QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
welcome all QRP operators to the
FAR EAST QRP NET
in Thursday (weekly) at 9.00 UTC at 14060 +/-
In the DX list today (Sept 8):
RV3DSA/0 (Vladivostok), UA0SBQ/p (nr Irkutsk), JA1KGW - all QRP
Comments and reports are appreciated to "mr72" e-mail, please.
Enjoy 2-way QRP!
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Remaining on 10m JT65 today

No further Es since the single spot from France late last night. I have decided to stick with 10m JT65 today although without Es I rarely get UK spots on this band. It is still quite early in autumn to expect much F2 propagation on 10m.

UPDATE 1020z: G4CJC (73km) spotted, but no Es seen here on 10m JT65 today.

UPDATE 1144z:  Still nothing else spotted on 10m JT65 here today.

UPDATE 1205z: DO4CP (915km) has been spotted. So there is lunchtime Es about on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1502z: GI4SNA (488km) has spotted me on 10m JT65 but is wrongly reporting me as on 12m.

UPDATE 2016z: It is dark now and no spots (given or received) on 10m JT65 here. As it is quite late, I think South America is unlikely today on 10m.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday Sept 8th 2016

Solar flux is 92 today. Sunspot number is 50 and K=4. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

UPDATE 1010z: The K index is going down (less disturbed) and currently K=3.

Brazil copied on 10m JT65

Although my own signals were not spotted in South America, PU2KOB (9653km) in GG56 square was copied at 1930z. As there was no Es, I assume this was pure F layer. Are we approaching autumn conditions? Although conditions cannot be expected to match recent autumns, I am still hopeful of some openings to North America on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 2220z: 10m is filled with surprises! 12 minutes ago I was spotted in France by what appears to be Es. I was going to go QRT but instead I'll remain on 10m JT65 overnight.

Going away

When I've been away it seems to take a few days before readers return. Perhaps they assume I've died and am never returning!

Anyway, don't panic I am still here and intend to be around for a good few years to come. If the blog disappears for a week or so, I am probably unable to access my blog as I am away or the internet is down.

The longest "outage" was when I was in hospital for 3.5 months 3 years ago.

10m JT65

About 20 minutes ago I went QRT on 6m and started up on 10m JT65, hoping to reach South America this evening. I also re-synced the PC to internet time. As yet, no reports from South America.

UPDATE 1832z:  No South Americans on 10m JT65 as yet.

6m JT65

This morning I decided to go on 6m JT65 rather than 10m, although I may switch to 10m later. So far, just 1 UK spot of my QRP on 6m, by G4VXE (136km). There is no sign of Es here on 6m JT65. At least on 6m JT65 I do get UK spots.

UPDATE 1248z: 2 spots of my 6m JT65 QRP from UK signals plus a couple of spots of others but nothing from mainland Europe by Es.

UPDATE 1558z:  4 UK spots today on 6m JT65 with the best DX G1IDZ at 182km. No Es on 6m all day.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday September 7th 2016

Solar flux is 92 today and sunspot number 32. K=3. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

OFCOM updates

Form the latest from OFCOM see http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/.  I am not a great believer in the value of this organisation, but I leave it to you to decide.

Kids and puddles - NOT amateur radio

We have been visiting our son and his family who live near Canterbury in Kent. Their children are still very little (4 and 7). What is the magnetic attraction to muddy puddles?  Yesterday they went out on their scooters, but as soon as they found a puddle they just had to jump in it!