MLS Hog Roast

Saturday 1 DECEMBER : ML&S ANNUAL HOG ROAST & OPEN DAY

ML&S Ltd, Wessex House, Drake Ave, Staines TW18 2AP. Sponsored by Yaesu, Icom & Kenwood the store will have its usual extra-low prices, lecture streams and manufacturers on site. Bacon butties for the early birds and a succulent pig in a bun for lunch! Doors open 8am and close at 4pm. For more details, see hamradio.co.uk/hogroast.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Special birthday - NOT amateur radio

My wife is 29 days older than me. Last weekend was a special birthday (21 plus quite a few!) surrounded by cards and flowers.

To Norway yet again on 472kHz WSPR

If I am not mistaken, last night was the 5th time I've been spotted in Norway this autumn with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Yet again LA3EQ (769km) got me. Jan was using the suffix /MW, so I assume he was using a miniwhip. I guess he must have a decent low noise floor.

160m FT8

Having not long got back from Cambridge, I decided to go straight on 160m FT8. 6 stations in 5 countries spotted so far with best DX on 160m FT8 RX being RY9C (3706km) in Asiatic Russia. My brief CQ (2.5W) was spotted by no-one.

UPDATE 1540z: Now 21 stations in 8 countries spotted on 160m FT8 RX this afternoon.

Sunspots - Thursday November 29th 2018

Still the pits!

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number is zero. A=3 and K=0.

Online books - NOT amateur radio

A reminder that a great many books are available on line, many free.

See https://books.google.co.uk

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

Many in the UK have become bored with BREXIT, whether they voted to leave the EU or remain.

Unless things change dramatically, the Theresa May (UK Prime Minister) deal to leave the EU is likely to fail to gain MPs approval in Parliament in a few week's time. If this is the case (quite probable) we are in uncharted waters. The UK and the EU do not want a "no deal". At the same time, many MPs don't like the deal as it is now.

One thing is certain - we are going to be in a fine mess.

If the deal is rejected expect the value of the UK pound to tumble against the euro and US dollar. Import costs (including fuel) will dramatically rise although UK exporters will be better off. Somehow, I think a other referendum and a General Election are unlikely.

I suspect either some last minute changes in the deal (basically a fudge), we don't (yet) leave the EU, or more time is given to strike a deal.

Why doesn't the UK PM listen?

Straight to 472kHz WSPR

As HF conditions don't look promising, I decided to head to 472kHz WSPR early today. I have been on the band for just over 30 minutes. Time is 1111z.

So far a couple of stations spotting me : G8LCO (58km) and G0VQH (15km). No stations spotted on RX here - they must all be working!

Stations spotting me so far on 472kHz WSPR (at 1122z)

UPDATE 1540z: Just these 2 stations spotting me all day. I suspect these are unattended RX which are checked when the owners get home from work. No spots of others to this point. It rather suggests that trying 472kHz WSPR in the daytime is not worth bothering with. It will be interesting to see when the first station is spotted here. PA3ABK is usually a good bet. It is already starting to get darker here and it will already be dark in The Netherlands.

Our home - NOT amateur radio

The long, hot summer days seem like a distant memory. Now we have November with dull skies, wet and cold! It is hard to think the nights start to get a little lighter in just a few weeks! The mornings get darker until early January. The photo shows our bungalow now.

160m FT8 overnight

Yet again, 9 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 overnight as well as Greenland and Asiatic Russia. I cannot believe just how many stations are now using this mode.