Sunspots and 10m - Monday August 8th 2016

Solar flux is 96 today. Sunspot count is 63 today (K=2). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

10m JT65

As an experiment, I have moved to JT65 on 10m today. I was getting JT65 spots on 6m until just before QSYing about 40 minutes ago including some night-time Es. As yet, nothing reported on 10m JT. I think my antenna is not as good on 10m as my vertical V2000 is on 6m, but the cable loss is lower.I suspect my ERP on 10m is a bit lower.

UPDATE 1325z: Although my 10m JT65 has been received in southern Europe by 10m Es, I have had fewer spots than on 6m. There could be several reasons. Firstly the antenna may not be as efficient and the ERP may be far less than on 6m. Secondly, Es may be reducing in quantity now we are getting later in the season. Thirdly, there could be fewer people monitoring on 10m JT65 than on 6m JT65.  I expect it is a combination of all three.

UPDATE 1726z:  A couple of South Americas spotted on 10m JT65. Best DX so far is PY5EJ (9889km). So far, my own signals have not been spotted in South America. This may have been Es but I suspect it was either F2 or a combination of Es and F2. As this is a N-S path there could be equatorial spread-F involved. I am no propagation expert, so I welcome inputs from others who have better knowledge.

UPDATE 2016z:  With just 6 Es spots on 10m JT65 all day and not a single spot from any G stations, I suspect there are fewer stations on 10m JT65 than 6m JT65. The bonus was a couple of spots of South Americans although the day passed (so far at least) without my own 10m JT65 signal being spotted outside Europe. I shall be on 10m JT65 again tomorrow.

Southgate News reports on 4m in Australia

Yesterday Southgate News reported that the WIA (Australia's national society) had expressed an interest in 4m. There is a possibility this could happen too as this part of the spectrum is being used less in Australia as it is in the UK.

It looks increasingly possible that 4m could become a major band across the world. 4m seems better than 6m in many ways and of course the IC7300 covers 4m in Europe.

6m JT65 and a switch to 10m JT65 soon?

Today's 6m JT65 results

6m JT65 (1W ERP vertical) continues to give me good results, mainly by Es. Later this week I may leave 6m JT65 and try my luck with this mode on 10m instead.

Es on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65

Both 10m and 6m have already shown plenty of Es with spots from Hungary and Austria of my 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m and  several spots of my 1W ERP JT65 on 6m. So, it looks like there is still plenty of Es around.

The peak Es season (northern hemisphere) is May, June, July although there are spots to be had at any time of year, in reduced numbers as long as there is activity. I have had QRP 6m SSB contacts well into September.  There tends to be a smaller peak (don't ask me why) around December and January.

Weak signal modes like JT and WSPR allow people to be on these bands at quiet times. Hopefully use of weak signal modes will allow some of these brief openings to be caught. It would be much harder with SSB or CW.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday August 7th 2016

Solar flux is 83 today and the sunspot number 33. K=2. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

Africa (at last) on 6m JT65

CN8YZ (2233km) in Morocco was just spotted on 6m JT65. Remarkably, this is the first station in Africa that I have copied all summer. In past seasons, I regularly worked stations in North Africa with QRP SSB.

UPDATE 1204z:  At last a spot from 4X1RF (3518km) on 6m JT65 from Israel. This the second time I've been received in Israel this summer on 6m JT65 but the first time by 4X1RF.

Chordal hop Es?

I am still seeing plenty of 6m Es but very little long distance Es. I am of the view that these (or some) long Es paths are some sort of chordal hop propagation and not the "conventional wisdom" of multi-hop Es. Today there has been good Es on 6m to southern Europe,but nothing further. In the past I have received much further and been seen in Israel earlier in the Es season on 6m JT65.

Siamese banana? - NOT amateur radio

Never, ever, in all my life had I seen this before: two bananas fused together. Seen plenty of double yolk eggs but never this, until this week. Perhaps they usually get rejected by the UK supermarket buyers? Anyway, this looked amazing.

Museum of Liverpool - NOT amateur radio

As I mentioned yesterday, we had 4 nights with our old friend Pete on the Wirral near Liverpool. As always he was a great host and we visited several old haunts.

Liverpool has been through a regeneration since we were there and we were impressed. The people were always warm and friendly but the changes make it an even better place. Anyone off to a UK university could do a lot worse than choosing Liverpool.

My wife (and my mum in the 1930s) went to St Kaths College. This has now become Hope University. It has changed a bit since my wife was there in the 1960s, but it is lovely with great grounds and just a bus ride from the middle of this vibrant city.

In the regenerated docks area is the Museum of Liverpool which is free and one of the best museums I have ever been to. In the docks area is a Tate Gallery and don't forget the Three Graces!