6m JT65 and 10m WSPR

Not a single spot on 10m WSPR all day. However, 6m JT65 was more productive with several Es spots from Europe. I think this proves that activity on WSPR is the main issue, not propagation

Sunspots and 10m- Thursday July 28th 2016

Solar flux is 71 today. Sunspot number is again zero but conditions are more disturbed with K=4. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

Sour Grapes? - NOT amateur radio

Although I voted to remain in the EU, a majority in the UK voted to leave. The pound seems to have settled at a fair exchange rate, the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 share indexes seem to be doing just fine. In all, I think the UK can do well outside of the EU. Maybe the EU, especially France and Germany are troubled by such a successful economy (and contributor to its coffers) leaving the EU? I think it is a classic case of sour grapes.

As I have said many times before most in the UK favoured a common market but were not interested in a political union or federal Europe. On balance, I think the EU is heading for difficult times ahead.

No, I think political union, no real control of the numbers coming into the UK from other EU states and more political union were anathema to many in the UK. The positive benefits of being a member of the EU were underplayed.

Bath - NOT amateur radio

We spent a few nights in Bath with 2 of our grandchildren and their mum and dad. We had a good time.  The picture shows one of our sons in a Bath park, feeding ducks with one of our granddaughters. Simple pleasures.

I was surprised by the large number of kites (birds) seen from the train. In all, I saw seven and I was not trying that hard! At one time seeing a kite in England would have been rare. A few years ago they were reintroduced in some areas and now they are seen all over the place.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed July 27th 2016

My apologies for no solar data yesterday but I was away.

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 0 (K=0). Yet again the forecast  for F2 propagation for 10m is "poor".

Tomorrow I should be back on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR.

Rally

29-31 JULY : AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM
Holiday Inn, Egerton Rd, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XZ. www.amsat-uk.org.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Packhorse Inn - NOT amateur radio

Last year we (by accident) discovered this place to eat. We have now been there 5 times! It is the Packhorse Inn in Moulton,near Newmarket. We have never been disappointed. They always serve a (free) starter of breads, savoury popcorn and savoury macaroons. Both food and service are excellent.

6m JT65

Last night I received a report from G0LRD that my JT65 timing was out and I was consequently not decoding. To be fair it had been running a long time and possibly my internet timing had not been corrected. At the moment I am not on 6m JT65 or 10m WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday July 25th 2016

Solar flux is 78 today and the sunspot number down to 16 (K=4). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is "poor" again. Whether it improves in the autumn remains to be seen.

4X1RF's amazing spots on 6m JT65

Although I have yet to be spotted on 6m JT65 by 4X1RF (me being vertical probably does not help!) he does spot some amazing DX on the band regularly. Every time I look I see spots by him at great distance on 6m. He only uses a 3 element according to PSKreporter - nothing too grand.

I assume these long distance spots are Es, but some could be tropo across the Med, but unlikely.  I still wonder about chordal-Es as he seems to regularly spot stations a long way away. I have been spotted in Israel this summer (1W ERP) and I have spotted a station in Kazakhstan twice. Kazakhstan is a very long way!