On 6m MSK144 RX

Most of the morning, I have been on 6m MSK144 receive with EI and HB9 the best DX spotted so far.

As it uses a different antenna and does not need the FT817 or PC (I use the W5OLF beacon, which is totally stand-alone) I may well go on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) shortly as well as monitoring 6m MSK144. To be honest, I am hopeful about 10m, although I have no basis for this!

UPDATE 2200z:  Now QRT on all bands. On 6m MSK144 quite a few stations received here did not appear on PSK Reporter Maps, suggesting that I lost internet connectivity at the times they should have been reported.

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday March 18th 2017

Solar flux is 69 and yet again the sunspot number remains zero. A=4 and K=0.

Simple minds? - NOT amateur radio

This appealed to my simple mind. I first saw it on an email I get daily from Twitter. I do not use Twitter. For those who don't know, Liechtenstein is a tiny nation on the border of Switzerland.

DX via noctilucent clouds?

These high altitude clouds appear most often around the summer solstice and support radar returns. It has yet to be tried, but it means very long distance UHF, SHF and microwave paths may be possible using these clouds. Who will try?

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent .

Shoot yourself in the foot? - NOT amateur radio

When reading it, the White House spokesman did not exactly sound as if he believed it himself, to my ears at least. Claims that GCHQ helped Obama bug Trump in the lead-up to the presidential elections have been described as "nonsense" by GCHQ.

If Mr Trump is looking for credibility on the world stage, he should listen to evidence on everything and act on hard evidence. It is always wise to check facts. Take for example global warming. He does himself no favours by acting without reading and accepting the facts. Any leader must work from facts. A politician who does not is living in a bubble.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39300191. Oh sorry, the BBC is a "false news" supplier!

Kings, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Today we walked around the Backs in Cambridge to see all the flowers out. I used to go to a meeting in one of the rooms (X6) in Kings (on the left in the photo) when I first came to Cambridge.

Scottish independence - NOT amateur radio

The leader of the ruling party in Scotland has asked for a second referendum on independence next year. The UK Prime Minister has said "no".

In my view, both powerful women are playing politics. With oil worth less than half of what it was when the Scots voted to stay in the UK, I don't quite see how the Scottish people could go it alone. Mind you, the majority in Scotland voted to "remain" in the EU, unlike the majority in the UK.

At the moment, the UK certainly has to focus on its new relationship with the EU but the break-up of the ancient union with Scotland could happen. Even more troubling is the border between Eire (in the EU) and Ulster (soon to be out of the EU).

Low nest - NOT amateur radio

We saw this nest in a pollarded tree on our way back from visiting old neighbours yesterday. The nest is only about six feet off the ground, although I expect it is well hidden when the leaves are out.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday March 17th 2017

Solar flux is 70 today and the sun remains spotless. This is the longest spotless period in many years. A=6 and K=1. On the face of it, things don't look that promising on 10m today.

Rallies this weekend

MARCH 18th  2017 : LAUGHARNE RADIO RALLY

Saturday 18 March 2017. Millennium Memorial Hall, Clifton Street, Laugharne SA33 4QG.
Doors open 10am-1pm (disabled entry 15 mins early), entry £3. Tables are free, booked through Matthew, GW6KOA, 0199 4427 581 or by email to matthew.twyman63@btinternet.com.


MARCH 19th 2017 : 32nd WYTHALL RADIO CLUB RALLY

Wythall Park, Silver Street, B47 6LZ Parking available on site. Doors open at 10am with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30am. Entry is £4. There will be a Bring & Buy, RSGB bookstall as well as lectures. Catering will be available on site. Contact Mike, 0797 674 4479, mike@g4vpd.com.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/