Stroke - NOT amateur radio

It is just over 2 years ago that I had my stroke. By now I was expecting to be back to normal, but I still have problems. The main issues are poor liquid drinking - I have to take small sips, I have a poor voice and I tire easily. 20-30 minutes of physical or mental activity and I am really done in. A short rest and I am OK again.

One unexpected impact is spelling: sometimes I find it hard to know if a word is spelt correctly, so I change the word to one I am more sure of. Another one is my short-term memory. My wife swears blind I told her something and I have no recollection of having done so! I am also unsure if I read something or it was something in a dream.

Overall, I am lucky but this stroke is still having a profound impact on my life and that of people close to me. I have changed and only time will tell what changes will always be there and which will eventually get better.

Daytime on 472kHz (630m)

M0LMH (223km) is spotting my 5mW ERP WSPR even now in broad daylight in IO93 square. I assume this is ground wave. Signal reports are "only just" at around -28 to -30dB S/N.  Earlier G3XIZ (46km) was a very good signal with me on RX without a preamp. I think the preamp may help with weaker signals, but I am able to copy most of the active stations without it in circuit.

UPDATE 1534z: PA0A (417km) is being copied well here on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 1920z: It is dark here.  EA5DOM (1525km) has already been spotted here a few times without the preamp.The antenna is still the earth-electrodes in the ground.

UPDATE 2120z:   The first spot this autumn of an Italian 472kHz WSPR  station this evening. I shall leave the 472kHz WSPR station running through the night.

Unique 472kHz WSPR stations received here this evening so far.

10m WSPR so far today

It seems that most of the spots of my little 500mW 10m beacon have been from nearer Europeans. This could be "out of season" Es or F-layer backscatter, but today there were far more than usual.

UPDATE 1600z:  No USA 10m WSPR spots today, well not so far. I am surprised as usually they would appear well before now.

UPDATE 1614:  Well, just to prove me wrong KK1D (5455km) has just spotted me on 10m WSPR. As they say, "one swallow does not make a summer", but at least I am being copied in the USA today on 10m.

UPDATE 1905z: KD0VWO (7412km) copied me at 1700z. Overall, this is has not been a good day for USA WSPR spots on 10m.

UK weather forecasts - NOT amateur radio

OK, this is yet another moan about UK weather forecasts.

I checked the BBC and the local Burwell weather just 1 hour ago. Both said dry until tonight so I planned a last cut of the grass. Stepped outside to, yes you guessed, rain.

Yes I know that the UK weather is complex, but surely they can get it right just 1 hour ahead? Apparently not.

472kHz WSPR overnight

With 18 unique stations spotted last night without a preamp this was the best night so far this autumn on MF.

EA5DOM (1525km) was spotted 30 times over night at up to -14dB S/N without the preamp.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Nov 8th 2015

With a decent solar flux, sunspot number of 79 (K=2) we could be in for some decent propagation on 10m WSPR today despite a "poor" 10m forecast.

I decided to stop on 472kHz (630m) WSPR today and give 6m a miss. Of course, Sod's Law will ensure there are some excellent 6m conditions today as I am not on!

472kHz WSPR RX and TX

 For the last hour or so I have been on 472kHz RX (no preamp) and TX (5mW ERP) with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I went QRT on 10m and 6m WSPR at the same time. So far this evening best DX with 5mW ERP is 223km and 995km on RX. It be interesting to see if I can spot EA5DOM without the preamp.

UPDATE 2024z: Best DX on TX with 5mW ERP and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is PA3ABK (306km). At the moment, most stations are only just copying my weak 5mW ERP signal. I think copying this weak signal is quite challenging for most MF people.

Leaves - NOT amateur radio

The back garden looks more autumnal by the day. In the last few days our silver birch has lost most of its leaves. With heavy winds and rain, I think the remaining deciduous trees will lose theirs in the next few days.

Portuguese AM Day

Southgate Amater Radio News reports that the Portuguese national society is promoting AM on HF and VHF bands on Sunday Nov 8th. The link shows where to look for others on AM. There is plenty of space for AM on 10m where the frequency recommended is 29.075MHz. On other HF bands there is less space for AM normally, although AM is popular on 160m and 80m.

See www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/november/portuguese_national_am_day.htm#.Vj3oyGtEd80

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Nov 7th 2015

This could be another bad day on 10m. So far, just early spots on 10m WSPR from G4KPX (14km). Sunspot number is 75 (K=6) and the forecast for 10m propagation is "poor". So far today, no spots given or received on 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1335z:   So far only those early spots and one at 1222z from G4KPX on 10m. I think we are going to have a quiet day on 10m based on the results so far.