Sunspots - Wednesday January 16th 2019

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=1.

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

My dad did not mince words. If he was still alive he would say, "they couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery". How right he would be!

UPDATE 1930z: Clearly we are in historic times. The UK government is likely to be defeated in the motion on Theresa May's EU leaving agreement. What comes next is anyone's guess. I voted "remain" in the EU referendum 2 years ago, even though there is a lot wrong with the EU. All we really want is free trade with whichever countries we like and control over who lives and works here. Why is this so hard? As I see it, the EU gets not a penny until this is agreed, and I speak as someone who voted "remain"!

UPDATE 2019z: A huge defeat for Theresa May's "deal" with the EU. Now what?

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR RX

After the daylight hours on 10m FT8 RX with just UK spots, I have now returned to 472kHz (630m) WSPR RX. 2 spots already with G1GKN (99km) the best DX so far. After dark the best DX will go up considerably. No DX outside of Europe here this season on the earth-electrode "antenna"  in the ground.

UPDATE 1550z: Best DX now PA3ABK (306km).

UPDATE 1920z: Now 6 different stations spotted with best DX DC0DX (467km).

UPDATE 2016z: LA8AV (1035km) is the best DX spotted this evening. In all, 9 different stations spotted.

UPDATE 2132z: On 472kHz WSPR, 12 different stations spotted this evening, but only 3 were from England sadly. Perhaps they are on other modes? More likely, there is a lack of interest in this country. This is sad as my own transverter is easy to build and an earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is small and simple and capable of good results. No need of huge antennas and extensive ground systems!

Moulton, near Newmarket - NOT amateur radio

After a walk around the village we ate at the Packhorse Inn. The last time we ate here was March 2017 and it seems to have gone downhill. At one time it was the best in the area, but I would now say it was only average.

The village is delightful (see photo). In the field in the middle of the village was a little egret. If this was 1980 we would have been amazed.

472kHz (630m) WSPR RX

Until reminded by Facebook yesterday, I had forgotten that N1BUG was spotted here on this band last year on the earth-electrode "antenna". I may give 472kHz WSPR RX a go this evening and overnight.

Overnight on 160m FT8 with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Overnight, I was on 160m FT8 RX. Quite a reasonable night with best DX HK3PJ (8482km) in South America. In all, 7 North Americans, 1 Caribbean and 1 South American spotted.

Stations spotted here on 160m FT8 RX last night

Sunspots - Tuesday January 15th 2019

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 0. A=6 and K=2.

On 10m FT8 RX

About 10 minutes ago I QSYed from 160m to 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1015z: One station spotted so far: G4HZW (212km).

UPDATE 1430z: Just UK stations spotted so far today on 10m with best DX MM0ULL (714km). This may have been aircraft reflection?

Gave 10m FT8 a miss today

For a change, I decided NOT to venture on to 10m today. No doubt I will have missed the best day for months! My normal pattern is 10m FT8 in the day and 630m or 160m in the evening and overnight. Usually 10m yields a few spots and a few countries. As the sunspot cycle gathers pace we can expect some juicy DX. Even now, better equipped stations are spotting some great stuff. Clearly at sunspot minimum it is now much harder, but 10m is a band of surprises. Expect the unexpected on 10m!

Amaryllis - NOT amateur radio

Every winter we enjoy seeing amaryllis plants growing. You pop the bulb in some soil and compost and watch it grow at a phenomenal rate. Each morning it seems to have grown even bigger! Once it starts you can practically see it grow. The flowers are very large.

Usually they are over in about 6 weeks. Sometimes they flower again later in the year. This year, most of ours are white, a colour we have not had before.