630m WSPR

Just after dark I switched to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%) Although a bit better than last time, no spots to get excited about. I shall check in the morning, but for 630m WSPR I have to make radical improvements to my antenna, drop my RX noise floor considerably, or look for a new challenge on a different band.

Mustard - NOT amateur radio

For 160 years Colman's has had a mustard factory in Norwich. Even the local football team is called "the Canaries" after the yellow mustard. Now Unilever is closing its Norwich site - a sad day.  They are transferring production to Burton-on-Trent and Germany. No doubt, this will be to save money and streamline the business. Never mind those who will lose jobs. Capitalism - leave it to the markets.

See www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-42569750 .
See https://www.colmans.co.uk/ .

MSF off-air periods

Southgate News has a useful reminder of the days and times MSF will be off-air for maintenance.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/msf-scheduled-maintenance-periods.htm

UK Pound exchange rate - NOT amateur radio

OK, I was wrong about the UK Pound and Euro exchange rate, but the UK Pound has appreciated against the Yen and US Dollar. This should mean goods bought in US Dollars and Yen should get less expensive.

QSYed to 10m FT8 RX

As of 1140z, I have moved to 10m FT8 RX, hoping for some winter Es and maybe some N-S F2 DX. I shall probably be on 10m FT8 until I switch to 630m WSPR after tea.

UPDATE 1545z: Still no spots on 10m FT8 RX here all day today.

Sunspots - Thursday January 4th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=4 and K=1.

6m MSK144 during the Quadrantids MS shower

Quite a reasonable night with a wide spread of stations spotted, many I assume via MS. My antenna is just a simple omni vertical V2000.

I was only on RX on 50.280MHz, which is where the European 6m MSK144 seems to be.

QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX

At 1706z I QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX. G3YDY (65km) was copied calling CQ almost immediately. I am monitoring 50.280MHz.

Quadrantids MS shower

Southgate News reminds us that the Quadrantids meteor shower peaks overnight. I shall be on 6m MSK144 RX (50.280MHz) looking for European action.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/the-quadrantids.htm  .

Storm Eleanor - NOT amateur radio

We are still being battered by strong winds, although other parts of the UK have been hit much worse.  Parts of Northern Ireland have had power cuts. By comparison, we got off lightly.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42549441 .