Sunspots and 10m - Mon Jan 25th 2016

Solar flux is 103 today.  Sunspot number is 47 (K=1) yet 10m propagation is again forecast to remain "poor".

You will recall that yesterday, despite the poor forecast, 10m was actually quite good. Never quite believe all you read!

10m is a band of surprises - often you find CB activity just below 10m when 10m seems dead. Get on 10m and use it!

UPDATE 0956z:  No spots yet on 10m WSPR.

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR

At 1905z I moved down to MF for the evening and night.  My best DX with 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" this season is 995km. Last year, with the same kit, I managed 1047km. As yet, no spots given or received, but the night is young.

UPDATE 1940z:  Just had a spot from M0LMH (223km)  but I received PA3ABK/2 earlier which did not make it to WSPRnet.  I wonder if WSPRnet was not accessible at the time?

UPDATE 1955z:  These are the spots so far:

10m WSPR so far today

It has been a mixed bag with what is probably wintertime Es with a spot by DK6UG (633km) earlier as well as several spots inter-G both given and received.

UPDATE 1525z:  Both North and South America spotted on 10m WSPR, so plenty of  F2 propagation.  W1VR  (6965km) was spotted at 1428z and  CX5BBF (11123km) was spotted at 1324z. Both stations were using 5W. So far, this looks quite a good day on 10m WSPR. Earlier there was also an ON by tropo too.

UPDATE 1818z:  Several further spots of W1VR this afternoon, with the latest at 1612z. I shall shortly be going QRT on 10m WSPR as I think we've had all the real excitement today. In the end, 10m was pretty good today.

QRP

A further note from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
see the weekly "QRP Rendez-Vous" report here -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
It's included some comments and pictures.

This week "rendezvous" visitors: ON4MB, OM6TC, RN4NAA, SM5MEK, RV3GM, UR5EFD, OH6NPV, UR7VT, RN4NAA,  OE1ARS,  OK1DNZ, UA1CEG, UA1ADF, R1OA, UN7EG, YO3BOQ, UA4NU, RV9WMZ, UA1CEX, DL6UNF, UA1ASB, IK1ZNS, OK2BJR, IT9IFI, LZ1HM, UR5IFM, DF2IC,  PA3DEU,  PA5XM,  RW3AA,  DL6LD,  DH0DK, RU3NJC, UR0ET, OH5LP, RA1AEI, UN8PT, UA0SBQ
Congrats! PA3DEU became Honor Frequenters of QRP Rendez-Vous!
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists on the Club 72 web-page.
Welcome  all  QRP  operators  on  the next week "QRP Rendez-Vous, see
schedule here - www.club72.su

Note: usually I add all new visitors e-mails into the "72 Newsletter"
mail list.

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

What happens after death? - NOT amateur radio

As one gets older - I am now 67 - I suppose thoughts naturally turn to the end of life. It comes to us all, but we prefer not to think about it.

I honestly have no idea and the most likely is we'll not be aware, as we were before we were born, so it may not matter.  MAN has a real problem with finality, and nearly every religion has talk of life after death. It bothers me that some are so certain about this. At the moment I have an open mind. Like so much in this universe, or even multiverses, we really have no idea.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Jan 24th 2016

Solar flux today is 99 and the sunspot number 54 (K=2).  The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".  I have been on 10m WSPR (2W TX 20%, RX 80%) for nearly 1 hour.

More wintertime Es on 10m WSPR?

Late this morning my 500mW 10m WSPR was spotted by DK6UG (633km). This was probably wintertime Es. Only the one spot, and this just popped up and then was gone. The only other 10m spot was by G4KPX, who is local.

Wisbech - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was good today (I never believe the weather forecasts these days) we drove up to Wisbech and visited the gardens at Peckover House (NT). We also ate there.

Afterwards we went to the market and bought some sprouts. At one time this must have been a fine town with merchant's houses lining the river.  These days it looks a bit drab and run-down. It is a hub for immigrants from Eastern Europe who work in the agricultural  business. Good luck to them.

By the way, these sprouts cost us £1.  Pheasants were £2.99.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Jan 23rd 2016

Solar flux is 100 and sunspot number 50 (K=4). 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" again today.

472kHz WSPR - a new DX record for this season

Last night I was spotted by DH5RAE (995km). This beats by 2km (!!) my previous best on 472kHz TX record this season.  Not bad for 5mW ERP and an earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So who says you must have lots of power and big antennas on 472kHz?  I am sure with a larger antenna and ERP I'd get much further, but it shows you don't need this to get useful results. My grounds are about 12m (if that) apart. I need to work out how many stations have spotted my 472kHz WSPR this season. There have been 17 unique station spots of my 5mW ERP in the last 2 weeks.