Ba Humbug - NOT amateur radio

Yes, I have officially become a grumpy old man!

My latest rant is about all the Christmas emails from companies and political parties. All they are really after is bigger profits or for you to sign up for their party. They have nothing to do with the spirit of Christmas. As soon as I get them they are deleted. Ba humbug.

10m FT8 RX

Most of the morning I have been on 10m FT8 RX. Only 2 stations spotted with best DX being DG5HR (719km).

UPDATE 1457z: One new spot from N.Ireland.

472kHz WSPR RX overnight

Last night, I stuck with 472kHz (630m) WSPR RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. In all, 14 stations spotted with best DX EA7HPM (1725km) in southern Spain.

Stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR overnight

Sunspots - Monday December 24th 2018

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

MF WSPR RX

At about 1510z I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR RX. Already LA and PA spotted.

Best DX on 472kHz WSPR RX is LA2XPA (1310km).

10m FT8 RX

Most of the morning, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, 10 stations in 6 countries spotted here. I am pretty sure some are coming in by winter Es. So far, all stations are European, with best DX OK1BRG (1104km).

I shall probably stay on 10m until dark then try 630m WSPR RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1440z: Still just 10 spots. Looks like we had some Es this morning and it has now gone.

UPDATE  1510z: No further spots, so QSYed to 472kHz (630m).

137kHz

Last winter, I tried 137kHz WSPR and OPERA even though my FT817 is very deaf on LF.

In the past, when I was fit, I put my 137kHz beacon on QRSS3 and looked for the signal with a mag-mounted E-field probe on the car. Even though the ERP was low milliwatts at most, I got good copy the far side of Cambridge at about 24km.

At some point I should try 137kHz TX again. It was good fun. Maybe I should resurrect my 137kHz transverter. It is somewhere around.

Sunspots - Sunday December 23rd 2018

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

160m FT8 RX overnight

Overnight 15 North Americans and 1 South American spotted on 160m FT8 RX with best DX N6VR (8354km) in Arizona, USA.

Antenna choices

In the very near future, I have to get a tree surgeon in to trim my silver birch tree. This is the support for the end of my 35W Par antenna for 10m, 20m and 40m. One possibility is the erection of my x80 vertical. This is in nearly new condition and has a 9:1 unun in the base to bring the SWR down to the sort of SWR that can be matched with most auto-ATUs. The drawback is it is quite "whippy" and blows around in the wind. It has never been used at this QTH.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/x80