4m QRP success - 229km today in the contest

Using my small 1W QRP 4m transverter recently built into my loft dipole I've just managed a QSO with G4RFR 229km away in Dorset (IO90AS) using CW in the RSGB Cumulative contest. He was on SSB and it was hard work, but in the end a full exchange was made.  Also heard G3EDD, G4ASR, G3BCU, G3TCT, G4DEZ, G1EHF on the band on SSB and G4ZTR on CW.

DJ8WX copied again on VLF (645km)

Uwe DJ8WX is currently transmitting a long dash on 8.90022kHz and his signal was copied well on my VLF grabber overnight in a 424uHz bandwidth. Also visible is a mystery signal around 8.9701kHz that most people think is some sort of local noise source but it is very repeatable every night.

Monitoring 8.976607kHz for G3XIZ

Just back from a few days with our grandson and family and the PC is on looking for the latest VLF test from G3XIZ. Whilst I've been away I hear that OK2BVG has been received in the UK too on VLF. Activity on the Dreamer's Band (8-9khz VLF) is going from strength to strength with new stations getting active on RX and TX almost daily now in Europe.

10m WSPR - reports from Australia today

WSPR reports 10.3.11 morning

This morning my 5W WSPR signal on 28MHz reached Australia with reports from VK5ZK and VK6DZ. Best DX is 16275km, a new WSPR record for me on the band. In the last 3 months I've had WSPR reports from 6 continents. Not bad with 5W to a small wire halo antenna at this stage of the sunspot cycle. At 1100z I'd been received by no less than 4 different Australian stations plus Israel, the Faroes and UK.

DJ8WX on 8.970022kHz again

Just weak a very weak trace overnight (you have to look hard!) from DJ8WX on VLF. Compared with his signals a few days ago he is at least 10dB weaker. Not sure why as nothing has been changed here. G3ZJO also copied Uwe weaker than before, although Eddie was getting him slightly better than me using his E-field probe antenna. By the way, this small trace (in blue/white) covers a period of 8 hours and is looking for the signal in an incredibly narrow 424uHz (yes you read it correctly - microhertz) bandwidth.

10m WSPR DX today

28MHz WSPR reports today

Whilst doing other work I left the 10m WSPR beacon system running today. Some decent DX about with the best being reports from FR1GZ and the two Israeli stations.

Dazed goldfinch

One dazed little goldfinch with a headache!

This little goldfinch crashed into our bedroom window yesterday morning. When I looked, he was just sitting on the roof very dazed. I opened the window, took this photo from about 10cm, stroked him ....and off he flew!

Jazz at Ronnie Scotts in London

Tim Lapthorn at Ronnie Scotts

Our son Tim shown here on the piano at one of his many recent appearances at the world famous Ronnie Scotts jazz club in central London. His new album "Intentions" is due out later this year and will feature many of his new original compositions. See www.timlapthorn.com .

Latest NASA sunspot predictions

From the http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SunspotCycle.shtml website dated March 1st 2011:

"Current prediction for the next sunspot cycle maximum gives a smoothed sunspot number maximum of about 58 in July of 2013. We are currently over two years into Cycle 24. The predicted size would make this the smallest sunspot cycle in nearly 200 years."

Gloomy reading? Very recent solar levels in the last week or so may be just a blip, but something tells me we could all be in for a very big, and pleasant, surprise should activity continue to build as rapidly as it has recently. The sun is still full of surprises and no-one predicted the 2 year quiet sun we just had at the end of cycle 23.

I still find http://www.solen.info/solar/ the best page for up to date information on current solar activity.

Doppler shift on 10m WSPR Transequatorial

This afternoon, before working some QRP DX on 10m and 12m SSB I had my WSPR system running and spotted FR1GZ (Reunion Is) several times at good levels. What was interesting was the Doppler shift on his signal which was up to -3Hz at times. I guess the propagation is trans-equatorial spread-F and what I'm observing are moving F-layers on the path between us.