Sunspots and 10m - looking better - Mon Aug 24th 2015

Sunspot number is 93 today (K=2) and for the first time in weeks 10m propagation is "fair" rather than "poor". Are things looking up?

UPDATE 0852z:  On 10m WSPR just spots by M0MVB (30km) and no 10m Es yet.

UPDATE 0900z:  Just the usual spots by G0OQK (98km) on 6m WSPR and no 6m Es yet. On both 6m and 10m WSPR I am seeing no sign yet of any F2 propagation on WSPR, but of course activity is way down on last year. 10m and 6m are just to hard work for many. There are currently about 1/3rd of stations active on 10m and 6m compared with last year.

Met Office and the BBC - NOT amateur radio

Next year, the BBC will no longer use the Met Office for its weather forecasts. I have no idea who they will use instead. I very much doubt the forecasts will be any better, but at least they will be able to buy better seaweed, HI.

For a long time I have been critical of our weather forecasts. Yes, I know UK weather is complicated but as a minimum they should give a level of confidence in any forecast. Sometimes they are useless with even the forecast for a few hours hence being wrong. Often it is as good to look out the window.

Es today on 10m WSPR, but not 6m WSPR

There has been plentiful Es around on 10m WSPR today, especially from northern Europe, but no signs of Es - well not yet - on 6m WSPR. It feels like the end of the main Es season now.

UPDATE 1900z:  Still no signs at all of any Es on 6m WSPR.  In fact all day I have just been exchanging spots on 6m WSPR with G0OQK (98km).

My main website

Although I write a couple of blogs most days (one amateur radio related and a more general one), my main website with far more details about the projects and things that interest me is at http://www.g3xbm.co.uk . It has not been properly revised for some time as my health has not been too good for a while now. As I have said several times on my blogs, I hope to get back to field work as soon as I can.

Buying an antenna pole

About 2 weeks ago I filled in an online request form for our local TV/antenna erection Company called Fenway. No reply, nothing.

So I tried emailing the contact name given - again nothing back.

So, they have lost my business for this and anything else. They deserve to go bust.

I will get my antenna pole from someone else. Rubbish service.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Aug 23rd 2015

Sunspot number is 72 today (K=3) and 10m propagation remains "poor". Es will again be the main hope on 10m and possibly 6m WSPR.  We are still in summertime conditions and at the back end of the Es season in the northern hemisphere.

10m Es but no Es here on 6m WSPR

10m WSPR has been humming with spots from central Europe, but nothing on 6m WSPR by Es. Spots exchanged on 6m WSPR (again) with G0OQK (98km) but no sign of Es on that band. 

I have not correlated spots exchanges on 6m WSPR with G0OQK and aircraft movements, but I am sure there is a correlation.

ICOM IC7300

At this stage I don't yet have any details, but ICOM launched the IC-7300 at the Japanese Ham Fair. It looks a bit like a Yaesu FT991 on steroids!

At this stage I don't know price, power, bands or availability outside of Japan, but I expect these will soon be known. I wonder why this was released so soon after the IC7100? Perhaps people did not like it? Maybe this will force a price cut for the FT991?

In Japan there will be 50W and 10W versions. I hope the 10W version is available in Europe as this might be a good replacement for the IC703.  10W pep SSB is a useful power level.

And we are STILL awaiting the FT817 replacement or a competitive offering from Kenwood or ICOM. After all these years I find this barely credible.

See http://qrznow.com/new-icom-ic-7300-toyko-hamfair-2015/

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Aug 22nd 2015

Sunspot number has risen to 78 (K=3) but 10m is again "poor". So far we have had lunchtime Es on 10m WSPR but nothing yet spottedon 6m WSPR Es.

Chinese radio imports

With the devaluation of the Chinese currency this week, all Chinese radios and imports should be less expensive. I wonder if our nice UK dealers will simply pass this saving on to the end customer? That would be honest and nice.

Watch this space!