Swifts - NOT amateur radio

So, the swifts have nearly gone until next year. I heard some screaming this morning and saw one this evening, but already they are moving south to warmer climes.

Most swifts have gone by mid-August although swallows are often seen much later.

With swifts you just realise they are no longer here. Sad, but they will be back. To me, the screaming swifts are a mark of an English summer.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/s/swift/ .

10m FT8

As of about 15 minutes ago, I am now on 10m FT8. After a brief period on TX, I am now on RX only. Sadly, no spots given or received so far.

UPDATE 1848z: Just M1CVJ (327km) spotted so far. This is too near for Es and too far for tropo, so could be aircraft reflection? This station is in North Devon in IO71 square.

QRT - storm risk

The latest weather forecast show the greatest storm risk here is now 1300-1400z, so I have decided to go QRT and disconnect everything including rigs, PC, antennas and mains plugs. I may be back on later after the storm risk has passed. Already, the wind is blowing. Bad weather is coming.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en .

UPDATE 1524z: So, the storms never came and there are no storms forecast. Shortly I shall reconnect things and start TXing again.

OFCOM monthly update - August 2017

Every month OFCOM produces an update.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/CF2593BB1808A8092540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Whistlers at VLF

As an undergraduate (a long time ago!) I did a project on whistlers, which are natural VLF noises produced as a result of VLF emissions being dispersed along magnetic field lines. I nearly did a PhD studying these. There are lots of different natural sounds at VLF. Whistlers are just one type. Tweeks are far more common. I recall going out to quiet parts of Wales to make recordings, although tweeks could even be heard in the centre of Liverpool after the manmade noises subsided late at night.

See https://soundcloud.com/nasa/whistler-waves2 . Eerie noises and not manmade.

Trump - NOT amateur radio

Apologies to all my readers in the USA who voted for him, but personally I find your current president sad. Maybe many in the world are misjudging him?

Allegedly, he has now sacked his latest media chief after a few days in the job.  How can we in the rest of the world take your president seriously? It is about time he acted as a president. This is my personal view and others may well disagree, which is your perfect right.

Sending tweets, claiming lots of the news is fake and sacking people after a few days in office does not sound like a leader of the western world. "You're fired" belongs in a TV show, not in the White House.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40782299 .

Sale again? - NOT amateur radio

Yet again, Alibris UK is having a sale. Nobody in their right mind would buy at the full price as nearly every week (every week?) they seem to have a sale.

Kentwell Hall - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we visited Kentwell Hall, which is a fine moated Tudor house just outside Long Melford, Suffolk. Years ago, my wife took kids there on school trips when she was a teacher.

20m FT8

At the moment I am on 20m RX. After a brief period in which I called CQ and was heard in GI, I have reverted to RX only for now. I have spotted several Europeans including European Russia.

20m FT8 early

UPDATE 0835z:  Lots of Europeans seem to be on 20m FT8. Later I'll try TX again on  20m FT8. I need to check the storm maps first and do some shopping as we have friends for lunch. They are very easy going. Once, they were coming for tea at 4.30pm. They arrived at 10.30pm! They never change and I like them as they are. The map shows the stations received this morning on 20m FT8.

UPDATE 1610z: As the storm was a non-event, I have reconnected everything on 20m FT8. I was TXing for a few minutes (calling CQ) and was copied in Southern Europe, but have now reverted to RX only on 20m. Plenty of Europeans spotted.

20m FT8 RX last few hours

UPDATE 2136z: For the last few hours I have been on 20m FT8 RX. Plenty of stations, even with my low, poor 20m antenna.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 1st 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number 11. A=5 and K=0.