18 Jul 2025

Thunderstorm risks this weekend

The last few days here in East Anglia, UK has been very hot and humid. This could break tonight with heavy rain and thunderstorms. We need the rain.  It might be a "good idea"  to avoid amateur radio especially this next 24 hours.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/ .

Oscar 100

It seems ages since I took a peek and updated you about activity on this geosynchronous satellite. 

It was designed in Qatar and has been up now for several years. Seeing that it has been around now for several years I am surprised how quiet it is. Maybe not, as this will not be of interest to "appliance" operators who really know little about the technology behind the rigs they use daily. Amateur radio becomes more like CB daily.


My last peek was late afternoon in Europe, on a Friday. I would have expected activity to have been quite good. Sadly not.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Fakes and counterfeit items - NOT amateur radio

One well known Chinese supplier is selling 256G flash drives for a small fraction of the price charged by other suppliers. I am a bit suspicious as these are supposed to be made by a reputable manufacturer. 

If things seem too good to be true then they usually are! 

If these are genuine, I am at a loss to know how they do it. At this price I do not understand how they do it anyway!

6m 5W FT8 (Friday)

My QRP FT8 to the V2000 omni antenna has been on since just after breakfast. One Far East station (I think genuine) has spotted me.

UPDATE 1443z:  Spotted by 142 stations on 4 continents. I suspect the station in Canada was a transitory patch of multi hop Es. At a similar time another station in Newfoundland was spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1917z: 
  349 stations have spotted me. See map. Amazing DX on 6m FT8 with 5W and a vertical omni antenna. 5 continents on 6m FT8 QRP today! Furthest is  LU2GPB (10405km) in Argentina. I suspect this is Es linking with equatorial spread-F.

UPDATE 2000z:  361 spots of me. Now QRT.

10m QRP WSPR (Friday)

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been on since just after breakfast. So far, just V51RS (8481km) spotting my QRP. There is no sign yet of Es.

UPDATE 1445z:  Spotted by V51RS 18 times today!  Lots of Es now on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2005z:   52 spots of me today, mostly Es. Now QRT.

Sunspots- Friday July 18th

 Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 178. A=19 and K=1.

17 Jul 2025

Quote - NOT amateur radio

Every day by email, I receive The Knowledge, which I find an easy, quick and unbiased read of the news. Every day they include a quote. Today's, by Benjamin Franklin, was excellent. How true.

Multiband HF antenna

 


Last week I ordered an antenna from Aliexpress. It has just arrived from China by airmail. It will get erected soon. I am amazed they can do it for the price.

Photobombed - NOT amateur radio



This morning we went for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. 

Whilst taking a photo of this caterpillar I was photobombed by a ladybird! Can you see the ladybird?

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

My gear was turned on at 0550z today.

UPDATE 1550z:  149 spots of me.