Sunspots and 10m - Wed Aug 19th 2015

Sunspot number has risen a bit to 44 (K=4) but 10m propagation is again "poor" .

Es on the way out?

So far today I have seen no evidence at all of Es (yet) on 10m and 6m WSPR. Things could soon change but so far it is very quiet on these bands on WSPR. On 6m I am seeing GDX by tropo out to 156km, but no Es.

I am beginning to think we are now coming to the end of the Es season. There may still be Es openings but not as frequent. Having said this, I have now made Es on 10m and 6m (a huge opening!) a racing certainty tomorrow. It is called "Sod's Law", HI.

UPDATE 2142z:   No Es seen here on WSPR all day and this evening on 10m and 6m.

Shack photo

This was me on the 2m FM net in East Cambridgeshire last night. There were only 3 of us on last night. These days I tend to use WSPR quite a bit as my voice is still pretty poor. We meet on 144.575MHz FM at 8pm local time most Mondays. Note, this is in the all-mode section. Newcomers are always welcome to join us. QSOs are never more than 1 hour and frequently much less.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Aug 18th 2015

Sunspot number has fallen even further to 20 today (K=3) and 10m is expected to remain "poor".

UPDATE 0845z:  No breakfast time Es on 10m WSPR or 6m WSPR today.  I have the feeling today will be quiet.

Stroke update

My cerebellum brain bleed was in September 2013.  This is nearly 2 years ago.

I am so fed up with my stroke symptoms, although I know I came off better than many. One person my wife knows was a teacher and only 49. He has been left very disabled. Likewise Michael Schumacher who, I understand, is a shadow of his former self since his head injury whilst skiing.

Me? Well I can still only take liquids in small sips, my voice is still very poor and I feel giddy all the time when on my feet. I still get exhausted doing physical or mental tasks taking over 15-20 minutes. My wife tells me I am far less tactful than I was: in the past I would have been more careful, whereas I tend to say it "as it is" nowadays and often regret it later. I blame this on my brain. Honestly, I have no wish at all to hurt anyone, but I know some of the things I have written have hurt others, which has never been my intention.

On the positive side I seem to be less tired than I was, but I still have a way to go. I now enjoy cheese again and I can drink (and taste) most liquids, albeit drink very slowly. I can eat most foods. The occasional beer is nice. I enjoy eating out again and can drive, although I find this tiring and needs lots of concentration.

I am not someone who gives up without a fight, but maybe some of these symptoms will always be with me?  I do hope not and so much want to be as I once was. I miss being fit.

It is no use complaining. Whatever happens, I intend to milk life for all I can manage whatever my state is.

Violence - NOT amateur radio

Violence must be carried out by very desperate people who feel they have no options left. In my mind, violence achieves lots of heartache and no lasting good.

In Bangkok there are lots of dead from a bomb at a central shrine and for what good? In Syria and Gaza, lots of people have been made homeless and are deeply saddened.  No, I am sure all the problems of this world could have peaceful solutions if only all sides were honest and open minded. It seems many don't want peaceful outcomes.

Media reports suggest as many as 27 people have been killed in Bangkok and many badly injured.

Just a quiet day on 10m and 6m WSPR

DK0SC (827km) was spotted on 10m WSPR this afternoon by Es, but still only Gs by tropo and aircraft on 6m. So far, this has turned out to be a pretty disappointing day.

If my theories are right, I expect to spot, and be spotted by, more northerly/Scandinavians this evening on 10m. Classical theory says this is Es, but I am less sure. E-layer yes, but Es?

UPDATE 1455z:  So far, a couple of afternoon Es spots by DK0SC on 10m WSPR, but still quiet on 6m WSPR. On 6m, I am 80% RX ,with 20% TX. We are definitely seeing less Es than earlier in the summer. The Es season is far from over though, although I am looking forward to some real F2 DX again on 10m as autumn approaches. As I said before, I expect one more good autumn and winter on 10m before 10m starts to behave more like a VHF band again. Even then there will be some good days.We just have to catch them! Of course, Es livens up 10m from late April to September at any point in the sunspot cycle. Some even think Es is better in the quiet sun years. 10m requires a great deal more patience in those quiet years. That is why a fully dedicated 10m WSPR beacon makes sense allowing you to get on with other things on other bands, whilst still keeping a watch on 10m by looking at WSPRnet.

UPDATE 1848z:  ON7KB (299km) was spotted on 6m WSPR late-afternoon. This was tropo and aircraft and not Es. So, it looks like a day without 6m Es, at least on WSPR.

Overnight on 20m WSPR

Last evening and overnight I went on 20m WSPR for a change. 36 unique spots. Several transatlantic spots including Greenland, but 20m WSPR is just too easy. On 10m and 6m, and even more so on LF and MF, there is more challenge and interest.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon August 17th 2015

Sunspot number has fallen further to 32. K=4, so conditions are just a little less disturbed. 10m propagation is still "poor". We are still in summer conditions, so I have seen no E-W 10m openings to the USA by F2 in months on WSPR. Things were probably better on SSB where activity levels are much higher. My feeling is this has been less good an Es season, but  I am judging my results on WSPR.

UPDATE 0932z:  Local G4IKZ (18km) seems to have deserted 10m WSPR now, so unless there is Es or F2 propagation I tend to draw a blank on 10m WSPR. I still seem to copy G0OQK (98km) regularly on 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 0937z:  WSPRnet shows only 23 active stations on 10m WSPR in the entire world. Of course, this does not include all those trying unsuccessfully, like me (!) who are active but not been recently spotted.

UPDATE 1150z:   As yet, still no Es seen here on 10m or 6m WSPR. All very quiet so far.

UPDATE 1253z:  At last some Es on 10m. HA9AL (1455km) has spotted me 3 times over lunchtime. Still no Es seen on 6m WSPR.

Return to 10m and 6m WSPR

Since about 0650z I have left 20m and returned to 10m and 6m WSPR. Although I am exchanging 6m spots with G0OQK (98km), 10m WSPR is quiet so far. No Es seen on either band as yet.

UPDATE 0916z:   Still no Es on either band.