Sunspots and 10m - June 1st 2017

Solar flux today is 75 . Sunspot number is 11. A=4 and K=1. Widespread 10m Es.

10m JT65

Conditions seem quite good this morning. On 10m JT65 RX my best DX is UN7DA (5276km). My own signal is being widely copied in Europe by Es. Other notable RX spots include YI3WHR (4186km) in Iraq late last night. I find it hard to believe this is Es. F2 is possible although the time is wrong for F2.

Are these long paths Es with some sort of chordal hop? I have long suspected this sort of mode. I am not a great believer of these being multi-hop Es. It would be interesting to hear what experts have to say.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday May 31st 2017

Solar flux is 73 today. Sunspot number is zero. A=7 and K=2. 10m is likely to be livened up by Es in the northern hemisphere.

TEP and 10m (and 6m)

Newcomers may not be aware that trans-equatorial (TEP) propagation can extend to quite high frequencies. If memory serves me right, the signals cross the magnetic equator by spread-F, a sort of chordal hop. I think 2m has been used to work from Southern Africa to the Med. Today, a number of South Americans have been copied in the UK on 10m JT65.  I suspect this is TEP being extended to the UK by Es. TEP does not usually extend this far north.

Baking - NOT amateur radio

Today, we had all 4 grandchildren (all 9 and under) here for lunch. Here is our elder granddaughter busy baking in the kitchen.

SAQ transmission cancelled

Southgate News reports that the upcoming SAQ CW transmission on 17.2kHz VLF CW has been cancelled due to ongoing maintenance work.  This signal is often a good one to try if testing your VLF system. It is much harder receiving amateur VLF signals.

Often these transmissions result in a QSL card for reports. I have one from years ago.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/may/saq-transmission-cancelled.htm#.WS2KmrpFzIU

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday May 30th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number 16. A=10 and K=4.

10m JT65

This morning, I am on 10m JT65. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 0848z: My 10m JT65 is being spotted in Switzerland and Austria  (Es) and the best DX on RX is the Canary Is.

UPDATE 1000z: Spots so far this morning on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1614z: Best DX on RX was RA9N (4608km) in Omsk, Asiatic Russia. This is a long way for Es, if indeed this is the mode.

UPDATE 1715z: PY2FA (9580km) and another 3 Brazilians are now being spotted. Could be Es linking with TEP?

UPDATE 1957z: Now 8 South Americans spotted on 10m JT65 plus a couple of stations in the UAE at the far end of the Gulf. Still no spots of my own QRP 10m JT65 outside of Europe. Definitely a good Es day on 10m.

UPDATE 1725z: So far, 5 different Brazilians spotted on 10m JT65 today.

G7 meeting - NOT amateur radio

This photo was widely shared on Facebook. I have no idea where it was first made. Sadly, this is how much of the world sees the president of the USA. He needs not to be a joke.

6m JT65

Last night, as a precaution, I went QRT and disconnected plugs and antennas. We had thunder and lightning overnight (I'm told) but I slept through it!

At the moment I am on 6m JT65 (1W ERP). Best DX on TX is 9A2DI (1532km). There have been G spots, ON (tropo or aircraft?) and Es on 6m. On 6m JT65 RX the best DX is EA8JK (3021km).

UPDATE 1112z:  As well as the Es, I have been spotted in Cornwall by G8BCG (372km) in IO70 square. If this was tropo, it was a long way.

UPDATE 1604z: Plenty of Es from/to Europe on 6m JT65 today. What would be really good would be if we got Es to the Caribbean or South America on 6m JT65. Although it feels quite humid here, there are no thunderstorms shown in the UK. Unless thing change I intend to stay on 6m JT65 until late this evening.

UPDATE 2040z: Although the Es spots seem to have stopped, there are still plenty of G spots. As the thunderstorms seem to be mainly in Belgium and Germany I am remaining on the air.

UPDATE 2140: Today, my QRP 1W ERP 6m JT65 was spotted by 9 UK stations and I spotted 23 stations in the UK.