GM4SLV: John Pumford-Green

For many weeks no-one had heard any news of GM4SLV.  After hearing nothing I rang his home in the Shetlands this evening (fearing the worst) and I was so pleased to hear his voice. John is taking a break from the hobby, but all is well.  So the message is "don't panic Captain Manwaring". He is fine.

Australia on 20m WSPR

As we had visitors, I decided to use the WSJT-X V1.6 on 20m WSPR this afternoon. As well as lots of USA spots, I was spotted in Australia twice. Obviously the low Par antenna does a very credible job on 20m. Best DX was VK3AXF (16850km).

Another JT9-1 2-way QSO

Not long ago I had a 2-way QSO with OK2PDH by 20m JT9-1. There is little doubt that JT9-1 and JT65 are ideal modes for me currently. They don't need much power and QSOs do not require me to use my (poor) voice.

Stroke after-effects

I am still suffering with the after-effects of my stroke 2.5 years ago. I still have a very poor voice and still feel giddy walking. I also still tire easily and my fine-motor skills are not good. Although others tell me I am still improving, improvements are now very slow coming, so it is a case of coming to terms with me as I am now. Things upset me more easily and I seem more emotional. I also wonder about some aspects of my memory.   It seems harder than it was to spot errors in spelling and writing: words that shouted out at me as being wrongly spelt no longer do so. Of course, I am putting all this down to my stroke, but it may be old age creeping up on me!

JT65 20m 2-way QSO

About 45 minutes ago I worked EA1EAS (1335km) on 20m JT65. This was with the Par tri-band antenna running 5W via the ATU. I received a better report than I gave.  I don't think there is much wrong with the Par antenna and wonder if the wet weather has made it go off tune? The ATU easily corrects the mis-match and it certainly works. From PSK reporter I see than I was being copied all across Europe again.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Jan 14th 2016

Solar flux is 103 and sunspot number 26 (K=3) today. 10m propagation is again expected to remain "poor". 10m is not likely to be great today, at least not on F2,  although wintertime Es may liven things up again.

Antenna faulty

It looks like my tri-band Par antenna, which should be a good match on 10m, 20m and 40m is faulty.  It is a good match on 10m, but only on 20m and 40m via the ATU. Tomorrow I shall try loading it up as a long wire tuned against ground via the ATU. Somewhere I have a Sandpiper Poliakov vertical that I should erect. As I recall  this has a 9:1 unun so it matches well on most HF bands via an ATU.

Even soldering on a coax is hard work these days! Oh to be fit.

At the moment I am on 630m WSPR using the earth-electrode "antenna".

Yet more wintertime Es on 10m WSPR

All afternoon, 10m WSPR has shown plenty of evidence of wintertime Es with lots of spots from middle Europe.  December and January are the peak months in winter for Es although May, June and July are the best for Es.

Lincoln President Mk 2

This rig (mint) has barely been used since last winter. It works well too. The FT817 does all I need really. Because of my poor voice, I mostly use digital modes these days.  So, I shall probably box the Lincoln and use it as a trade-in later.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Jan 13th 2016

Solar flux is 106 today and sunspot number 29 (K=2). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor". More in hope than expectation, I have been on 10m and 6m WSPR since breakfast. Overnight I was on 630m WSPR but just the usual stations, again.

We are definitely on the slide down the solar cycle, but 10m becomes more interesting, not less, as the sun goes "off the boil". Es enlivens 10m for several months each year and the band still supports QRP SSB DX N-S even in the worst years. 10m is a great band if you like a challenge and WSPR in the declining years on 10m should help to winkle out those fleeting openings. Never give up on this great band, our biggest HF band by far with space for most modes.

UPDATE 1010z:   No spots as yet on 10m or 6m WSPR although it is still very early.