Spaceweather - NOT amateur radio

If you want to know about what's happening in the skies above our heads look at this website. It regularly has news and photos of interest.

See http://spaceweather.com/ .

630m WSPR

This continues to disappoint. Overnight my own 10mW ERP was spotted by 6 unique stations and I spotted 5 uniques. This is a little better than the day before, but I get the feeling people are leaving the band.

Sunspots - Friday January 5th 2018

Solar flux is 69, but the sunspot number is 13. A=4 and K=2. On average, solar conditions are on a slow decline.

10m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, just DH2PA (653km) spotted. This could have been aircraft reflection I guess.

UPDATE 1302z: EA4GXG (1332km) and G4HZW (208km) spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1540z: 5 unique stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8.

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.