2m UKAC results so far

The results, so far, of the RSGB's 2m UKAC contest have just been published. My position has climbed to 78th out of 188 in the AL section. I run 5W SSB to an omni big-wheel antenna. It is rare for me to be on for more than 40% of the time because of my poor voice.

Although not a great contester, I rarely miss this one as it is a good test of my (limited) set-up and a chance to work a few new squares. 200km is my usual maximum. Well equipped stations with yagis and more power work a lot further.

See http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=144MHz%20UKAC&year=2016 .

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday November 20th 2016

Solar flux is today is 77. Sunspot number is 22. K=1.

Time to QSY to 2m JT65B

It looks like the 10m DX has gone for today, so I am going to QSY to 144.165MHz (USB dial) JT65B. As always, all reports are appreciated. I'll probably remain on 2m all this evening and overnight.

UPDATE 1724z:  QSYed to 2m JT65B 144.165MHz USB dial at 1648z.

UPDATE 2204z: No 2m spots so far.

Images of planets around Alpha-Centauri? - NOT amateur radio

See http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=36621

Some alive today may see the first images of Earth like planets around our next nearest star. There are plans afoot to send a telescope into space to do this and even a chance of a probe visiting this distant solar system sometime this century. Sadly I shall probably being feeding worms and daisies!

70cm UKAC results out

See http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2016 .

Despite not having an antenna of 70cm (just a 2m halo), just using 5W QRP and being on for a very limited time because of my poor voice, I see I sit 121st out of 178 in the AL section. Of late, activity seems lower than in earlier months. I guess there are fewer portable stations active in the colder months.

USA on 10m JT65 this autumn?

So far this autumn my 2W 10m JT65 has been spotted in the USA just once. I have only copied others in the USA on 10m JT65 twice. It is proving much harder to reach the USA on 10m this autumn than in the last few years. Next autumn, I expect it will be impossible.

As the months go forward, there will be even less chance of USA 10m openings, although I hope USA and Canadians will come in during the summer by 10m Es on occasions. Es will soon be the only mechanism to work the USA on 10m. It may also be possible to work the USA and Canada by Es on 6m on occasions.

Improving my 10m antenna would help a bit, but if the band is not open E-W then it will still be impossible.

No, E-W DX on 10m will become rarer, especially as the years progress and as the sunspots decline. All the more reason to use JT65 or WSPR "in the background" to catch brief 10m openings. I love 10m, but it takes real dedication in the quiet solar years ahead. The easy option is just to slip down a few bands. But as real radio amateurs we like a challenge!

Slow Slide

Very gradually, we are on the slide to the next solar minimum. As I have said many times, this is NOT the end of the usefulness of our higher HF bands. Even with no sunspots and in the depths of the solar minimum, I have worked real DX on 10m SSB QRP with simple wire antennas. Es (sporadic-E) is good especially in the summer throughout the solar cycle. Of course, as 27MHz CB proves, 10m is always useful for local nets and chats. In my view, 10m is a most (possibly the most) interesting band we have. Sometimes it behaves like a VHF band whereas at other times it is open for worldwide DX.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Strange sight - NOT amateur radio

Before lunch we went to nearby Reach for a walk. We were surprised to see a couple of emus walking with chickens in a village garden. It just seemed so very odd.

Swaziland on 10m

3DA0AY (9199km) in Swaziland has been spotted on 10m JT65. Swaziland is completely surrounded by South Africa. I went there a few years ago. 10m is definitely much better than yesterday.

Frosty - NOT amateur radio

Although we have had a few frosts this autumn, the one overnight was the coldest so far. Even now at 1040z, there are still signs of it. I wonder if this will be the end of our sweet peas in the garden? They were still flower and it is already well into the second half of November.