Sunspots - Sunday October 28th 2018

Solar flux is 69 again and the SSN still zero. A=4 and K=1.

A night off

Most nights I QSY from 10m FT8 to 630m (472kHz) WSPR. Tonight I have decided not to go on any band. My rig and PC have been on continuously for several days without a break.

Knowing my luck, 472kHz propagation tonight will be amazing!

10m FT8

Most of the day I have been on 10m FT8 RX with a few CQ calls.  So far, no spots of my CQs (2.5W) and just a couple of spots on RX. One was a G and the other, my best DX, 9A7JCY (1424km) in Croatia. Most day now (near sunspot minimum) 10m is quiet although it has opened to South America quite a few times this month in the early evenings.

UPDATE 1825z: Perhaps the quietest day for years? No further spots today.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Last night was average. In all 11 stations spotted on RX and my 10mW ERP was spotted by 7 stations with best DX G4ZFQ (203km).

472kHz WSPR RX overnight

472kHz WSPR TX overnight

Amateur Radio Weekly

Most weeks I read Amateur Radio Weekly to see what is happening in the world of amateur radio. There are usually news items of interest.

All quiet again - NOT amateur radio

My mother-in-law had an expression, "nice to see you, nice to see you go". Having had the grandchildren for a week, lovely though this is, I am exhausted! Totally. I guess we are older and have less energy these days. We love having them, but is also nice to be tidy again, and quiet.

Sunspots - Saturday October 27th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the SSN zero. A=6 and K=2. 

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR

All day, I have been on 2m FT8 with lots of stations spotted.

A few minutes ago I QSYed to MF WSPR (10mW ERP, 20% TX). M0FMT (51km) and PA0A (417km) were immediately spotted. My own signal was spotted by G4HPW (93km).

Parliamentary privilage - NOT amateur radio

In the UK members of parliament are able to name people under an ancient thing called "parliamentary privilege". Yesterday in the House of Lords a member named a person accused of sexual harassment.  This is dangerous. The person named may be innocent, yet his or her name is damned. Personally, I think this is wrong. Even if guilty, the facts should come out in a court of law and not before guilt is proved.

Bike time - NOT amateur radio

We are lucky to live at the end of a quiet close with few cars. When our grandchildren come they like to go on their bikes.