Sunspots - Wednesday November 28th 2018

We must be at sunspot minimum as conditions are so poor. Solar flux is 67 and the SSN zero. A=5 and K=2.

QSY to 160m FT8

After another miserable day on 10m, I QSYed to 160m FT8.

A CQ (2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) got a reply and QSO from G3TXF (379km) in North Devon. In all, my CQ was copied by 9 stations in 4 countries. On RX, stations from all over Europe are coming through again with best DX RA9AJ (3901km) in Asiatic Russia.

160m FT8 RX this evening to 1930z

160m FT8 looking more like 20m!

UPDATE 1950z: OX3LX (2571km) coming through for the second evening.

UPDATE 2045z: WU1ITU (4831km) was first spotted here at 2039z, earlier than last night. This station is as regular as clockwork, coming through at about this time.

UK and Israel - NOT amateur radio

"International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is visiting Israel to boost economic ties ahead of Brexit" ... from the BBC News website earlier.

In my mind Israel is a puzzle. The Jewish people suffered immensely in WW2 yet their attitude to the Palestinian people seems so out of character. I do hope the UK will insist Israel treats the Palestinians better before we trade more with them. 

I know the Israelis will say they need to be recognised first, but compromise is needed on all sides. Israel was fighting in 1967 when I was about to go to university. I have been retired for 10.5 years and still there is no peace.

Grow up and act like adults!!

Trump - NOT amateur radio

Lesson:  Engage brain, then speak.

His recent pronouncement on a possible UK-USA trade deal speaks volumes.

History - NOT amateur radio

Parts of our village are very old. We are quite close to this cemetery.

10m FT8

After a night on 160m FT8, I have QSYed to 10m FT8. Yesterday 10m was truly dreadful - perhaps the worse day here in many years, so today can hardly be worse! As of 1040z there were no spots.

UPDATE 1045z: OH6NEQ (1860km) spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1222z: Now 4 stations in 3 countries spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX today. Not exactly brilliant.

UPDATE 1314z: Now 5 stations in 4 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday November 27th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 0.  A=2 and K=1.

IC7300 sometime?

My XYL said, "why don't you buy a new radio?"

My favourite is the IC7300, although I am in no great hurry. I was hoping the price would drop, but at the moment there are no signs of this happening.

Quite a few dealers are offering "deals" with cashback, free covers or low cost PSUs. It feels like they want to compete on price, but they fear for their profits. Maybe ICOM is stopping the price dropping? Maybe the dealers have had a quiet word and have agreed to keep the price high? I have no evidence for this, just a gut feeling. Perhaps ICOM wished they had priced the IC7300 higher? Even with guarantees and VAT it is far less expensive in France.

The next stage is to get a cash price and guarantee details from the suppliers. At this rate, my target is to buy in the new year sometime, before the Es season. I am not really interested in dust covers: I would like a lower price for cash - no trade ins, with free delivery.

160m FT8 overnight

In all, 9 USA and Canadian stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX overnight.

Warming UK (and USA) - NOT amateur radio

The latest range of expected temperatures in the UK have just been published. In the USA, there were warnings on Saturday about the impact on the economy of climate change. President Trump seems wrong.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46343103  .