Sunspots and 10m - Friday November 11th 2016

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 13 (was zero yesterday). K=2. On the face of it, similar to Thursday, albeit a little more disturbed.

Trump - NOT amateur radio

OK, I am no expert on politics but, like many, I take an interest in the USA presidential elections. I am amazed, although not totally surprised, that so many supported Trump and that he won. I am sure to many there he represents "the American Dream". He also tapped into the general discontent felt by many across the world in the "ruling class elite".

There is, at the present time, a swing to the right. In many ways the politicians in many nations have lost the confidence of many in their nations. Things will swing back when the electors feel they are being represented by those they empower to rule and make decisions.

Time will tell whether or not a rich billionaire really can command the respect of the common man and woman of the USA. In my view neither main candidate was a good choice.

Rosetta probe

Yesterday we went to lunch with old university friends who, like us,  are retired. They live in Letchworth, which is about an hour away.  The husband was the Project Manager of the Rosetta Project during his working life. This successfully orbited an asteroid and landed a probe on the surface. He was interviewed on the TV and made national news recently. He is a very modest fellow, but very bright. He got a 1st in Physics, but you would never believe it. We have been friends for nearly 50 years.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday November 10th 2016

Solar flux is 76 today and the sun is spotless (zero sunspots). K=1. It will be interesting to see how 10m does today with no sunspots.

Yesterday and today on 10m JT65

Only now did I realise I was on JT65B and not JT65A on 10m yesterday. Not being an expert, I assume I would have not been able to decode anyone and no-one would be able to decode me! Doh! Anyway I am now back on 10m JT65A having just turned the rig and PC back on and done manual sync to internet time.

UPDATE 1020z: ZS6WB (9095km) in South Africa has just been spotted on 10m JT65. Who needs sunspots?

UPDATE 1036z SV8RV (2268km) has recently spotted my 2W QRP JT65 on 10m.

UPDATE 1134z: 10m JT65 spots being given and received today from across Europe, deep into Russia and South Africa. Today looks good on 10m even with no sunspots.

UPDATE 1740z:  2 South Americans spotted so far today.

Straight to 10m JT65 today (QRP)

Just after breakfast, I went straight on to 10m JT65 only. As yet, no spots given or received, but I am hopeful. South America seems to depend on TEP extensions into the UK. At the moment this seems to be mainly when there is some E layer propagation, which is not plentiful at this time of the year. I am still hopeful of a few USA openings.

UPDATE 1930z:   No 10m JT65 spots all day. This has been a very quiet day.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday November 9th 2016

Solar flux is 76 today and the sunspot number 24. K=1.

Solar cycle 25?

We are on the way down to the end of cycle 24, with the minimum expected around 2020. Already the experts are predicting what cycle 25 will be like, and solar activity is likely to be poor. Some are even predicting a Maunder Minimum with no sunspots at all for several years and a drop in global temperatures. The truth is we cannot be sure.

The world is warming up, fact, although some think this is not the fault of man. Somehow, I think we are involved. We owe it to future generations to look at the facts and not behave like ostriches. A Maunder Minimum might buy us a little extra time to put things right.

See https://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/01/25/first-estimate-of-solar-cycle-25-amplitudesmallest-in-over-300-years/ .

Whatever your views, equip yourselves with FACTS as much as possible.

70cm UKAC activity contest this evening

As this is the second Tuesday in the month, it should be the 70cm leg of the UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB. My 2m halo is a good match on 70cm. Although a very poor antenna, I shall be on at 2000z (ish) to work a few stations before my voice shouts "no"! Usually I am on for less than 60  minutes, often much less.

UPDATE 2048z: I stayed on for about 10 minutes only and had 1 contact. Although conditions on 70cm weren't too bad, the level of activity seemed low to me. GB3UHF (432.430MHz) beacon was -9dB here on JT65B on the FT817 with a 2m halo fed with lossy coax, which is quite good. The beacon is in JO01 square.

Back on 10m JT65 tomorrow

Although I got no spots at all on 10m WSPR today, I did copy G6NLZ (153km) on the south coast of the UK on 6m JT65. This could have been tropo or aircraft reflection. No non UK stations today. Tomorrow I intend to go back to 10m JT65 at breakfast time. I'll probably go QRT on 6m and 10m shortly.