Sunspots and 10m - Wed June 1st 2016

Solar flux is 86 and the sunspot number 40 (K=1). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is "poor" again.

Back to 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR

As of a few minutes ago I am back on 10m and 6m WSPR. Overnight I was on 40m WSPR but just one DX spot from K9AN (6505km) in the middle of the night.

UPDATE 0912z:  DL4MFC (914km) has spotted me on 10m WSPR. This is early for Es, so bodes well.

UPDATE 0920z:  I am now being spotted widely on 10m WSPR across great swathes of central Europe.

UPDATE 1108z:  Still plenty of Es on 10m WSPR but no spots so far on 6m WSPR.

QSYed to 40m WSPR

As of about 2120z I went QRT on 10m WSPR and 630m WSPR and started up on 40m WSPR (2W TX 20%, 80% RX). Best DX from the first TX session was SV8RV (2269km). My antenna is far from ideal on 40m.

House quiet again - NOT amateur radio

Our "London" grandchildren were collected by their dad this afternoon. Once again the house is quiet. It was lovely to have them.

The picture of the body was by our little granddaughter aged just 5. She copied it from a book, which was a birthday present. Like her slightly older cousin, she enjoys drawing and painting.

Tonight - what band?

OK, I think I am wasting my time during the late spring and summer on 472kHz WSPR. So, the question is what band, if any, do I WSPR on this evening and overnight? 40m is usually a good bet and it is a few months since I have tried this band. Maybe I'll try 40m this evening.

New HF band Plan

See http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/downloads/Documents/HF/IARU-Region-1-HF-Band-Plan-2016/  .

Southgate News has a link to the new Region 1 HF band plan.

10m WSPR - some Es

EA1FAQ (1249km) spotted my 10m WSPR 4 times this morning. So, there was Es about, but not a lot. Reports weren't bad but localised.

UPDATE 1906z:  Several more spots from EA1FAQ as late as 1902z. I shall stay on 10m WSPR a little longer then QSY to 40m WSPR.

The EU referendum - NOT amateur radio

With only a few weeks to go, the outcome is hard to judge. Yes, the EU needs to reform, we are probably better off as a nation IN the EU than out of it, the campaign has been poor, leaving the EU would be hard but not a disaster.

ICOM IC7300 reviews

There are now 10 pages of reviews (93 reviews) of the new ICOM transceiver on eHam.net. Most reviews are 5/5 which is very good. Just a few have had a few niggles so scored it lower. When the price drops, I shall probably invest in one. I am sure the price will fall later in the year, although at the moment they are creaming off sales at silly prices from early adopters.

See http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12742 .

Overnight on 630m (472kHz) and 10m WSPR

Just G8LCO (58km) copied me last night on MF and PA3ABK/2 (306km) was received. There are fewer stations on until the autumn. This is normal.

On 10m WSPR, just spots from G4KPX (14km) with no signs here so far of Es.