Sunset - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we are blessed with seasons. In mid-winter it is dark at 4pm, but in mid-summer it is light until 10pm. Every season has something good about it. This shot was taken from our garden at 12 minutes to 10pm on Sunday, June 11th, 2017.

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday June 13th 2017

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=8 and K=2. There is Es on 10m, but no F2 propagation seen here.

Back on 6m JT65 transceive and 10m WSPR TX

Since breakfast, I have been active as usual on 10n WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m JT65 transceive (1W ERP). On 6m G spots only so far but some early Es on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 0934z: Now some Es on 6m JT65. EA5/G3XGS (1581km) has spotted me. Most 10m WSPR spots have been from Northern Europe so far.

UPDATE 1334z: although I am being widely spotted across Europe on 6m JT65, my own spots of others are not appearing on PSK Reporter Maps. Maybe it has forgotten the tick box for some reason or my internet upload is not working?

QRT

As the DX appears to have stopped, I am about to go QRT and turn off the PC.

Bird table visitor - NOT amateur radio

Every day we get jackdaws on our bird table. They are quite big birds, but quite fun. This one is busy tucking in to kitchen scraps. We now get quite a variety of birds. I think they know there is free food on offer! The starlings love the fat balls. A refill on Saturday was totally empty on Sunday.

Wireless charging from roads - NOT amateur radio

To me, this has to be the answer to a carbonless future with regard to road vehicles. Southgate News reports on trials in France and Israel where the road has embedded wireless charging for road vehicles. This means smaller, lighter, batteries in the vehicles, a longer battery life, and greater range.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/june/roads-with-built-in-wireless-charging.htm#.WT5ai7pFzmQ

Sunspots and 10m - Monday June 12th 2017

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=17 and K=2. There is Es on 10m and 6m.

10m WSPR (TX) and 6m JT65 (RX)

At the moment I am on the above modes and bands. If WSJT-X V1.7 and PSK Reporter Maps support JT9E, I may give this mode a try on 6m later on 50.290MHz.

UPDATE 1028z: Best DX on 6m JT65 RX is S65KXA (10734km) in Singapore. No Far East  (Japan, Korea etc.) spotted today.

UPDATE 1145z: 12 unique 10m WSPR spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today so far.

UPDATE 1720z: After a brief period on JT9E on 6m (nothing) I have returned to 6m JT65 transceive where I have been received across Europe by Es.

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".