10m FT8 RX

Following my usual pattern, I have been on 10m FT8 RX since breakfast. A couple of EUs spotted so far, but nothing else yet.  SP5XMU (1401km) is currently the best DX.

UPDATE 1010z: 8 stations in 5 EU countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 1312z: 20 EU stations spotted so far. Not a bad haul so far today.

365project - NOT amateur radio

For some years now I have done something called "365project". Don't confuse this with Microsoft. The idea is to take a picture every day of the year. If you want total privacy it costs $19.99 a year. Otherwise it is free. Some use it to show how good they are at photography, whereas I just take photos as a sort of visual diary. Few of my shots are great artistic works! Google it.

630m WSPR

Since teatime I have been on 630m WSPR again (10mW ERP, 20%). So far 5 unique stations have spotted me with best DX a spot by PA0DRT (243km). On RX I have only spotted 1 unique station DH5RAE (995km).

Slowly declining solar activity

In the next few days, there will be a report on solar activity in the last month and past years. Although we get blips, the trend is slowly downwards for the next few years. Last month there were quite a few spotless days.

"As of April 2017 the strength and trend of the southern polar field hints at a cycle 25 with a magnitude close to that of cycle 24. " -  according to the website below.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

PSK Reporter Maps - more issues?

All morning, I have been on 10m FT8.  PSK Reporter Maps initially showed I had spotted 1 G and 2 PAs. When I last looked, one of the PAs was not there! I changed the times out to 24 hours, but still this station was not there any more. PSK Reporter Maps seem less reliable than I thought.

Trial by media? - NOT amateur radio

Like many, I am bored by media coverage of the sexual proclivities of our politicians. If they are guilty of a crime then the law will mete justice. At the moment we seem to have trials by media, with papers out to gain readership and profits by sharing dirt in public.

Throughout history what goes on behind closed doors is the business of the persons concerned only. The exception is if a crime is committed in which case justice should be left to a court of law.  Mud sticks. Media justice is wrong.

Overnight on 136kHz WSPR RX

Despite my very poor system on 136kHz WSPR (poor antenna and deaf receiver) I managed to copy a couple of UK stations. To be honest it was amazing that anyone was copied.

Sunspots - Friday December 1st 2017

Solar flux is 71 and sunspot number is 11. A=11 and K=3/

136kHz WSPR RX

For the last few minutes I am looking on 136kHz WSPR with my very poor antenna and deaf RX. So far 2E0ILY (209km) spotted.

UPDATED 1955z: 2E0ILY (209km) has now been spotted 4 times this evening, but no-one else.

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

We are currently in negotiations with the EU about our trading relationship once we leave. Personally, I think the main concern was over who we let in to live and work in the UK and not about trade. If the referendum was repeated making this clearer, I think we might have remained. It seems a pity that the EU did not understand this and make some exceptions for the UK.  In a few years I think the EU will regret this. I think the EU is in denial and more worried about how it will finance its budgets once we leave.