160m FT8 RX

At about 1825z I switched from 10m to 160m FT8 RX. Immediately, lots of Europeans spotted.

Stations spotted in the first 15 minutes 

with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2205z:  No North Americans so far on 160m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2225z: First North American spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening was VA2WA (5115km) in Quebec at 2208z.

Living every day - NOT amateur radio

We are told to enjoy every day and live in the moment. Sometimes we have to think of the future.  Last year Michael Johnson, the America athlete, suffered a transient stroke (TIA), from which he recovered. The cause was not discovered, so he has a shadow hanging over him that it could happen again.

Speaking from experience, strokes can occur out of the blue. Tomorrow is yet to be. One thing is certain: it will not be what you expect.  Enjoy the now.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/46798931 .

Art - NOT amateur radio

One of our friends is a very good artist. We have one of her paintings in our hall. Yesterday, we visited them for a cup of tea and here she is with her husband by 2 of her pictures. She specialises in plants mainly.

472kHz WSPR RX

Last evening and overnight I was on 472kHz WSPR RX.  In all, 12 stations were copied. In the overnight period just one extra station spotted.

My conclusion is it is not really worth staying on overnight as most stations are spotted in the evening period.

Overnight tonight, I shall probably switch from 630m WSPR RX to 160m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted overnight on 472kHz WSPR 

using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

10m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. Unsurprisingly, no spots yet, although I am ever hopeful!

UPDATE 1035z: No spots.

UPDATE 1300z: Winter Es? So far, 6 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX IU7GRJ(1754km). One Italian was +5dB S/N.

Sunspots - Thursday January 10th 2019

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1. Bouncing along the bottom of sunspot minimum.

Back on MF

Mid-afternoon I returned to 472kHz (630m) WSPR RX. So far, 5 unique stations copied with best DX DL7NN (873km).

UPDATE 2210z: 12 stations spotted so far this evening with best DX LA8AV (1035km). As before, the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is being used. Seems to work quite effectively at 472kHz.

Stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR this evening

60m FT8 RX

With 2 North Americans and 1 Caribbean as well as loads of Europeans spotted on 60m FT8 in the last day I have reached some conclusions.

1. The earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground works at 60m, but it is much more effective at lower frequencies.
2. My 60m noise floor with this "antenna" is pretty low, although I am in no great hurry to return to this band.

The road not taken - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps this is something that comes with old age. I was 70 a few weeks ago.

Time and again I look back at my life and wonder what would have happened if I had made different decisions. I expect these questions are quite common in all of us. For example, what if I went to a different university, or actually had done that PhD? What if I had married someone else? What if I had accepted that directorship, or gone to work in California when I was offered a job?

My 2 claims to fame: I had lunch with Joselin Bell (who discovered pulsars) when interviewed for my PhD. Sir Clive Sinclair asked me for advice on antennas back in the 1970s!

All through life there are branches we could have taken, but didn't. I guess we will never know. This reminds me of a famous Robert Frost poem "The road not taken". Many years ago we visited Robert Frost's house in New England.

See https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken
See also (for audio readings) https://reelyredd.com/0602roadtravel.htm

Sunspots - Wednesday January 9th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.