Sunspots and 10m - Sun Oct 11th 2015

Sunspot number is still low at 22 (K=2) and 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor". I see some decent F2 distances are being reported by some in Europe, especially over the equator.

UPDATE 1537z:   Because of family and grandchildren, I have only just turned on the 10m 500mW WSPR beacon. I may have missed the best today. Just local G4IKZ (18km) logging me so far on 10m WSPR.

10m and 6m WSPR so far today

I have been WSPRing on these 2 bands for about 40 minutes so far today.  No success, as yet, but I hope to be on both bands all day. Even some DX inter-G would be of  interest.

UPDATE 1142z:  Although 10m remains quiet, I have spotted M0ICR (90km) and been spotted by G6AVK (78km) on 6m. When my PC closed unexpectedly it left my power on 6m as 5mW, whereas it has been 1W ERP all day om 6m and my 10m beacon (does not use PC) is 500mW.

UPDATE 1400z next day: The M0ICR spots were in error. The settings were NOT for 12 hours but a whole week, and M0ICR was spotted earlier in the last week.

Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster - NOT amateur radio

100 years ago next October, there was a disaster when 13 of the crew of the Salcombe lifeboat were lost at sea. Salcombe is in south Devon, UK.  One of my aunties remembered this when she was a child.  In those days these brave men rowed out in very rough seas.  The RLNI has a book out soon about the disaster. At the time, the event was devastating on Salcombe.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Oct 10th 2015

With a sunspot number of 11 (K=3) and 10m propagation expected to be "poor" again it looks like we'll need a lot of good luck if 10m and 6m are to be any good. These are magic bands and often I have been surprised on so called "poor" days.

Never give up - on 10m especially! The band may appear dead but really be open and this is where WSPR TXing and RXing will really prove itself - catching openings that would otherwise be missed.

Autumn SPRAT

I always enjoy getting my GQRP Club SPRAT magazine every quarter. It is worth every penny. Every edition has circuits and useful ideas. I have said many times that SPRAT would be the last to go if I had to stop amateur radio mags. Currently I get SPRAT, RadCom and PW. I used to get QST digitally, but stopped this.

Heathkits?

Is this real? Are they really coming back? My very first introduction to radio was a Heathkit, so I do hope this is true. At one time Heathkits were the very best. There have been a few false dawns.

See https://shop.heathkit.com/shop .

Another rally in the UK

I have been notified of this rally:

Sunday 11 OCTOBER : HACK GREEN BUNKER RALLY
Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. 

Electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio sets and vehicle spares. OT 10am, TS, C. 

Lucy, 01270 623 353, Lucy@hackgreen.co.uk. www.hackgreen.co.uk.
 
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Sunspots and 10m - Friday Oct 9th 2015

With a sunspot number of 24 this is little changed. K=3 which is a bit less disturbed than yesterday. Propagation on 10m is again forecast to be "poor", although I would soon expect to see regular openings to North America on 10m WSPR. So far, I have only caught just one.

UPDATE 1025z:  Although I have been active, and still am, on both 10m and 6m WSPR, I have drawn a blank so far on both bands. On 10m it is again 100% 500mW TX (frequency randomised) and on 6m 1W TX for 20% and RX 80%.

"Give us a Nadiya" - NOT amateur radio

"I can and I will". 

If you live in the UK and have a TV then the chances are you saw Nadiya, the 30 year old mother of 3 from Leeds, win "The Great British Bake Off" last night. She was the delightful girl who wore the world on her face and in her eyes. Her expressions of sadness and joy were just wonderful. She deserved to win, although they were all good.  All day my wife has been saying, "give me a Nadiya" whenever I have been pathetic with my stomach bug. Perhaps this will become an expression?

Wouldn't it be good if our politicians could let their guards down and show us the real people behind their facades? Go on David Cameron, UK Prime Minister, "give us a Nadiya".

See http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/oct/08/great-british-bake-off-nobel-prize-acceptance-speeches-nadiya-hussain .

The image below is at http://ichef.live.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1376xn/p034mtz9.jpg and NOT on this blog. The link and image will be removed if showing it is a problem.

Great post! - like heck!

Well, being human, I can spot these a mile away these days. You read on a bit more and see it refers to an old post and goes on to advertise something. It has nothing at all to do with the post. Thankfully "dodgy" comments go to my email and simply get deleted before they appear on the blog.

Should you see any comments, especially on older posts, that got through, please let me know so I can delete.

If you are a spammer - get lost - play your silly games somewhere else or jump in a river?  You are wasting your efforts on this site.