Stroke artifacts - NOT amateur radio

I have only just noticed this one! It seems I miss out some key words when I write on my blogs. It is as if I think they are there and they are not. As always, I try to correct the errors as soon as I spot them. If any words are missing please blame it on my brain!

First 10m WSPR spot today

You can tell it is not too great on 10m WSPR today as I have only just had my beacon spotted for the first time today.  This was by RA3UDF (2693km) at 1110z - single hop F2.  Today is going to be a struggle.
 
UPDATE 1404z:  FR1GZ ( 9724km) has spotted me a few times on 10m WSPR and M0LMH (223km) has spotted me a few times in daytime on 472kHz.

UPDATE 1648z:  With no USA spots on 10m so far today, I think this is going to be another day without the spots from the USA on 10m WSPR. Others may have been luckier: my 10m ERP cannot be great.

CQ-DATV mags free

See http://cq-datv.mobi/ebooks.php .

CQ-DATV is available for free download. I have not tried amateur TV but some remarkable results are being achieved by DATV in the 146-147MHz band. Like all things in our hobby, you can only do so much. I think the use of digital techniques has given amateur TV a new lease of life.

Time passing - NOT amateur radio

Someone said that time passes faster as you get older. It certainly seems this way.

November came and went in no time at all. October was just as fast. It will soon be Christmas, January will soon go, February is a short month and before you know it there will be buds and daffodils everywhere. I am not wishing my time away, but time does seem to disappear.

I do so hope that I feel much better in 2016.  It is 2 years since my stroke and I was expecting to feel so much better by now.

472kHz WSPR

Returned to 10m WSPR at breakfast time. Still on 630m (472kHz) WSPR but I am having trouble accessing the WSPRnet database. Overnight, no new stations copied, or copying me, on 472kHz WSPR. I may switch from 630m to 6m soon.

UPDATE 1040z: M0LMH (223km) is spotting me in daylight on 472kHz WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Nov 30th 2015

Sunspot number is 47 today (K=5) but solar flux is 95 and the forecast for 10m remains "poor". With disturbed conditions, I am not expecting great things on 10m, but you never can be sure. No spots as yet on 10m WSPR.

There is often a small Es peak at the end of the year, so we could see some nearer Europeans on 10m Dec/Jan via Es. This is also the case on 6m.

Sunset - NOT amateur radio

We are at the "pits" end of the year as far as sunlight is concerned, but the evenings start to get lighter from mid December even though the mornings get darker for a few weeks more. By the end of January the evenings are getting better light-wise by almost an hour. February is a short month. It is good to think the nights will soon be getting lighter again. It may be a little different where you live.

See http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/uk/cambridge?month=12&year=2015 .

Family weekend - NOT amateur radio

This weekend we had our "London" grandchildren here with their mum and dad. As you can see, our grandson, aged 8 years old,  decided to play dead on the rug.  They left quite late in the afternoon.

472kHz WSPR - same stations

It is now 1800z and I am still spotting the same stations as previously and the same stations are spotting me. I enjoy 472kHz WSPR but we do need more new stations.

It is not hard to get on the band and, as I have proved, large antennas and high ERP are not needed for WSPR. My approach using a simple transverter and FT817 will get you going.

UPDATE 1900z:  I see Ive been spotted by G0HWW (29km). Not too far, but a new station.

Quiet day on 10m WSPR

I was late getting on 10m WSPR today, but I was on early enough to catch any USA openings. There were none today.  

FR1GZ (9724km) spotted me at 1500z and, apart from this, all was quiet. CQWW CW was in full swing so this may have reduced WSPR activity, but the main reason was poor conditions.