11 Jun 2017

Same old stations on 10m WSPR

Unlike 6m JT65 where I frequently spot new stations and get spotted by new stations, in general my 10m 500mW TX beacon signal is received by the same European stations. The level of WSPR activity on 10m is definitely lower than 6m JT65. I only use 10m WSPR TX as this uses a different rig and antenna.

Out of choice, if I had to make one, I'd choose 6m JT65 in the Es season.

Hedge cutting - NOT amateur radio

Our laurel hedge in our front garden needs cutting several times a year to keep it in check. It makes a nice barrier, but we don't want it too high.

I swept up several wheel barrows of clippings. The photos shows me flicking the cuttings from the top of the hedge onto the grass.

As you can see, that 200 year old windmill really is "next door".

Poor Mrs May - NOT amateur radio

For a start, I was one of the many millions in the UK who did not vote for Mrs May (UK Prime minister) and the Conservatives. It looks like the rich are richer and the poor poorer under her party. This is wrong. If we are to have austerity let us all share the pain. As for a working alliance with the Democratic Unionists (DUP) in Northern Ireland, I am sure this will go down in history as a mistake.

To be fair, many expected a landslide with the Conservatives winning a big, clear, majority.  Instead, we ended up with a hung parliament and Mrs May hanging on by a whisker.  Most people rejected her autocratic style.

In some way I feel sorry for her. A week ago she could do no wrong, whereas now she is vilified.

Who knows what the future holds? It will be several years before the dust settles,  but beware any party that ignores the people it serves.

Oh, we still await a true charismatic leader in any UK party.

New near real time propagation tools

My thanks to Southgate News for bringing this to my attention.

Jim Bacon, G3YLA has a new propagation tool, which is worth linking. Jim does the TV weather in East Anglia, and is a well regarded Es expert.

See http://www.convectiveweather.co.uk/ionosphere/index.php

That letter Y - NOT amateur radio

Many many years ago I attended Salcombe Boy's Club. This was back in the 1950s when I was still very young. We played indoor sports followed by a brief religious service taken by 2 very kind men.

It is funny how some things stick even 60 years later. One of these was Mr Putt telling us how life was like the letter Y. The Y has two ends at the top, like life: you frequently have to choose a direction to go in. Often there is an easier path and a more difficult one. Often I reflect and wonder what would have happened had I followed a different path in life. This is a theme I have mentioned before.

What if I had gone to a different university or no university at all? What if I had got poor grades at A level? What if I had changed jobs and moved? What if I did that PhD that I turned down? I guess we can never know. Life is filled with such Y moments, but we do not realise it at the time. Perhaps in a multiverse we do take every path, but are only aware of one?

QRP and QRP Club

More news from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (June, 11, 2017)
Visitors  of  the  week:  UR0ET,  US5ERQ, US3EN, UA0SBQ, UF6V/UA1CEX,
R1CAF,  HB9BIN/p,  DK1HW, OH6NPV, UR5EFD, RV3GM, F8GLE, UY1IF, DJ9DX,
RU3NJC,  UA1CEG,  R4NX, PA3ALX, DL2DXA/p, R2FAE, OH5LP, RX3PR, OM6TC,
YO6ZH
New Visitors: DJ9DX, YO6ZH - you are welcome!
See full Visitors and Frequenters list on the Club 72 web page
Enjoy some pictures...
see  full version of the WQR Report with comments and pictures on the
blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
See you on te next weekly QRP Rendez-Vous!

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.

10m and 6m

As usual, I am on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR TX. There is Es on both bands.

UPDATE 1700z:  A45XR (5796km) in Oman is the best DX on 6m JT65 RX today so far. I am convinced there are far more people now using this mode on 6m. Conditions for Es may be better this year, but I am sure the (great) levels of JT65 6m activity are helping.

UPDATE 2105z: 10m WSPR TX now QRT and RX only on 6m JT65.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday June 11th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today. Sunspot number is zero again. A=4 and K=2. There is Es on 10m and 6m, but no signs of F2 propagation DX.

10 Jun 2017

10m WSPR TX

As on previous mornings, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) with my stand-alone WSPR beacon. Plenty of EU spots, but no spots from further afield.

Es better this year?

The impression I am getting is that this Es season is better than the last one. Certainly, I seem to be copying more on 6m JT65 than last year.

What do you think?