160m FT8 RX

 Since 1744z, I have been on 160m FT8. As on previous evenings, lots of Europeans spotted.

UPDATE 2222z: No North Americans coming through yet.

Nearly - NOT amateur radio

This morning we went to Anglesey Abbey hoping to see some early snowdrops and daffodils.

There were a few snowdrops out (not many) and one daffodil about to come out: it had dropped and needs a few more days.

Grand Arcade, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

It seems everywhere is getting ready for Christmas, although the big stores and garden centres have been selling Christmas things since September!

I guess Dec 26th we'll have holiday adverts and Easter eggs on sale - all in the name of that god "profit".

The photo shows the Grand Arcade in Cambridge last week.

10m FT8

LA7DFA (1311km) was worked with 2.5W FT8 on 10m early this morning. Judging by the signal strengths, this was probably winter Es. This was a total surprise. In all, 5 stations in 4 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX already.

UPDATE 1710z: 12 stations, all European, so far spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

Germany on 4m next year

Southgate News reports that German amateurs will have access to part of 4m all next year. It would be good if they had a permanent 4m allocation. The ICOM IC7300 includes 4m. At the moment, few commercial rigs include 4m, which is getting more and more allocations.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/december/germany-on-70-mhz-in-2019.htm#.XBtnYvZ2u00
See http://www.70mhz.org/index.php?categoryid=2&p2_articleid=316

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Quite a decent night with 9 North Americans and 1 South American logged. Best DX was KC9FFV (7612km) in Texas, USA.

160m FT8 RX overnight here

Sunspots - Thursday December 20th 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0. A=6 and K=3.

160m FT8 RX

Just now I moved from 10m to 160m FT8. When I left 10m, it was very busy with Europeans. Right at the start, 160m FT8 was busy with Europeans such as UB5 and OH.  Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1824z: So far 22 European spots.

UPDATE 2154z: Too many Europeans to count! First North American copied on 160m FT8 RX was VA2WA (5115km).

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

One thing everyone in the UK can agree on about BREXIT is, "this is a fine mess". The world must be looking at the UK and thinking how stupid we must be!  I am sure there is brinkmanship going on on the part of the EU and UK government, but at the moment we are heading (by mistake) for a no-deal BREXIT that no-one wants.

The EU does a lot of trade with the UK and we need EU low skilled workers in our fields, care homes and hospitals. The EU will miss our money going into the pot. The EU is desperate for other nations not to leave. Time will tell how this will pan out.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46617152 .

MW broadcasters going?

Several broadcasters are leaving MW, instead concentrating on FM, DAB or the internet. The latest reported via Southgate News is a Belgian broadcaster on 621kHz.

This will eventually free up spectrum, perhaps for amateurs (?), but it also means the end of reception on extremely simple receivers like crystal sets.

I well remember falling asleep listening on my crystal set.