70cm UKAC contest

Last Tuesday I was away so I was unable to enter the 2m UKAC activity contest as usual. Tonight was the 70cm leg so I went on for a few minutes using 5W to the 2m halo. I only worked one station G4FEV in IO92RG. A few more stations were heard but not worked.

Swifts going? - NOT amateur radio

In May they arrive and for a few months the swifts are screaming in the skies above us. Then, you realise they are there no longer. I think they start to move this month.

I am sure there are swifts still around but there are fewer than a few weeks ago. Just weeks ago there were more than 20 overhead. Let us hope I see their return in the spring. To me, the screaming swifts are the making of an English spring and summer.

This year there were fewer swallows and house martins, but I saw plenty of swifts.

See http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swift/  .

Spotted in Brazil and Paraguay on 10m JT65

My QRP 10m JT65 has been spotted in Paraguay and Brazil this evening. Last night I spotted S.America but tonight it was my turn to be copied. The most distant report was by ZP4KFX (10277km) some 90 minutes ago.

UPDATE 2012z:  Copied LU3VCC (12470km) in western Argentina as the best DX on 10m JT65 this evening.

UPDATE 2026z:  In all 9 South Americans were spotted on 10m JT65 this evening.

Back on 6m JT65 tomorrow?

There seems to be more JT65 on 6m than 10m. As there is still Es about, I may return to 6m tomorrow. I can operate on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65 at the same time but if I want to use 10m JT65 I have to use the FT817 and PC. For 10m WSPR I can use the stand-alone WSPR beacon leaving the FT817 and PC for 6m JT65 use.

Alibris - NOT amateur radio

Yet again, I had an offer from Alibris today. Every week , I usually get an offer of some kind, usually 10-20% off. This lot are a joke.

Early 10m Es

As you may recall, I moved from WSPR to JT65 on 10m yesterday for a change. This morning there was early Es with spots from France and Germany. In theory, JT65 is a little bit worse than WSPR but I think there are more people internationally than on WSPR. With the highish sunspot number it is possible I will be spotted in South America later.

UPDATE 0944z:  Just been spotted by EA3ZE (1189km) in NE Spain on 10m JT65.

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday August 9th 2016

Solar flux is 95 today and sunspot number is a respectable 91. K=3. Yet again the 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
QRP Rendez-Vous weekly report (August 1 to 7, 2016)
Visitors  of  the  week: UR0ET, US5ERQ, UR7VT, US3EN, OH6NPV, UR5EFD, RN6AN,  RV3GM,  OM6TC,  SM7RYR,  DF6ZX, IZ0AYM, ON4FI, DL3HXX, DK7ZH, DL7MA, TF/RA1M, G3XJS, UA1CEG/p, R2FAE, IK7XW, SM7ZDI, G4MLW, RU3NJC, RV3DSA/0, F5IN, UA1ADF, DL1BAT, F6BZG/p, G4HOM, IZ7AVY, OH6TX, ON7FR, RW4C, ON6KZ, G4PSI, UT8NR, G0HIO, F5PLR
ON7FR became Honor Frequenters of "rendezvous" round table - Congrats!!!
See  full Visitors and Frequenters lists also "rendezvous" schedule - www.club72.su
Enjoy full weekly report with soapbox and pictures - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Sunspots and 10m - Monday August 8th 2016

Solar flux is 96 today. Sunspot count is 63 today (K=2). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

10m JT65

As an experiment, I have moved to JT65 on 10m today. I was getting JT65 spots on 6m until just before QSYing about 40 minutes ago including some night-time Es. As yet, nothing reported on 10m JT. I think my antenna is not as good on 10m as my vertical V2000 is on 6m, but the cable loss is lower.I suspect my ERP on 10m is a bit lower.

UPDATE 1325z: Although my 10m JT65 has been received in southern Europe by 10m Es, I have had fewer spots than on 6m. There could be several reasons. Firstly the antenna may not be as efficient and the ERP may be far less than on 6m. Secondly, Es may be reducing in quantity now we are getting later in the season. Thirdly, there could be fewer people monitoring on 10m JT65 than on 6m JT65.  I expect it is a combination of all three.

UPDATE 1726z:  A couple of South Americas spotted on 10m JT65. Best DX so far is PY5EJ (9889km). So far, my own signals have not been spotted in South America. This may have been Es but I suspect it was either F2 or a combination of Es and F2. As this is a N-S path there could be equatorial spread-F involved. I am no propagation expert, so I welcome inputs from others who have better knowledge.

UPDATE 2016z:  With just 6 Es spots on 10m JT65 all day and not a single spot from any G stations, I suspect there are fewer stations on 10m JT65 than 6m JT65. The bonus was a couple of spots of South Americans although the day passed (so far at least) without my own 10m JT65 signal being spotted outside Europe. I shall be on 10m JT65 again tomorrow.