QSYed

Not long ago I decided to go QRT on 6m WSPR (no spots) and fire up 630m (472kHz) WSPR instead. So far, their are zero spots on 10m WSPR, which rather surprised me. I am still on 10m WSPR too and will remain active on 10m WSPR until after dark. After dark, I shall be exclusively on 472kHz until Sat breakfast time.

UPDATE 1500z:  I see that LA3EQ (769km) has been spotted in broad daylight this afternoon on 472kHz WSPR. This is without the RX preamp. He is a few dB above the noise threshold with me. No doubt with the preamp in he would be quite a decent signal.

UPDATE 1614z:   Much to my surprise K9AN (6505km) spotted me on 10m WSPR at 1536z and 1538z this afternoon. After the poor start on 10m this was not expected.

UPDATE 1734z:  M0LMH (223km) has spotted my 5mW ERP on 472kHz several times in daylight this afternoon.

Another UK rally this weekend

I have been notified of this one:-

Sunday 6 DECEMBER : BISHOP AUCKLAND RADIO AMATEURS CLUB RALLY
Spennymoor Leisure Centre, Co Durham DL16 6DB. CP, TI S22 (V44), OT 10.15 /10.30, £2 (U14 free). TS, B&B, C, LB, DF, FAM. John, G4LRG, 01388 606 396

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

Sunspots and 10m - Friday December 4th 2015

Solar flux is 95 today but the sunspot number has recovered to 47 (K=2). 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor" today.  However, it would not surprise me if 10m WSPR results in some USA spots later.

UPDATE 1100z:  All very quiet so far today on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR with not a single spot as yet.

Dutch get full 100kHz wide 5MHz band

At least one country in Region 1 is to be allowed access to a full 100kHz wide band at 5MHz. I hope all Region 1 countries follow suit. This is for full licence holders and permits 100W.

See https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agentschaptelecom.nl%2Factueel%2Fnieuws%2F2015%2F5-mhz-band-binnenkort-ook-voor-radiozendamateurs-met-een-f-registratie&edit-text=

FT991 issues?

It looks like Yaesu have had some quality control issues with some FT991 transceivers, although I am unsure what percentage of units sold are effected. It does not look good though. It is always wise to wait a while so these initial issues are ironed out. In Yaesu's defence, I have had an FT817 (original version with the old PA) for about 15 years and it still works as well as ever. I love it.

See http://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/new-yaesu-ft-991-beware.502666/&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=QRZ&utm_term=forum,+site,+RSS&utm_content=HAMRADIO&utm_source=twitterfeed

DX spots on 10m WSPR

FR1GZ (9724km) has spotted me 3 times so far on 10m WSPR this afternoon. No other spots, as yet. In my experience, N-S paths hold upon better on 10m than E-W paths when solar activity is lower.

It will be interesting to see how 10m Es is this Dec/Jan as there is usually a small Es peak. This is far lower than the May, June, July peak.

UPDATE 1528z:  In the end FR1GZ spotted me 4 times this afternoon on 10m WSPR.  At the moment, I have doubts there will be any further DX spots today. It gets dark here soon and the USA seems unlikely again today.

UPDATE 1920z:  FR1GZ was the only spot on 10m WSPR all day. Again, no USA spots.

UPDATE 1924z:  Now QRT on 10m and 6m and QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR.

UK rally this weekend

I have been notified of this rally:

Saturday 5 DECEMBER : SOUTH LANCS WINTER RALLY
Bickershaw Labour Club, Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, Wigan WN2 5TE. OT 9am, traders 7.30am. £2.50, B&B, C, DIS, CP, SIG, DF, TS, LB. Jason, 01942 735 828.

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

Windows 10

Since updating my shack PC to Windows 10 my PC has decided it has no wi-fi devices! Luckily I have just managed to repair it so have just gone onto 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR and resynced to internet time. This is much later than I had intended. Originally I had a weak but reliable wi-fi connection in the shack.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Dec 3rd 2015

Solar flux is 94 today and the sunspot number is just 26 today. K=1 and 10m propagation is again expected to remain "poor". I am again not expecting much on 10m WSPR.

It is some days now since my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was spotted in the USA. Deteriorating conditions are having more of an effect this side of Christmas than I was expecting. I was expecting USA spots most days until late spring. Maybe I was wrong.

Official "old fart" - NOT amateur radio

I am officially a boring old fart!

Coming back from my U3AC course on the buses today I could not help overhearing the word "like" interjected many, many times in every sentence by most youngsters! Also, most under 30 years old seem to be in love with their smart phones. In days gone by we'd actually talk, but these days this would be too much to ask.