26 Jul 2017

Sweet peas - NOT amateur radio

Eventually, the sweet peas in our front garden are coming into flower. We have one white one and two pink ones about to flower. We have planted sweet peas in the front garden and on the patio in the rear garden. The latter have still to flower. Last year we had one set in the front garden but these were nibbled by muntjac deer. Later they flowered well.

10m WSPR

Since before breakfast I have been on 10m WSPR TX (500mW). Already I have been spotted in Germany many times by Es.

UPDATE 1357z: 12 unique spots on 10m WSPR, but all were this morning. Best DX was a spot from Sweden. I assume all these were Es.

UPDATE 1456z: Several Es spots in the last 30 minutes from Germany.

UPDATE 1730z: Best 10m WSPR DX, so far at least, is OE3BUB (1229km).

6m JT65

Until now, since before breakfast, I have been on 6m JT65 transceive (1W ERP), but I have just switched to RX only.

So far, spots have just been G stations either by tropo or aircraft reflection. It is now 0814z.

UPDATE 1402z: 4O6AH (1788km) is the best DX on 6m JT65 RX today so far.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 26th 2017

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 12.  A=9 and K=2.

25 Jul 2017

Parker's Piece, Cambridge, UK - NOT amateur radio

Wild flowers on Parker's Piece, Cambridge, UK. I think these were planted by the pupils at Park Side School.

Parkers Piece was the focus of a big celebration in 1838 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria.

It is also acknowledged as the home of Association Football rules. It is a famous park in Cambridge.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker%27s_Piece

6m JT65

So far this morning I have only spotted G stations on JT65, with no Es yet. I suspect the Gs are by aircraft reflection. At the moment, I am RX only on 6m JT65.

UPDATE 0840z: SM5CEU (1170km) copied by Es.

UPDATE 2115z: More Es earlier from E and SE Europe.

10m WSPR TX

Although I turned on the 500mW beacon about 30 minutes ago, no spots as yet, although it is very early.

UPDATE 0845z: Some early Es on 10m WSPR (see table).

UPDATE 1900z
: Recent Es spots from Denmark and Germany.

UPDATE 2115z: Still getting Es reports from Denmark on 10m WSPR. Es on 10m today seems better than 6m.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 25th 2017

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number remains zero. A=12 and K=2.

24 Jul 2017

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Although I have been on 10m WSPR TX since before breakfast, there have been no spots as yet.

UPDATE 1448z: Quite a decent amount of Es today, mainly Northern Europe.

6m JT65 RX

At the moment I am on 6m JT65 RX. Although there is some Es about, it is nothing like yesterday.

UPDATE 1450z:  So far, the only 6m JT65 spots have been G stations with no Es this afternoon, although  there was some Es this morning.