Switched modes and bands

I have returned to 10m WSPR and 6m JT65. About 2 minutes ago, I restarted the shack PC and did a re-sync to internet time.

UPDATE 1102z: Just a couple of G spots on 6m JT65, but nothing on 10m WSPR so far. At the moment there is no Es here on either band.  JT65 on 6m seems to get G spots whereas 10m WSPR does not, well not very often. As we are more or less at the end of the main Es season, activity is dropping off.

UPDATE 1353z:  Still no Es seen here on 10m or 6m. Others may do better, but it seems pretty quiet here to me.

UPDATE 1435z: I have the feeling there will be no Es here today. I may go back to 10m JT65 to see if South America is within reach today.

Es - all quiet here so far

10m JT65 is my mode and band today currently. As yet, no Es seen, although it is still very early. I may give 6m JT65 another go as I seem to spot more inter-G on 6m than on 10m. If so, I shall go on 10m WSPR as the beacon and antenna will be freed  up.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday August 19th 2016

Solar flux is 80 today and the sunspot number 54. K=1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor" although every time I have been on 10m in the last week South America has been in reach on 10m QRP JT65. This band is often "open" even when it appears dead.

More Tits - NOT amateur radio

Long tail tit at seed feeder (close-up)

Well this morning there were three long tailed tits on the bird table. The photo shows one on the seed feeder. I tried to photograph all three but they kept flying away! Long tailed tits tend to go around in flocks. At one point there were long tailed, coal and blue tits at the bird table. We also get great tits.

South America (again) on 10m JT65

On every occasion I've been on 10m JT65 recently I have been spotted, or spotted others, in South America. This evening at 1726z PU2TWU (9572km) was spotted. 10m is still open for N-S paths as JT65 proves. My recommendation is leave WSPR or JT running in the background to spot these openings.

A win at last - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned before, I am not a great football fan, but I still watch the tables to see how my old local team is doing. Plymouth Argyle are in League Division 2. Last season, they were in the running for promotion. This season they lost their first 2 games, but they won away from home on Tuesday evening.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/plymouth-argyle  .

Amateurradio.com

See http://www.amateurradio.com/ .

There are often interesting posts on this site. Yesterday there was a post by VE7SL about the increase in JT65 activity on 6m.

Tokyo Ham Fair reminder

Often this is the place where new rigs are first announced. I doubt many outside Japan will be able to go, but it is often worth keeping an eye out for announcements and videos after the event.

20 & 21 AUGUST : TOKYO HAM FAIR

Tokyo International Exhibition Center, 3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan 135-0063.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday August 18th 2016

Solar flux is 81 today. The sunspot number is 64. K=2. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is again "poor", although there is Es about, which is some compensation.

10m Es this morning

Well, the Es is back on 10m JT65. Quite early I have been spotted widely in eastern Europe, which bodes well for the rest of the day.

UPDATE 1025z:  Now getting 10m JT65 spots from southern Europe.