Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It is now several weeks since I last saw (and heard) swifts overhead. I guess they have started their journeys south to warmer climes. For a few months they are an English summer. Then one day you realise they have gone. I miss them and look forward to their return next May.

I think I mentioned before that I had the rare privilege of holding a swift many years ago when one landed accidentally in the road. We kept it in a box overnight and fed it insects. The next day it just flew away. They really are lovely birds.

Farewell and safe journeying over land and sea. See you next year.

Rotten apple - NOT amateur radio

Rotten Apple

Our neighbour has a large garden with an orchard of apples and plums. This rotten apple was on the ground under one of his apple trees.

Windmill next door - NOT amateur radio

"Our" windmill

We are very lucky to have a restored windmill next door. We can see this whilst we eat breakfast and out of the lounge window. Not many have a view of a windmill. This is the view from our neighbour's garden.

Grandchildren

All being well, our "London" grandchildren are here next week. We love seeing all our grandchildren, but I shall be very exhausted by next Friday.

It means amateur radio takes a back seat for the duration, although I shall still be able to use JT65 or WSPR during the day-time. I'll probably be on 10m JT65 day-times.

Back on 10m JT65 shortly

The danger from storms seems to have gone for now, so I intend to return to 10m JT65 shortly, although I shall watch and go QRT if the danger returns.

Last night the storms were very near but they seem to have moved away to the North Sea, for now.

UPDATE 0905z: The PC, antenna and rig went back on the air at about 0900z on 10m JT65. There is Es about as Italy and Belarus have already been seen on 10m JT65. This is early, so a good sign.

UPDATE 0912z:  DO2MPS (912km) has spotted me in southern Germany, in JN58 square, already.

UPDATE 1020z:  No further Es spots on PSKreporter map as yet apart from this German. We are definitely at the back end of the Es season. There are still openings. but not on the scale of the peak months.

UPDATE 1306z: Not a single Es spot seen on PSKreporter on 10m JT65 since that German when I first switched on. My PC had gone to sleep! I am unsure if I was uploading spots or indeed if I was actually on JT65 at all! I have now "woken it up" and checked internet time is spot on. Let's see if I get any Es spots now on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1344z: Well certainly no spots since I checked sync and that the PC was awake, so I guess the 10m Es is "marginal" today.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday August 25th 2016

Solar flux is 78 today (quite low). Sunspot number is 43. K=1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is again "poor".

Thunder, so QRT

With thunder clearly audible and now rain, I have decided to go QRT and disconnect all antennas, rigs and PC including unplugging the power plugs. I shall stay off the air until all danger has passed. I do not like storms! Thankfully we do not get many.

UPDATE 2152z:  Storm has passed through, but remaining off-air overnight. The rain will do the garden some good!

No South America again on 10m JT65

There was quite reasonable Es on 10m JT65 with my QRP signal being spotted widely in central and eastern Europe. Sadly, no South American spots again today. If this path on 10m at this time of year depends on Es and F layer I guess the Es was too far east?

FTSE 250 - NOT amateur radio

Many think the FTSE 250 share index is a good guide to the health of the UK economy. Well, it is up again to 18,016.59, which is a gain of 0.19% today thus far. I am not a gambler, but it has certainly not collapsed since the BREXIT vote to leave the EU in June.

Our future is not certain, but I have the feeling the UK will be OK. As for the EU I am less sure. By the way, I voted "remain"! No, in the medium term I think the outlook for the EU is far from certain. It would not surprise me if it all fell apart within 5 years.

10m JT65

As mentioned yesterday, not everyone uploads spots to PSKreporter. Last night, quite late, there was a TF (Iceland) calling CQ, but station he was not shown on the PSKreporter map. I could only see this by looking at my PC screen.

UPDATE 1015z: Belarus and Italy spotted on 10m JT65 this morning, but neither station appear on PSKreporter. Maybe I lost internet connection at these times and they did not get uploaded? There is clearly some early Es around on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1232z: Several Es spots of my QRP JT65 now turning up on PSKreporter. We are late in the Es season, but there are still openings on 10m.