QSY to topband

At about 1815z I QSYed to 160m FT8. Already lots of European and Russian stations spotted on 160m FT8.

UPDATE 2052z: WU1ITU (4831km) is coming in a bit earlier each night now on 160m FT8 RX. This is always the first transatlantic station I spot.  Once again, there are lots of Europeans and Russians.

The Lesser Chirpy transceiver

This was designed for 10m when the solar cycle was on the up (rising sunspots). It could still be useful in Es conditions, or it might make the basis of a transceiver for other bands. I can already see how one capacitor can be saved! It uses FSK to eliminate chirp. In the past, I connected an SDR to the earpiece output and this allows much of the CW band to be covered on RX.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/chirpy .

See also https://sites.google.com/site/sm6lkm/saqrx/ for a possible SDR .

The Democratic Unionist Party - NOT amateur radio

The governing party in the UK is the Conservative Party. However they need the continuing support of the DUP from Northern Ireland. This could be crucial in any BREXIT vote. At the moment, the DUP is not exactly pleased with the interim BREXIT deal.

Mess? What mess?

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46269755 .

More village walk - NOT amateur radio

This was another photo taken on our walk yesterday. The UK foreign minister at one time, Sir Francis Pym, lived in the house on the right before we came to the village (the Tan House).

Village walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we dodged the showers and did a walk around part of our village. My wife made this collage. It is now much colder with a biting east wind.

Cycle 25 sunspots

Southgate News reports that another short-lived sunspot of cycle 25 appeared and disappeared. According to spaceweather.com this is quite normal. Sunspot minimum could last some time yet.

10m FT8

In a few minutes I shall QSY to 10m FT8 for the day.

UPDATE 1035z: 5 stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX. All Europeans.

UPDATE 1042z: First "real DX" spotted on 10m FT8 RX today: ZS6WB (9094km) in South Africa. As there is quite decent 10m propagation to southern Europe is this a mix of E layer and F layer?

UPDATE 1158z: A brief CQ (2.5W QRP) was spotted by SP7FFY (1452km). So far today on 10m FT8 RX 27 stations in 13 countries and 2 continents spotted. The photo shows the stations spotted so far today as of 1148z.

UPDATE 1333z: Another South African spotted on 10m FT8 RX: ZS6UB (9139km).

160m FT8 overnight

In total, 7 USA and Canadian plus 2 Caribbean stations were spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight. All these were using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Details of this "antenna" were given yesterday in a comment. Best DX spotted on 160m FT8 RX was C6AGU (7032km) in the Bahamas.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 20th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN 12. A=4 and K=2.

160m FT8

As it is now dark, I have QSYed to 160m FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. On RX lots of EU stations immediately spotted and even my QRP (2.5W) CQ was copied in a couple of countries. Best DX on 160m FT8 RX (already) is RA9AJ (3901km) in Asiatic Russia.