Sunspots and 10m - Fri July 8th 2016

Solar flux is 84 today (up a little). Sunspot number is 25 (K=3) and the forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". It is a long time now since I have been spotted a long way away on 10m by F2.

Newmarket - NOT amateur radio

This pedestrianised shopping area in Newmarket was once called "The Rookery" but it is now called "The Guineas". There are horses everywhere! Newmarket is the home of horseracing. We do most of our food shopping here.

No Es here?

This is the first day this season when I have seen no European spots at all here on 10m WSPR or 6m JT65. There may have been Es around, but not here. Things can still change and the kit is still running on both bands. 10m WSPR has been particularly disappointing.

UPDATE 1930z:  Just one 10m WSPR spot by GM4WJA (624km) may have been Es. This was at 1700z today.

An OFCOM report prepared by an old work colleague

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/technology-research/2015-reports/assessment-effects-of-repeaters-mobile-networks/.  This report for OFCOM (dated Nov 2015) was prepared by PA Consulting. My old work colleague, Simon Tonks, was involved according to LinkedIn.

UK Conservative Party Election - NOT amateur radio

I have never voted Conservative in more than 40 years but I am very pleased that Michael Gove has been eliminated. In the last few weeks he has, in my view, acted really badly and he has been hosted by his own petard. In my view he deserved all he got. Let us hope he is not in the new Cabinet.

Although not a great supporter of Theresa May, I think she is the best choice for Prime Minister of the UK as we move to leave the EU. She voted to remain in the EU, but is likely to unite the Conservatives.

Interesting times.

AES closes

A large USA dealer has closed according to a message from Steve G1KQH. As I have said many times, we are (in the main) an ageing population of radio amateurs and it is quite likely other dealers will close within the next few years. I fear for some UK dealers and some magazines. Unless more young people are attracted, the dealers will go, the magazines will get less revenue from adverts and the magazines will shrink and go too.

What attracted many of my generation into the hobby does not hold true today. To young people today video messaging around the world is commonplace. Young people get "turned on" by different things.

Our hobby will be very different in 20 years.

10m WSPR

As yet, no spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, although it is very early. Certainly no Es spots on 10m as yet. No G spots either. It is a pity I cannot use JT65 on both 10m and 6m at the same time.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs July 7th 2016

Solar flux is 77 today. Sunspot number is 11 (K=3) and the forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

No luck on transatlantic 6m DX

Overnight, I see that some Europeans were answering Canadian CQs on 6m JT65. Nothing was copied here sadly on 6m and I was not spotted "over the pond".  The gear is still running and I remain hopeful. So far this morning just G spots on 6m and no Es as yet.

UPDATE 0925z: A 6m JT65 spot of me by MM0AMW (520km) is unusual. This seems too close for Es and too far for tropo or aircraft.MM0AMW Loc IO75EJ

10m Es - nothing special today (so far)

All of the 10m Es spots have been scattered around Europe, with nothing remotely "DXy" here so far. No signs here of spots from the Americas for example.

I'll leave things running on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65 just in case. Sadly, I cannot listen with the 10m WSPR beacon, well not on the same rig. The FT817 and PC are tied up with 6m JT65 and WSJT-X V1.6. The stand-alone 10m WSPR beacon (500mW) randomises TX frequency, but is 100% TX. On 6m it is looking for others half the time.