the FT817ND and the SignaLink. The FT991A is only used at QRP levels. 

Cottage - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw this cottage on our walk yesterday. Thatcher's often have trademarks. In this case it is the dog on the roof made of straw. 

10m FT8 QRP - Saturday

At 1027z, I QSYed to 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop and 2.5W. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1050z: Nothing yet on 10m FT8 RX, but spotted on TX by G3NSM (123km) in Oxford, UK.

UPDATE 1508z:  Still nothing spotted on RX and just the single spot on TX. In a years' time I expect things to be much better. At the moment, 10m seems very quiet. On FT8 I was expecting to spot a few stations. I am RX only just now.

2m FT8 QRP - Saturday

It is now 0924z. Since 0857z I have been on 2m FT8 with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, nothing spotted on RX and 4 stations have spotted me on TX with the furthermost being G4RRA (333km) in Devon.

UPDATE 1000z:  6 stations spotted and 8 stations spotted me on TX. 1 QSO so far.

Sunspots - Saturday November 21st 2020

 Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 11. A=8 and K=2.

Huge EME dish going

Back in the mid 1960s, the huge dish at Arecibo, Puerto Rico was used for amateur EME experiments. As the gain was so large, this gave more modest stations a chance "via the moon". Sadly the dish was badly damaged in a storm and it is to be decommissioned according to a piece in Southgate News. FT8 and other digital modes have opened up EME to others now, but this is sad news.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/november/arecibo-dish-to-be-decommissioned.htm#.X7fYl2iTLrc

Muddy walk - NOT amateur radio

 

This morning we did another walk. In parts it was very muddy as the photo shows!

Mushrooms? - NOT amateur radio

We saw these on our walk earlier in the week. I think they are edible, but as we were not 100% sure, we left them.

2m FT8 QRP - Friday

Since about 1145z, I have been on 2m FT8  with the usual 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far, I have been spotted by 5 G stations. It is now 1204z.

UPDATE 1252z:  8 spots of me and 9 stations so far today on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1400z:  11 spots of me today including GI6ATZ (479km) on TX and 15 spots of others on RX.

Sunspots - Friday November 20th 2020

Solar flux is 77 and the SSN 11. A=3 and K=3.