10m FT8 - dire!

For the last couple of hours I have been on 10m FT8. Initially I called CQ (2.5W) and since then I have been RX only. No spots.

UPDATE 1304z:  Just one spot so far. G4CJC (74km) spotted.

UPDATE 1542z: No further spots today.

Sunspots - Thursday January 17th 2019

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

Return to 472kHz WSPR RX

About an hour ago, I returned to 472kHz WSPR RX. So far this evening, again using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, 7 stations spotted with best DX being LA2XPA (1310km).

Stations spotted so far this evening.

Scary? - NOT amateur radio

I don't think this has been on before. If it has, sorry. At night, our local church is illuminated. Some think it looks scary, although I quite like it.

Microwave tropo

As amateurs, we are usually pleased when tropo ducting affects microwave frequencies.  As Southgate News reports, to commercial users it can be bad news, as happened recently in Australia.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/january/tropospheric-ducting-event-hits-nbn--fixed-wireless-services.htm#.XD8_GfZ2u00

BREXIT, what next? - NOT amateur radio

As Laurel and Hardy would have said, "we are in a fine mess".

The UK Prime minister's  BREXIT plan was comprehensively rejected in a House of Commons vote last night. The only sensible, and likely, outcome is for her to sound out what most people really want. This should have happened 2 years ago.  But will she do this?

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46393399

136kHz

Although I tried 136kHz OPERA RX last winter, I have never, yet, transmitted on this band from this QTH. Somewhere, goodness knows where, I have a small beacon I built for the band years ago. I really should try to find it and put it on my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. If I can find the beacon, getting active on 136kHz should be easy.

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