6m FT8 RX

After a rather disappointing evening on 472kHz WSPR with just PA3ABK/2 (306km) spotted, I have returned to 6m FT8 RX. So far, 3 stations spotted - a couple of Gs and one station in northern France. The latter could well have been aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2125z: Quite a good Es day as the photo shows. Surprisingly good really.

Back on 472kHz WSPR RX

I have moved to 472kHz WSPR RX having been on 50.280MHz MSK144 RX most of the day. Last evening results were far better than I expected on MF with my compromise antenna.

UPDATE 2015z: Just PA3ABK/2 (306km) spotted so far.

Rally this Sunday

27 AUGUST 2017 : MILTON KEYNES ARS RALLY.
The Irish Centre, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley MK2 2HX (opposite Dobbies) Doors open at 10am. Contact is Tim Cowell, G6GEI on 07976 262 497 or email renegade62@hotmail.co.uk

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk - NOT amateur radio

Castle Acre is a jewel. It is an oasis of calm. The priory there dates back to Norman times, but was sacked in the reign of King Henry VIII.

Sadly, many of the world's treasures have been lost forever by the people of today thinking they know best. However much we may hate some things, we have no right to destroy them. They should remain so that future generations can make up their minds, not have them decided for them.

Last evening on 630m WSPR RX

Well, I was amazed. My antenna was just the feeder to my 2m big-wheel with a mains earth. In all 7  unique stations were spotted with the best DX EA5DOM (1525km). And this was despite my S8 noise floor!

Sunspots - Friday August 25th 2017

Solar flux is 80 today and the sunspot number 43. A=11 and K=1.

6m MSK144 (50.280MHz)

As the Es season is drawing to a close, I am monitoring 6m MSK144. So far this morning, just EA1YV (1320km) spotted.

First steps again on 630m WSPR RX

As the autumn and winter are approaching, I've made my first tentative steps back on to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX.

What I had forgotten was the high noise level on RX from my PC's charger. In addition to this, I seem to have a very high external noise level too now.

For now, the PC is on battery power and I have loaded up my coax to my 2m big-wheel. This is far from ideal. We'll see if this gets any spots this evening.

UPDATE 1930z: M0FMT (51km) is my first 630m WSPR spot this autumn. Despite all the noise, it works! Currently, my 630m noise is reading S8.

UPDATE 2034z: GM3YXM (425km) just copied on 630m WSPR.

UPDATE 2112z: So far, with a very indifferent set-up, 4 unique spots this evening so far on 630m WSPR.

No Es today?

As far as I am aware, today is the first day in many months in which no Es has been spotted here on 10m and 6m. OK there is still time for an opening, but at the moment it seems unlikely. This points to the end of what has been a good Es season.

As I have said many times, we will still get Es openings, but far less often. Also, people hungry for easy QSOs, will go lower down the spectrum. Even I expect to start on 630m shortly.

Sadly, I think we have seen the best of Es until next spring. There is a smaller peak around New Year and there will be the occasional openings at other times too.

With F layer DX getting much rarer than a few years ago on 10m, we will have to seek other ways of DXing on the higher bands. FT8 seems a good mode and I have been impressed how much DX can be copied on 6m MSK144 via meteors at any part of the solar cycle. My 6m antenna is just a V2000 omni vertical fed via cheap CB coax. I think I have copied European DX on 6m every time I have tried 6m MSK144.

Migration - NOT amateur radio

Personally, I have no problem with the UK (or for that matter any country) deciding who can live, learn or work here. We are a tiny, overcrowded island. We will still want people to come here to study and work, but we should have the last word, not the EU.

By the way, I voted to "remain" in the EU in the referendum last year. Personally I think most "leave" voters were worried about this issue rather than anything else. Dare I say many who voted "leave" were rather simple minded and just wanted the UK of the 1950s back again? Sorry, this is NOT going to happen, ever.

According to official figures out today, net migration is lower but still way above government targets.