Sunspots and 10m - Friday Sept 11th 2015

Sunspot number is 42 (K=7 which is disturbed) and 10m propagation is "poor".  It is very unlikely 10m will be any good today. Unless there is some rare Es, 6m is likely to be a total dead loss again today.

10m and 6m WSPR

Just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me on 10m WSPR today and, so far, no spots at all given or received on 6m WSPR today.

Magnetic Loops on HF TX

It is some while since I used a magnetic loop antenna on HF TX, but these antennas work well, if you can accept their very narrow bandwidth. In fact the sharper the tuning, the more efficient it is likely to be. I used a small magnetic loop made with small-bore central heating copper pipe and was amazed how well it worked with WSPR spots from Japan on 20m with the loop in the shack, which was an upstairs bedroom at the time. Ideal applications are where frequent retuning is not needed such as PSK31, JT65 or WSPR. On 10m they can be very efficient. Even on 20m I was very impressed. Bandwidths are usually measured in kilohertz. Losses have to be kept low if they are to be efficient. Even thin wire will work but the antenna will not be as efficient. As a minimum coax cable or copper pipe should be used for the loop. At QRP powers ordinary air-spaced capacitors work fine to bring the loop to resonance. At 100W these may well arc over.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/magloop .

Aldeburgh trip - NOT amateur radio

Cottage next to Ufford Church

Today we went to Aldeburgh on the East Coast of East Anglia. We stopped at Snape Maltings for lunch and stopped at Ufford Church on the way there and Blythburgh Church on the way home. Both are famous. At Aldeburgh we saw the famous shell sculpture on the beach. Some hate it, but it is quite dramatic. I like it. It stands about 4m high. At 154 miles, round trip, this was my longest drive since my stroke. At the end I was tired, but it was a lovely day out in the September sunshine.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldeburgh .

Shell sculpture on beach at Aldeburgh

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Sept 10th 2015

Sunspot number is 49 today (K=1) but 10m is expected to remain "poor".

10m promise?

There were early morning (breakfast time) 10m WSPR spots from I and OZ today. Also G4CUI (172km) by tropo. I have a feeling today will be quite productive on 10m WSPR, especially by Es.

UPDATE 2122z:  No more Es seen on 10m since those early spots. Yet again, 6m WSPR has been a dead loss again with not a single spot either given or received!  I thought we were in for a better 10m day but it was not to be, here at least.

QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR from 6m

Today 6m WSPR has been a total dead loss with not a single spot. I have decided to move down to MF (5mW ERP TX 20%, RX 80%). Hopefully it will be more productive, especially after dark. So far this autumn my best DX on RX is 995km, even without the preamp.

UPDATE 1900z:   DK7FC (669km) has already been spotted twice strongly. It is only just going dark here.

All very quiet on 10m and 6m WSPR here today

Well, it is very quiet here today on both 10m and 6m WSPR, with not even the locals and GDX around! Maybe the bands have been deserted? At the moment there are 27 stations shown as active on 10m WSPR in the world and just 13 on 6m in the world.  Of course this does not include those valiantly trying but not being copied.

UPDATE 1412z:  Just one 10m spot so far: Es propagation with a spot by DK6UG (633km) at just before lunchtime. So, there is some 10m Es still, but not much! 6m has remained quiet here all day.

Monarchy - NOT amateur radio

Later today the UK queen will beat Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch in British history.

I have mixed views on monarchy: it seems to work here (at least with the current queen who is well respected) and I cannot readily think who would be president if we were a republic.

Yet somehow the idea of rank and privilege grates on me: why should someone be queen just because her "line" is royal? No, I think our queen has served us well, but I have mixed views on the monarchy as a concept.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34177107  .

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Sept 9th 2015

Sunspot number has risen and conditions are less disturbed today. Sunspot number is 47 (K=2) although 10m propagation remains "poor". Although F2 propagation on 10m is possible, late Es remains the best hope on 10m and 6m. At the moment I am not active on 10m or 6m WSPR, but I shall be turning the kit on shortly. My first task will be to mend the 2m big-wheel!