Strictly Come Dancing - NOT amateur radio

This is the only "reality" show on TV I watch. "Strictly" makes good entertainment on a cold autumn evening, with tea on a tray and a small glass of wine in front of the fire. My XYL enjoys it more but I do enjoy it too. In my teenage years I enjoyed ballroom dancing, although that was a long time ago!

Even though in the lounge I still monitor WSPRnet to see what is happening on 10m and 6m WSPR.

First 10m WSPR spot today - FR1GZ

Although I was very late getting on 10m WSPR today the first spot was by FR1GZ (9724km). As yet, nothing on 6m again. Our younger grandson only left mid-afternoon.

UPDATE 1555z:  The first USA 10m spot  today was W4DEX (6390km).

UPDATE 1630z:   W4DEX (North Carolina)  is the only 10m USA spot today at present. I guess there could be more later, but I doubt it.

UPDATE 1708z:    Several spots on 10m from K9AN (6505km). The USA spots are still coming in. Overall, conditions did not seem quite as good as in recent days on 10m with fewer different USA stations spotting me.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Oct 24th 2015

Sunspot number is 91 (K=1) but 10m is forecast to be "poor" again. CQWW SSB contest is in full swing with good signals from LU and PY stations, but I feel too exhausted to take part today. Maybe I shall try tomorrow? Today I have just turned on the 10m 500mW WSPR beacon and the 1W 6m WSPR station.

We have had our younger grandson with us until about 1 hour ago and I think this has taken it out of me. I was fine yesterday.

Time to go QRT

The last USA spot of my 10m 500mW WSPR signal was at 1740z and that was K9AN (6505km). Since them just local G4IKZ (18km) and G4CUI (172km) by a mix of tropo and aircraft reflection. 6m WSPR has been quiet all day. Now it is time to go QRT.

Another UK Rally

Sunday 25 OCTOBER : 26th GREAT NORTHERN HAMFEST
Barnsley Premier Leisure Complex, Queens Road, Barnsley S71 1AN or follow the brown Metrodome signs. GNHF in association with SYRG. OT 10am, TS, SIG, C, FAM. Ernie, G4LUE, 07984 191 873. www.gnhf.co.uk.

 A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

6m WSPR today

I have been active on 6m WSPR most of the day but no spots whatsoever given or received so far. I am looking for others 80% of the time on 6m. It was a bit surprising that not a single G was copied on 6m. On 10m there were some nearer Europeans so I wonder if this was out of season Es?

Both 10m and 6m WSPR will be active here for a few hours yet, so there is still a chance of copying some Gs on 6m WSPR.

Tomorrow and Sunday I hope to be active for some of the time in the CQWW contest on 10m SSB. Most activity is likely to be on Sunday afternoon. A lot depends on my (poor) voice.

Park and Ride - NOT amateur radio

Younger grandson and XYL

Today we went into Cambridge to visit the Dinosaur Museum (free and on the Sedgewick Site) and John Lewis for a snack with our younger grandson.

We used the "Park and Ride" bus for the last part of the journey as we can use our bus passes and it saves worrying about the city traffic and parking. In John Lewis we treated our grandson to some Lego too.

Best day on 10m WSPR this season so far

6 x 10m WSPR spots from Australia, plenty of USA spots as well as Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Today the 10m forecast was "poor" but, for me, it has been the best day on 10m this autumn. What do "good" conditions bring on 10m?

Last words on Sputnik QRP tests?

These emails came in from Bert and Oleg:

"Hello dear Sputnikers,
Although I did not participate on the bands, I enjoyed to follow your
"adventures" here on the Sputnik Days report.
I enjoyed all, from the wigwam shack to Pampus.
Thanks to all.
73, Bert PA1B"


"Dear Space Friends,
> I enjoyed all, from the wigwam shack to Pampus.
> 73, Bert PA1B
Bert,  thank you very much for nice comments! Hopefully, milliwatting
will be continued all the year, not only in Sputnik Activity Days. We
can inform about mW results here in discussion e-mail group any time.
Dead  line  for  all Sputnik Days results is October 25. Send me your
results/pictures/comments  if anybody forget it before. After October
25  I'll  send  e-mail  nice  art  memorable  Certificates  for  all
participants    (including   assigned  personally honor titles, hehe)
Club  72  art designer Vlad UR0ET (Dnipro, Ukraine) have hardly works
with it now - thanks Vlad!
72! beep-beep-beep...
Deep Space Communications Center
operator on duty -
Oleg ("Mr. 72") RV3GM / KH6OB"

Sunspots and 10m - Fri Oct 23rd 2015

With a high solar flux (119) and a decent sunspot number of 94 (K=1) I am surprised to see 10m only expected to be "poor" today. Yesterday it was "fair".  On the face of it conditions look at least as good as previous days and possibly a little better.  Only time will tell.

I shall turn on 10m and 6m WSPR shortly.

UPDATE 0940z:  Early 10m WSPR spots by F2 from 4X1RF (3519km) bode well for the day. Two spots on 10m WSPR by VK2KRR (16789km) are even better!! Remember this is meant to be a "poor" day on 10m!