10m WSPR TX (500mW)

So far today, 10 different stations have spotted my little 10m WSPR TX beacon (100% TX, 500mW, random frequency).  Best DX is EA8BFK (2880km).

6m: 4 continents and 56 countries spotted in last day

6m FT8 is "humming". Yesterday alone was amazing with 56 countries spotted and some real DX to the Caribbean and South America. There is good EU Es on 6m FT8 this morning as well.

UPDATE 0845z: Amazing DX! K6CWQ (8557km) in California just spotted on 6m FT8! This cannot be multi hop Es: I am more convinced than ever this is some other E layer propagation. This station was widely spotted across Europe. As Steve (see below) points out, this could be a European pirate, sadly. If there were some USA spots, it might be more believable.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent.

Sunspots - Monday June 4th 2018

Solar flux is 73 and the sunspot number 20 today. A=10 and K=2.

Fun - NOT amateur radio

Our granddaughter put this on my wife's head and laughed!  Funny how certain things appeal to the humour of a very young child.

They grow up all too soon.

10m WSPR TX

Since early this morning I have been on 10m WSPR TX again (500mW, 100% TX, randomised frequencies).

UPDATE 1232z: So far, 20 different stations spotting me from all over Europe and North Africa. Best DX so far today on 10m WSPR is a spot by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Isles.

UPDATE 1812z: Now 36 different stations spotting my little 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today.

6m FT8

There is a lot of Es evident on 6m FT8 today. After a very brief TX session (4 G spots at 2.5W) lots of EUs spotted. So far (1111z) well over 120 different stations spotted in 26 countries. Amazing Es. Best DX A92AA (5069km) in Bahrain.

UPDATE 1645z: Best 6m FT8 RX DX is now WP4G (6803km) in Puerto Rico at 1528z. This is my first spotting of 6m FT8 from the Americas. Es today has been superb on 6m and 10m.

UPDATE 1859z: My first South American on 6m FT8 RX! YV5LI (7559km) in Brazil is now the best DX on 6m this season.

UPDATE 2120z: Haiti and The Dominican Republic now spotted. But will I spot the USA on 6m this season?

UPDATE 2008z: Best DX today on 6m FT8 RX is PV8DX (7832km).

Sunspots - Sunday June 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number 20. A=17 and K=3.

Battery Technology

Since I retired 10 years ago, I have rather lost touch with advances in battery technology.

There is no doubt that if electric cars are to really take off, then ranges have to be increase significantly (300 miles on a single charge), batteries have to get much cheaper, materials have to be commonplace and charge times have to be fast. I have not heard any real news to confirm these are progressing.

There is no doubt that a lot of research must be going on in this area for PCs, mobile phones and electric cars.

6m FT8 RX

Although there was Es quite late yesterday, nothing spotted yet on 6m FT8 today. A brief TX period (2.5W) resulted in spots from 2 local Gs. Strange that nothing received today on 6m FT8 so far, not even Gs.

UPDATE 0912z: One spot so far of IZ7TLV (1660km).

UPDATE 1435z: Apparently in the last 24 hours I have spotted stations in 43 countries on 6m FT8. Today so far, 58 stations in 18 countries.

Sunspots - Saturday June 2nd 2018

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number is 22. A=26 and K=4.