Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

At quite short notice, we had 2 of our grandchildren and their dad this weekend. The photo shows them in our lounge.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday February 26th 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 25. A=7 and K=1. Conditions have supported DX (again) on 10m JT65.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (February 26, 2017 - full version on the
blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
9H3FC  became  Honor  Frequenter of the QRP Rendez-Vous round table -
Congrats!
Visitors  of  the  week:  SM7RYR, RV3GM, R1OA, UR5EFD, UR0ET, UA1AQC,
UA1CEG,  DK1HW,  OM6TC,  R1CAF,  RD6MZ,  EW1CY, RW3AA, G4HOM, HA7YUB,
UA1ADF, G4LJU, RA1OIM, UA9MLY, SM2FIJ, DL4EPM, UA4NU, UA1CEX, OH6NPV,
LX1RFJ,  DF1HK,  RX3DOR,  UC3C,  R2AJA,  G3UD, RZ6FW, RU3NJC, UW5EKR,
R2FAE,  SV2BBK,  OH5LP,  UR7VT,  9H3FC,  Z35M, DK2SY, OK1FAO, US7IJW,
RN6AN, IZ0AYM, HA9RF, US5ERQ
New Visitors of the Rendez-Vous: HA7YUB, G4LJU, RA1OIM, LX1RFJ, RZ6FW,
DK2SY,  US7IJW, HA9RF - friends you are welcome! Hopefully you become
Frequenters soon.
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists as well as Rendez-Vous details
on the Club 72 web page - www.club72.su
Note for New Visitors:
if  you'd like to get "72 Newsletter" bulletin regularly send request
by e-mail to address - "mr72 (at) club72.su"

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.

Kenya on 10m JT65

Since mid-morning, I have been on 10m JT65 transceive (2W). Best DX so far is a spot of 5Z4/DL2RMC (6859km) in Kenya East Africa. Who said 10m is dead?

6m MSK144 RX evening and overnight

As the DX on 10m seems to have stopped some hours ago, I QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX. So far I have only spotted PA5Y (384km). I assume this was by aircraft reflection.

Overnight I expect to remain on 6m MSK144 RX.

UPDATE 2200z: OZ1PIF (850km) has just been spotted on 6m MSK144.

IC7300 Brochure and News

There are details on the ICOM, UK site about the IC7300. It is my view this radio is overpriced and I expect the price to be slashed later.

I think it will be head-to-head against the Yaesu FT991A and the IC7300 could easily be sub-£1000 in the UK because of its architecture. If the FT891A is retailing at £699 in the UK, then the IC7300 can be less expensive. I know they are very different radios, but the dealers charge what people are prepared to pay. Too many are prepared to pay inflated prices.

See http://www.icomuk.co.uk/IC-7300/Amateur_Radio_Ham_Base_Stations .

Now on 10m JT65

Since about 1045z, I have QSYed to 10m JT65 hoping to catch some N-S DX. Yesterday was quite good on 10m with South America coming through even with my poor antenna. Today could be as good.

At this point in the solar cycle we get openings less often, but they still occur. I know one Danish station who has been spotting an Australian station regularly on 10m WSPR. Although JT65 is theoretically a few dB worse than WSPR, there seems to be more activity on that mode.

UPDATE 1428z:  LU8DIO (11228km) has been spotted on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1510z: Now PY2FA (9580km) spotted. This is starting to look like last autumn! There are other stations in South America who were not being uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps, probably because I lost internet connection?

UPDATE 1555z: 2E0CIT (94km) spotted.

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday February 25th 2017

Solar flux is 82 today and the sunspot number is 27 (rising). A=20 and K=2. 10m could be reasonable for DX again today. Definitely worth me QSYing to 10m JT65 soon.

15th country on 6m MSK144 RX

EA2ARD (1010km) was copied earlier on 6m MSK144 calling CQ, making my 15th country spotted on 6m MSK144. This is an impressive mode bringing most of Europe in range at any part of the sunspot cycle and any time of the year.

Several other countries have also been spotted on 6m MSK144 today.

UPDATE 1040z: about to QSY to 10m JT65 transceive (2W).

Now on MSK144 RX

Just a few minutes ago I QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX. As yet, no spots. The RX will be running overnight.

UPDATE 2235z:  No spots yet on 6m.