10m FT8

About 15 minutes ago I QSYed to 10m FT8. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1543z: No 10m FT8 spots here so far today. Unless things change, today may be the worst day yet at this QTH on 10m. Soon be time to QSY probably to 630m (472kHz) WSPR.

UPDATE 1710z: No spots at all on 10m FT8 RX. Going QRT on 10m very shortly.

Little Egrets - NOT amateur radio

Before 1989 these would have been rare in the UK, but now they are everywhere. I am pretty sure this is due to climate change and their range extending.

Soon cattle egrets and great white egrets will be common in the UK too. Already cranes are back in decent numbers. In the next 50 years we can expect more bird ranges to move northwards.

472kHz WSPR RX overnight

Quite a decent night with 17 different stations spotted with best DX EA7HPM (1726km). All were received on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Stations spotted here in last 24 hours on 472kHz WSPR

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.