Fontenay Abbey, France - NOT amateur radio

Some years ago, we visited this abbey. It is in a wooded valley and is very beautiful. It is located in Burgundy, France. If you are going this way, it is well worth a visit. Of course, Burgundy has other attractions too, like wines!

See http://www.abbayedefontenay.com/en/

6m FT8 RX

There is no doubt that this mode is now very popular. Having been on 6m FT8 RX for a couple of hours, I have spotted stations all over Europe by Es.

UPDATE 0925z: 15 countries already spotted on 6m FT8 today, mostly via Es.

UPDATE 1638z: Quite incredible Es on 6m FT8 today so far. This looks more like 20m!

10m WSPR TX

My little 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been on since before breakfast. It has already been spotted all over Europe. A good Es day this late in the season.

UPDATE 0920z: 15 unique spots so far, which is very good. Some reports are massive too e.g. I3WXX (1090km) at +5dB S/N. Es today is very good.

UPDATE 1634z: With 38 unique spots today so far on 10m WSPR, today has been one of the best Es days all season. The Es season is not dead yet!

UPDATE 1735z: Now 39 unique spots today on 10m WSPR making this a very good Es day on the band.

Sunspots - Sunday August 27th 2017

Solar flux is 78 today and the sunspot number 35. A=5 and K=1.

QRP and QRP Club

Oleg's usual report:

Weekly QRP Report (August, 27, 2017)
QRP Rendez-Vous visitors of the week:
UY1IF,  UR7VT,  US3EN,  RV3GM,  RW3DF,  UA1CEG, DK1HW, F5SSI, ON4ADR,
US5ERQ,  UR3UM,  OM6TC,  ON6WJ,  G3JFS,  F3MB, IV3RJH, OK1KW, RU3NJC,
G3XJS,  OH3GZ,  DL7JO,  UA4NU, UR5FA, Z35M/p, DL2DXA/p, EA8YV, ON6KZ,
UR5EFD,  SM2FIJ, EA2BH, DL4HG, R1CAN, RZ4NWA, R2AJA, DJ0MEW, YU/4O4A,
R4NX, RZ4AH, S59GI
MRP visitors:
UY1IF (W1), RV3GM (W3), F5SSI (W3), RU3NJC (W3), UR5FA (1W), ON6KZ (W3)
Welcome new RV visitors - UR3UM, DL7JO, EA2BH, 4O4A, RZ4AH, S59GI
Congrats!
IV3RJH, OH3GZ, DJ0MEW became Honor Frequenters (regular visitors)
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists on the Club 72 page, please.
Some comments and pictures...
see  full WQR version including a lot of comments and pictures on the
blog page - https://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

Pay attention, please!
For  all  active  QRP  operators, for all Rendez-Vous and Micro Radio
Parade  Frequenters and Visitors, for all simplest radio constructors
and milliwatt operators - new "72" e-mail reflector and on-line group
created. To enter the "72" group send empty e-mail to address -
72+subscribe@groups.io
See the group on-line -
https://groups.io/g/72
Also visit page "QRP 14.060" in the Facebook

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"


This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

Late, late swifts - NOT amateur radio

Quite unexpectedly, a couple of swifts were seen in the sky above us as we ate tea in the garden this evening. Also, some young swallows were seen, but usually these are around for few more weeks, whereas most swifts have already gone south.

It would not (now) entirely surprise me to see swifts in early September. A few weeks ago I'd have said impossible.

Late summer day - NOT amateur radio

Today was a lovely, warm, late summer day. We had lunch in the garden and did a few gardening jobs later.

I like the seasons: they all have something good about them. The summer flowers are past their best, but soon we'll have the glorious colours of autumn.

This year our crab apple tree is filled with crab apples. Usually a friend of my wife turns them in to delicious crab apple jelly.

House Martins - NOT amateur radio

This year, we seem to have had plenty of swifts (now gone south) but fewer swallows and house martins. Mind you, we saw lots of house martins (100+ ?) at Castle Acre yesterday. A few more weeks and these will be off too.

The house martins were in the air and resting on the roof on the left. I hope you can make them out in the photo. You may have to click the photo.

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

Sunspots - Saturday August 26th 2017

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot number 39. A=5 and K=1.

Rally on Bank Holiday Monday

28 AUGUST 2017 : HUNTINGDONSHIRE ARS RALLY
Ernulf Academy, Barford Road, St Neots PE19 2SH. Doors open at 7am for traders and 9am for the public. Admission is £3 with free parking. Catering including hot meals and drinks are available on site. There will be an RSGB bookstall. More from Malcolm, M0OLG on 01480 214 282 or by email to events@hunts-hams.co.uk

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