13 Japanese stations spotted today on 6m JT65

This is the best day so far this season on 6m JT65 with 13 (thirteen) different Japanese stations spotted around breakfast time today. Interesting that none at all was from Tokyo or its suburbs. Sadly, no spots of me from Japan.

I am amazed how easily I am spotting these with my poor setup here.

At the moment, I am still on 6m JT65 in beacon mode sending "B G3XBM JO02" near the top of the JT65 sub-section.

UPDATE 0932z: as well as all the Japanese spots on 6m JT65 I notice 7A7YYZ (13582km) was spotted early on 6m JT65. If genuine, this is long way on a VHF band. I have spotted different Indonesians several times, and find it hard to think they are all pirates. There were so many Japanese that I am sure Far East 6m propagation is genuine.

Gilbert and Sullivan - NOT amateur radio

Every year, about this time, we attend a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan (Victorian comic opera) in a barn in a local village. This is an amateur cast but the performance is always first class. This year they did "Princess Ida", a work with which I was not familiar.

Sibling reunion - NOT amateur radio

For the last few days we have hosted our annual "sibling reunion" in which my wife's brothers and their wives join us. Each year, we take it in turns to act as hosts. The photo shows us in our garden earlier.

Top Band Loft Antenna

Some years ago, at the old QTH, I was looking for an easy 160m antenna, mainly for local use and WSPR. This antenna was the result. It exceeded all expectations.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/160m_loft_ant

4el 70cm yagi

Some years ago I hastily made this small yagi to use portable on 70cms. The pole is just cheap PVC pipe and the yagi made from old coat hangers. It worked well and I still have it, although it has not been used for some time.yagi,70cm

10m WSPR TX and 6m JT65 transceive

As usual, I am on 10m WSPR TX only (500mW) and 6m JT65 (1W ERP) transceive. Already there is good European Es on both bands.

UPDATE 1305z: Yet again 4X1RF (3518km) has spotted me on 6m JT65. He has done so for many seasons now.

UPDATE 1518z: I spotted a station in Kuwait earlier on 6m JT65 - 9K2GS (4641km) and supposedly S65GBD (10734km) in Singapore. I have grave doubts about this last one.

UPDATE 1630z: First Caribbean station spotted on 6m JT65 this season. WP4JCF (6830km) in Puerto Rico copied.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday June 15th 2017

Solar flux is 75 and the sunspot number 11. A=5 and K=1. 10m? Lots of Es around already.

Greenland on 6m JT65

OX3LX (2570km) copied me on 6m JT65 earlier this evening. As far as I remember this is the first tine I have reached Greenland on 6m.

I remember working Greenland from the garden with 2.5W SSB and a whip antenna on 10m some years ago. I am pretty sure both these were Es.

UPDATE 0754 June 15th 2017: He spotted me again late yesterday.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday June 14th 2017

Solar flux is 73 and the sunspot number 11. A=8 and K=1.

70cm UKAC missed

This RSGB 70cm activity contest was last night, but I had to give it a miss as we had visitors. Usually my far from ideal antenna and 5W SSB reaches the Midlands (over 100km). I use a 2m halo fed with lossy coax on 70cm. I am amazed how well this works on 70cm. Match is good, but I have no idea of the radiation pattern.