22 Nov 2017
Sunspots - Wednesday November 22nd 2017
Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=28 and K=3.
21 Nov 2017
630m OPERA TX
Something must be wrong.
I had a couple of goes on 630m OPERA TX in beacon mode, but got no reports. I switched to WSPR and immediately was spotted and spotted others. Not sure what I was doing wrong.
I had a couple of goes on 630m OPERA TX in beacon mode, but got no reports. I switched to WSPR and immediately was spotted and spotted others. Not sure what I was doing wrong.
Blog visits - NOT amateur radio
It never fails to amaze me how many people read this blog every day. It is humbling. I usually write about the things I do or take an interest in. You will already have noticed that I enjoy WSPR and FT8!
Being a bit disabled these days (although most who see me tell me how good I look - inside it is not quite the same), I probably spend too much time on the PC. As my voice is poor, it is a way of expressing myself. If you think I should cover other things, let me know. Doing this blog is now part of my routine. It is quite good fun to record what I've been up to.
Being a bit disabled these days (although most who see me tell me how good I look - inside it is not quite the same), I probably spend too much time on the PC. As my voice is poor, it is a way of expressing myself. If you think I should cover other things, let me know. Doing this blog is now part of my routine. It is quite good fun to record what I've been up to.
Halloween: well gone - NOT amateur radio
A better database?
A couple of people have recommended a different database to see my OPERA spots on MF.
See http://spots.microwavers.es/in
See http://spots.microwavers.es/in
10m FT8 RX
The band seems only good for Gs here so far. Just a couple of Gs spotted and nothing else as yet. Mind you, it is only 1000z, which is quite early.
UPDATE 1100z: Quite promising on 10m FT8 today. Best DX so far is ZS6ZP (9121km). It continues to amaze me that so much can still be spotted on 10m FT8. In previous years, these openings might well have been missed - lot of Europeans, 3 Israelis and South Africa already, and the sunspot number is zero!
UPDATE 1200z: I see that there are two South Africans in the Johannesburg area in the 10m FT8 RX log today.
UPDATE 1100z: Quite promising on 10m FT8 today. Best DX so far is ZS6ZP (9121km). It continues to amaze me that so much can still be spotted on 10m FT8. In previous years, these openings might well have been missed - lot of Europeans, 3 Israelis and South Africa already, and the sunspot number is zero!
UPDATE 1200z: I see that there are two South Africans in the Johannesburg area in the 10m FT8 RX log today.
630m OPERA RX
Last evening and overnight, I tried 630m OPERA RX. It is supposed to spot weaker stations even than WSPR, which is pretty good. For the first time ever at this QTH I spotted "across the pond" on 630m: VO1NA was spotted twice on "deep search". Activity is lower than 630m WSPR, but LA3EQ was spotted and a few others.
Tonight, I may well try 630m OPERA TX, although I shall also try 630m WSPR as EA5DOM is reported back on the band and mode. He is usually a very good WSPR signal here.
Tonight, I may well try 630m OPERA TX, although I shall also try 630m WSPR as EA5DOM is reported back on the band and mode. He is usually a very good WSPR signal here.
Sunspots - Tuesday November 21st 2017
Solar flux is 73 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=8 and K=4.
20 Nov 2017
Mugabe - NOT amateur radio
Many years ago, just after WW2, my dad was in S.Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, posted there by the RAF. Whilst there he met King George VI and our future queen.
What has happened to that country in recent times is saddening. What will happen to Robert Mugabe is anyone's guess. He appears as an old man clinging to power. Whatever happens, I hope it benefits the people of that country.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42048412 .
What has happened to that country in recent times is saddening. What will happen to Robert Mugabe is anyone's guess. He appears as an old man clinging to power. Whatever happens, I hope it benefits the people of that country.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42048412 .
630m OPERA RX
OK, I may give this a try tonight. The software needs downloading and I have to find the right frequencies, but it is more sensitive than WSPR, so seems worth a try. My noise floor (S7) may limit what I can decode.
UPDATE 2040z: So I downloaded OPERA software, set the AGC to "off", set the frequency to 477kHz DIG (i.e. USB), set the RX to "wide", but so far nothing received!
UPDATE 2220z: 3 stations copied on 630m OPERA with best DX so far being LA3EQ (768km). I might give OPERA TX a try tomorrow evening. Others with a lower noise floor might be able to spot me on OPERA but not on WSPR?
UPDATE 2040z: So I downloaded OPERA software, set the AGC to "off", set the frequency to 477kHz DIG (i.e. USB), set the RX to "wide", but so far nothing received!
UPDATE 2220z: 3 stations copied on 630m OPERA with best DX so far being LA3EQ (768km). I might give OPERA TX a try tomorrow evening. Others with a lower noise floor might be able to spot me on OPERA but not on WSPR?
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