Sunspots and 10m -Tuesday August 23rd 2016

Solar flux is 81 today and sunspot number 33. K=2. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". We are all hoping for slightly better 10m conditions in the autumn, but don't hold your breath.

2m RSGB Contest - Sept 3/4th 2016

Not quite sure why, but I always seem to miss VHF contests apart from the UKAC sessions on Tuesdays!  I usually find out too late.

All being well I shall be on for some of this one, the weekend after this. At one time VHF NFD was the first week in September, but the RSGB did a change some years ago. This is just 2m now. It should be a good chance to work a few new squares.

Home? - NOT amateur radio

Soar Mill Cove, Devon

This is near where I come from in South Devon, UK. For several years my dad was running a job creation scheme maintaining the coastal path near here. He has 2 seats in his memory. This was probably his favorite spot on Earth.  It is a wonderful spot. I managed to see it again earlier this year.

There is a fabulous coastal walk from Hope Cove to Salcombe running through here. Cornwall is visible in the far distance beyond Rame Head.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report (August 15 to 21, 2016)
Visitors  of  the week: OH6NPV, US3EN, UR0ET, Z35M/p, UA1CEG, HB9DAX, ON6KZ,  G3XJS,  RV3GM,  TF/RA1M,  RU3NJC, LA8BCA/p, OK/DL2DXA, DF6ZX, EW1CY,  EA7EGU, UA9MLY, RV3UF, IT9IFI, R2FAE, G0IIR, GW0EVV/p, EA8YV, DK3WX, R8WC, UR5EFD, OK1KW, SP9XCJ, DM2BRF/p, EA5AHN/p, I5OWT, IZ5IOU, DL5ZP, US5ERQ, UA1CEX, R4NX, UA1ADF, F8BJK/p, YO9CB/p
Full lists of all Visitors and Frequenters at the Club 72 page.

DL2DXA,  RV3UF,  EA8YV became Honor Frequenters of "rendezvous" round
tables - Congrats!

Enjoy Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report including comments and pictures -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

5MHz allocations

Several administrations have now granted access to the WRC15 15kHz wide amateur allocation at 5MHz. Eventually this will be a worldwide allocation.

In CEPT countries, I really wish they would allocate a contiguous 100kHz wide band. 15kHz is very narrow and I for one am confused by the multiple narrow "channels". A 100kHz wide band would be so much better.

End of the Es Season

We are now seeing days with little or no Es (sporadic E) propagation on 10m and 6m. The "season" is all but over. As years go, this has not been great, but most days have seen openings to somewhere in Europe.

It never actually ends, but the number of openings declines dramatically and it is easy to miss the times when they do occur. This is where WSPR and JT modes would prove so useful as long as people stay on the bands and don't go to lower bands for more easy pickings. There is a small peak around New Year (I don't know why) but we'll have to wait until May 2017 for Es to really get going again. With 10m F2 in decline these Es openings will be the lifeblood of bands like 10m.

As I have said before, don't dismiss 10m for local contacts. A small vertical, a few watts, FM and you will reliably work 30km. On SSB,CW, or even better modes like JT65 or JT9-1 and you will work 100km or a lot more. In the quiet years 10m behaves more like a VHF band, but there are wide open spaces, so almost any mode is possible.

UPDATE 0815z: It is still very early for Es, but nothing seen here yet today on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1246z: Just one Es spot of me today, so far, from IZ0AIS (1506km). We are definitely seeing less Es than in the last few months.

UPDATE 1617z: With just a single Es spot all day today, so far on 10m, I think it unlikely I shall be spotted outside Europe on 10m JT65 today. I wonder what 10m will be like this autumn? Will there be much F2 propagation? It is a battle between declining solar conditions and improving HF conditions as we leave summer. I am pretty sure there will be far fewer USA openings on 10m this year than in the last few years. There will be the odd opening, but we cannot expect things to be "humming" exactly.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday August 22nd 2016

Solar flux is 76 today. Sunspot number is 11 (still falling). K= 1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

A picture of a brimstone (?) butterfly on the sweet peas. Taken a few weeks ago at Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust house a few miles to the east of Cambridge, UK.

Feeling Unwell - NOT amateur radio

Since my stroke, nearly 3 years ago now, I have felt giddy when on my feet. I tire easily but I am not sure if this is a separate issue or as a result of feeling giddy. To be honest, I have not felt well now for almost 3 years. My health has prevented me doing so much. Yes, compared with many, I know I have come off lightly. But, I know how I was and the frustration is so great.  All my field work is on hold and most antenna work is impossible without the help of others. I am very grateful for the help that has been so generously given, but I would prefer to be able to do this myself. Life can be cruel, but my energy is better focused on making the best of what I have and not hoping to be fully mended and as I once was.

QSYed to 10m WSPR and 6m JT65

I have now moved to 6m JT65 (FT817 and PC) and gone onto 10m WSPR using the stand-alone W5OLF WSPR beacon on 10m.

UPDATE 0952z:  All quiet so far on both 10m and 6m here. No spots as yet on either band.

UPDATED 1212z: No Es seen here on either band so far today. A few G spots of me on 6m JT65 and I have spotted G0LFF in IO90 square on 6m JT65. If my theory about 10m propagation to South America is right (see yesterday) then it is unlikely I'll reach South America today on 10m JT65. I shall probably stop 10m WSPR in the next hour and QSY from 6m JT65 to 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1240z: I have now gone QRT on 6m and am transmitting and receiving 10m JT65 rather than WSPR. I noticed a few ONs and an LX calling CQ on 6m JT65 according to my PC, but these stations were not uploaded to PSKreporter - I probably briefly lost internet connectivity. These were probably received by aircraft reflections or tropo. Our internet connection is flaky today. It recently disappeared then reappeared.

UPDATE 1542z: Just G4CJC (73km) spotted on 10m JT65 so far since the EA6 much earlier.

UPDATE 1856z:  No Es today. No South America today either. OK, the sunspot number was much lower but I am sure that, at this time year, I need Es to link with F layer propagation further south to reach central or lower South America on 10m JT65.