"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

Many times I have mentioned that we live right next door to a 200 year old, fully restored, 4 sail windmill. This is an unusual shot taken looking up at the sails. The sails turn when the local museum is open.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 10th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=3 and K=0.

Any decent 10m conditions certainly won't be because of the "high" sunspot number, HI.

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

630m WSPR RX overnight

Probably my most successful night this autumn with several stations that are new this season. I ran the PC on battery power to reduce the noise floor to about S7. G0MRF, G0NBD and DK2DB are all new this autumn I think.

Why did you vote for him? - NOT amateur radio

So President Trump in the USA is proving his credentials on the world stage leading with vision (NOT). Sorry, but my view is he is a menace.  He seems more interested in short-term votes than the future of the world, including the USA.  Dust bowl? I see no dust.

Others are free to disagree, but surely with all those recent strong hurricanes he must realise climate change is real and not a Chinese hoax? Sadly, many voted for him.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41556342 .

Before "Mr Anonymous" (name withheld) starts a rant, this is my view.  Others are free to agree or disagree, but please give us your name.

630m WSPR RX

This evening I QSYed to 630m WSPR RX earlier. Same stations (again) with best DX LA8AV (1035km) again.

With luck, and a steady hand, I should be back on 630m TX again quite soon, although I am not sure what "antenna" to try. See previous post.

"Get out that soldering iron"

After posting a photo on Facebook of some bread rolls I made yesterday (see photo) a friend has urged me, "to get out my soldering iron" again. Well, tomorrow or later this week, I might just try.

My 630m transverter needs some attention, so I might try this first. I am told there are more people listening than transmitting on 630m WSPR and I have not yet, this season, been on 630m TX. I might give 630m FT8 TX a go too.

See http://www.iamintothis.com/2012/02/friday-food-lust-ham-cheese-chive-bread.html .

Sunspots - Monday October 9th 2017

Solar flux is 75 and the sunspot number zero. A=4 and K=1.

10m (and 630m) FT8

This mode has still not been officially released yet, but it is already very popular. Last night I copied the tail end of what was probably the world's first 630m FT8 QSO between G6AVK and G3KEV. G3KEV was very strong.

Although I have only been on 10m for maybe 20 minutes, I have already spotted IZ8IEV (1646km) at -17dB S/N. Now he is +2dB S/N. Also spotted was a PD0. This latter one could be aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1335z: First Brazilian spotted on 10m FT8 today was PY5IP (9888km). Sunspot number is zero today.

UPDATE 1348z: Now VP8LP (12772km) in the Falkland Is spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1804z: No further South Americans today on 10m FT8, but still plenty of DX ...and the sunspot number is zero! This mode really is good.

630m WSPR RX overnight

11 unique spots yesterday evening and overnight, but only PA0ONO (287km) a new call.