Sunspots and 10m - Sunday November 13th 2016

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number has gone up to 51 (not bad at this part of the solar cycle). However K=4.

UPDATE 1534z: The K index seems to be improving. K=3 now.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

WQR Report (November 12, 2016)
see full report with comments and pictures -http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report
Visitors of the week:
RW3AA,  UA1CEG,  R1OA,  DK1HW,  OH6NPV,  RV3GM, UA0SBQ, US7IB, US3EN,
UW5EKR,  UR0ET, ON6KZ, RU3NJC, R1CAF, UR5EFD, RV3DSA/0, DL4HG, G3XJS,
UA1CEG,  UR7VT,  SM2FIJ,  IK2RGV, DL3XZ, SM2BYW, RA1M, UA1CEX, UA4NU,
DM5JL, SM7RYR, HA7NE, R2FAE, SP1CVP, RN4W, SA7BOA, UA4Z, RZ3QS, US5ERQ

Congrats!
US7IB,  IK2RGV,  DL3XZ,  HA7NE,  RN4W entered in the Frequenters list
(regular visitors)
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists on the Club72 web page

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

47GHz Beacon

47GHz beacon reception. I wonder if this person is professionally involved in microwave work? If not, I am very impressed. Lack of access to microwave test gear has always put me off. Optical test gear and optical gear was easy.

Still life on 10m

Every time I've been on 10m recently, I have found JT65 activity and DX. My antenna is just a low wire and definitely nothing special. I have never had a tower or an HF beam!  People assume 10m is "dead" and QSY down the bands. OK, it is not as easy as a few years ago, but change modes and use the band.  Don't assume it is useless, as it is still a DX band.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

Autumn

This has nothing to do with amateur radio but shows the season with the berries and leaves in our garden. It seems to have suddenly changed. I heard recently that a local town has already had more frosts this autumn than all last winter. Are we in for a very cold winter? It does feel colder although we have had fewer gales than normal. Usually October and early November can be windy.

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday November 12th 2016

Solar flux is 78 today and the sunspot number 26. K=2. Already I am spotting Israel and European Russia on 10m JT65. I have the feeling this is going to be a reasonably good day on 10m JT65. This is more than can be said for the weather here at the moment: it is cold and wet!

10m JT65 again today

I switched bands and am now back on 10m JT65 again after a day on 2m JT65. Already I have spotted several stations who are not sending spots to PSK Reporter Maps and RA9CNF (3812km) has been spotted. I am sure this is F2 propagation. As yet, my 2W QRP has still to be spotted.

UPDATE 1134z: 4Z5ML (3571km) in Israel and TA1BM (2899km) in Turkey have been spotted on 10m JT65 this morning.

UPDATE 1234z: RU4H (3294km) spotted my 2W QRP 10m JT65 about half an hour ago.

UPDATE 1546z: 5 South Americans spotted on 10m JT65 so far today.

UPDATE 1912z:  14 South Americans spotted on 10m JT65 so far today.

Lunch out (again) - NOT amateur radio

For the second time this week, we ate lunch out with old friends. This time not as far (38 miles round trip). We  have known these friends since the early 1970s.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
keep in your diaries -
Club 72 events Calendar 2017 year

February, 4 and 5 - "Snowman" QRP Field Game (two tours)
April - "Look In the Horizon" QRP Marathon (over a month)
June, 17 - World QRP activity day
October 4 to 17 - "Sputnik" QRPp Activity Days
see details on the club72.su page
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

2m JT65 again

It seems that 144.165MHz is being adopted as the 2m JT65B  frequency in Europe. This morning, starting shortly, I shall be beaconing sending on that frequency (USB dial). Any reports would be appreciated. Best to upload your spots to PSK  Reporter Maps. My actual transmission will, of course, be slightly HF of the dial setting.

UPDATE 1040z: Within minutes of starting I copied DL1BEC (487km) on 2m JT65B in Lower Saxony, Germany. This was totally unexpected! No spots of my 2W QRP as yet.

UPDATE 1904z: Several spots from G6AVK (77km) - thank you.