2 May 2022

8m experiment (Monday)

 After a brief period on FT8 TX (40.680 MHz USB dial), I may try WSPR TX at 0900z on 40.662 MHz. 

UPDATE 1730z:   A very quiet day. No spots given or received. Most of the day I was on FT8, sometimes TX and sometimes RX.

Sunspots - Monday May 2nd 2022

 Solar flux is 109 and the SSN 36. A=9 and K=2. 

1 May 2022

Quantum Mechanics - NOT amateur radio

 Quantum mechanics is hard and in many ways counter-intuitive. This YouTube video may help.



Outside King's Cambridge - NOT amateur radio


This morning we went to Cambridge with our grandson. He was hoping to ring the bells in St Edward King and Martyr church which preached one of the first sermons of the English reformation. He was unsuccessful sadly as they were not ringing the bells. 


We had brunch opposite King's where we saw these postcards.

See http://stedwardscambridge.co.uk/ .

10m QRP WSPR TX

Most of the day I have been on 10m WSPR Tx with the W5OLF WSPR beacon at 500mW. 4 unique stations have spotted me. Most appear to be single hop F2 propagation.

8m experiment (Sunday)

My 8m adventure continues. 

As I was out most of the morning I was on 40.680 MHz QRP USB dial FT8 TX earlier, but RX only until a few minutes ago. No spots given or received.  

I am again on FT8 TX (it is now 1215z).

UPDATE 1356z:  EI9KP (649km) in the west of Eire has, again, spotted me. Currently, I am RX only on 8m FT8.

Oscar 100 narrowband activity


Every few weeks I take a peek at activity levels on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite. Activity levels seem very low. My peek was at breakfast time in Europe on Sunday when I thought it might be better. 

It seems to me that this has not "taken off" (no pun intended!). When it was first put in orbit, people had high hopes that, alas, have not been matched. 

St Ninians Isle (Shetland) - NOT amateur radio


This photo was posted on 365project yesterday. 

Solar forecast

My favourite site for solar data is usually updated early in the month. Based on the last few days, things are looking promising. It has been updated earlier today.

At the moment, this solar cycle looks a bit better than the last one.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Sunspots - Sunday May 1st 2022

Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 50. A=18 and K=3.