𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 @M5JFS 📡🛰️🔭🌌

FT817 with an upgraded mic. I replaced the MH-31 fist mic innards with a SotaBeams voice keyer which has an electret capsule instead of the standard dynamic. I think I also had the SotaBeams compressor switched in (normally I switch it out for FM sats). Gives nice bright, punchy audio.

@wgoodf.bsky.social called you a couple of times on SO-50 this evening.. no reply :( I have said something to upset you Dale? 🤣

XU7AMO being active on 🛰️QO-100 has motivated me to clear out my shed so I can get active on QO-100 again 🏘️📡

I haven't beein regularly active on QO-100 for 18 months so I was pleased all the gear still works 100% and got a nice easy QSO for my first contact with Cambodia.

#SSTV image received from cubesat 🛰️QMR-KWT-2 on February 25th to mark Kuwait National Day and confirmation certificate.

🖼️SSTV postcards from Kuwait continues via 🛰️QMR-KWT-2 through the weekend. ⬇️436.950 MHz FM 📳Robot 36

#SSTV #QMRKWT2 #Kuwait_National_Day #KuwaitLiberationDay #orbitalspace

It's always fun working DX via satellite. Joe (KE9AJ) is on the Florida Atlantic coast and we worked via AO-7 last night. 4245 miles separated us and AO-7 was sounding great considering it's been in orbit over 51 years.

and a nice little flurry of contacts on RS-44

Nice to be able to find time to work a couple of amateur radio satellites 🛰️ this afternoon.

I spent a lot of time beaming more or less north, as well as NE and NW. If I heard something off the side of the beam, I'd get out and turn the antenna but didn't hear anyone in IO70,71,80,82,JO01 or 02

Conditions on 70cm were not great tonight. I only managed 22 QSOs in total in the RSGB 432MHz UKAC contest.

I was glad to get G1ZAR/P in the Peak District (best DX 281km) and Jacques F1BHL. I also heard GD8EXI in the Isle of Man but couldn't work him on 5W.

M33 The Triangulum Galaxy and also near-Earth Asteroid 433 Eros (white line to the left of the galaxy)

I put my Dwarf 3 on M33 The Triangulum Galaxy for about 80 minutes this evening and also managed to catch near-Earth Asteroid 433 Eros (the white line to the left of M33) which was a nice bonus.

The California Nebula (NGC 1499)

Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359)

A couple of images from last night's imaging session with the Dwarf 3: The California Nebula (NGC 1499) and Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359).

M42 Orion Nebula

M31 Andromeda Galaxy

Horsehead and Flame Nebulae

A few more images from the Dwarf 3 from last night.

Quick shot of the moon from the Dwarf 3.

I went for the Dwarf3 after watching lots of content online over the last 2 or 3 weeks. I think Orion Nebula and Horse Head+Flame will be my first deep sky targets.

This is M42 taken with my 6" Newtonian and Canon 600D about 6 years ago. My first and only attempt on this object to date.

First light with my new toy a little earlier.

This gag never grows old 😁

or ?

a somewhat abrupt conclusion

Cool.. looks just like what I need, especially in the winter months.

Sadly, I won't be out next week for the 70cm UKAC... too much going on at school in the run up to the end of term.

Sorry it turned out to be a bit 💩

and to top it off, I've only just sat down to eat.

Good luck out there Gareth!

It's peeing with rain, I've got a ton of work to do and I don't fancy a late night to catch up on the work after the contest. So sadly, I'm gonna give it a miss tonight. Shame because I was looking forward to using the FT847 on 70cm for the first time. ☹️

looks like a DX Commander antenna?

Results are in for last weekend's UKEI SSB contest. Not many in my category, but happy to get a solid 2nd with only about 5 hours of operating time. If I try harder and do a full 12 next time, maybe I could be shooting for 1st?

You're almost 3X my elevation. I work from Portsdown Hill at about 100m. Butser Hill isn't far away and 270m but if I want to operate from the car, I'm limited to about 250m and certain bearings could be compromised due to blocking from the summit. Might be worth a try before next year starts though

I should be on next Tuesday unless something unexpected happens to scupper my plans. I'll have 10W at my disposal now instead of 5W. Wooo! Having said that, on 5W, I have worked everything I could hear so I think I need (a) a pre-amp and (b) a higher location to be able to work more.

most of my AliExpress purchases come in a week or thereabouts

I just need to find a cheap TV antenna rotator

So did I 😆

Brave man!

I'll be out next week for the 70cm contest. Hoping for some drier weather than this evening. I can't think of anything worse than having to jump out of the car to rotate the beam every so often while on top of a hill in driving rain.