Oscar 100 activity

As you know I take a regular peek at activity on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. Today's peek was at 0610am central European time. 30 minutes later there was nobody active at all! 

Now, this seems to show that outside Europe, e.g. India and the Gulf states there is very little interest. OK, it is a work day and very early in Europe.

My over-riding impression is that activity levels are very low. In some ways I am surprised, but in other ways I am not. 

Our hobby has largely evolved into "appliance operators" who buy an HF rig, and maybe a linear, tower and HF beam. There are far fewer real experimenters. With no real "black boxes" available there is a certain threshold to have success with Oscar 100.  For most, this threshold is just too hard. Based on recent evidence, I cannot see geosynchronous amateur satellites having a bright future.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Sunspots - Thursday May 26th 2022

 Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 93.  A=6 and K=1. The sunspot number has dipped below 100 for the first time in a while. The number is still pretty high.

Cheers Corfu - NOT amateur radio

Tomorrow is our last day. It seems only a blink since we arrived! This is our fourth time on Corfu and in this hotel. Health allowing, I somehow think it won't be the last time.

Ideas

Now is not the usual time to think about projects. The usual time is as the nights start to draw in and winter approaches. 

I am still hoping my G3XBM Scrapbook will be available as a free PDF download by the end of May, but June is next week!!

In the meantime, take a look at my main G3XBM website. Hopefully you will find some ideas there. 

As soon as that book is ready, I shall post a link here. At this rate, I suspect the book will be available mid June unless May is extended by Royal decree!!

Failed by the RSGB and OFCOM?

For 60 years I have been an RSGB member, but I feel I am being failed. Let me explain.

OFCOM is on record as saying they will NEVER allow UK radio amateurs on 8m. Why? 

The RSGB has (it would appear meekly) said "OK" to this. Wouldn't it have been nice if, for once, they had said "rubbish!!"?

In my view they should have said a very few kHz wide band at 40.680 MHz USB dial, narrow digital modes only, by NoV, strictly non-interference would have actively encouraged self training and propagation research. Personally I would happily lost a few kilohertz off any band for a few kilohertz around 40.680 MHz.

Instead we can talk about hernias and potted plants with 400W and commercial gear on 80m!  Absolute madness!!

RSGB and OFCOM please wake up.

Corfu view - NOT amateur radio

This is the view from our Corfu hotel garden. 

Sunspots - Wednesday May 25th 2022

 Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 137.  A=4 and K=1.

10FT8R 10m FT8 RX

This design is over a year old. It is very simple, but works well. It allows monitoring of 10m FT8 without tying up the main rig. You will not miss much.

See the 10FT8R webpage for details. 

I am sorry that the link was initially wrong. Hopefully it is now correct!

Old photo - NOT amateur radio

This photo appeared as a FB memory today. It must be well over 40 years ago. I have hair! 

OFCOM - money?

 OFCOM has made it easier for mobile operators to trade spectrum around 3.6 GHz. See the OFCOM website for more details. Me a cynic? Surely not!!