Skyscape - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we enjoyed a walk at Ickworth, a lovely National Trust property near Bury St Edmunds. It is about 20 miles from home. The sky was mostly sunny, but it occasionally popped behind the clouds. It was about 7 deg C.  We saw some tree creepers (birds).

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Feb 11th 2016

Solar flux is 111 today and sunspot number is 82 (K=2) and 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor" again.

UPDATE 1258z:   10m has certainly not been "poor" here.  I have been copied many times in Russia and by 4X1RF (3519km) and earlier by VK8RR (13784km) three times.

UPDATE 1315z:  It seems that I have been spotted in Australia most days of late on 10m. Who said 10m is dead? Rubbish!

USA again on 10m WSPR

Yet again, the USA was spotted, and spotting me, on 10m WSPR. Also spotting me was FR1GZ (9724km), who spotted me many times.

UPDATE 2150z: KD6RF (7585km) was the last USA station copied here on 10m WSPR at 1740z. Spots were exchanged both ways. Nothing on 10m WSPR since then. I am still on 10m WSPR and will be on 10m overnight, ever hopeful! Maybe I'll catch some GDX or early European/Russian DX before breakfast.

USA president - NOT amateur radio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35538361

The people of the USA continue to trouble me.

If it was just the USA that mattered, then I could not care less, but the leader of the USA has his hands on the nuclear trigger and will be key to so much in the world. Is a rich billionaire really who many in the USA want as their leader?

I have no wish to get embroiled in a debate over the US presidential elections, but if a large number of Americans think their best interests are served by a rich billionaire then this says a lot about American society as a whole.

I am not advocating any candidate or any party, but this vote matters for the whole fragile planet we share. All I ask is that every single person in the USA thinks very carefully.

Reasonable start on 10m WSPR

My 2W 10m WSPR has been spotted by UA6038SWL (2907km) 4 times so far today. Although G3JVL has been spotted here several times on 10m WSPR for some reason these spots have not appeared on WSPRnet. I'll try restarting the software to see if my spots get uploaded. In the past I put this down to issues with the WSPRnet database but I wonder if it is a bug in WSJT v1.6?

UPDATE 1156z:  It helps to tick the "upload spots" button!! Just pressed it, so spots should now be sent to WSPRnet. Stupid fool me! Yes, that was the problem. 2 spots uploaded to WSPRnet already.

UPDATE 1204z:  Lots of nearer Europeans. I wonder if Bas is right and this is by backscatter?  No 10m WSPR DX outside Europe and near Asia so far, although I was late on 10m WSPR today.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Feb 10th 2016

The question is will today be a repeat of the good 10m conditions of yesterday? Possibly. Solar flux is 116 and sunspot number 79 (K=2). Yet again, the 10m propagation forecast is "poor". I rarely find this correct!

40m WSPR overnight

Several USA stations spotting me on 40m WSPR overnight. I am still on 40m WSPR but will QSY to 10m shortly. K9AN (6505km) was still spotting me at 0820z on 40m WSPR.

QSYed to 40m WSPR from 10m - already spotted in Australia

In the last few minutes I QSYed down to 40m WSPR for the evening and overnight. VK6XT (14718km) spotted my very first transmission. I have not heard outside Europe on the 40m band this evening, probably because of the high local noise level on 40m WSPR. It amazes me that 2W on 40m makes it to Australia with my very low, poor, antenna. Yet again this shows what a good mode WSPR is.

UPDATE 2210z:  W1UU (5292km) is the best  RX DX on 40m WSPR so far this evening.

10m - a really good day so far

10m WSPR spots so far today

It has been a very good day so far, as you can see. I expect the USA be received on 10m soon.

UPDATE 1435z:  KK1D (5409km) was spotted at 1358z, which is quite early. He was also spotted later.

UPDATE 1738z:  Several more USA spots plus a huge signal from PY4MAB (9403km) who says he is using 10mW. If correct, I am amazed.

Shares - NOT amateur radio

Share prices, certainly in London, are falling on the continuing uncertainties over China, Greece and the World. The FTSE 100 index has fallen from a peak of over 7100 last year to about 5630 as I write. Things do recover but this can take years.

At such times people look for a safe haven. Many have chosen my old company, Sepura. Sepura make radios for (mainly) public safety. They recently bought a Spanish rival and now do DMR as well as TETRA.

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura.

UPDATE 1436z:  FTSE 100 shares are still falling.