10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

As there is no sign at all of thunderstorms anywhere for hundreds of miles, I think I shall turn on my 10m FT8 RX later. According to the thunder map all storms are very distant indeed.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org. 

UPDATE 0847z: The storms appear to have come this way, but tracked north and missed us, so I have turned my system on at 0840z. So far, 5 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1000z:  6 Europeans spotted with the furthermost OE4KSF (1285km). Most of these Europeans I think are E layer rather than F2 backscatter. If it was backscatter I would expect to see some further afield stations such as Israel, European Russia and Ukraine via F2.  I am seeing none of these. Perhaps a brief patch of E layer ionisation forms allowing a very brief opening and then disappears?

UPDATE 1118z: 34 stations spotted today so far. Furthermost is 5T5PA (3791km).

UPDATE 1504z: Because of the thunder I went temporarily QRT, but am on again now. 197 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 1725z:  242 stations spotted today. It looks as if the F2 propagation on 10m is now ending as it is getting dark.

UPDATE 2152z: QRT. In the end 243 stations spotted, but I missed some late ones as I had to go out.