160m conditions are changing?

As I have said before, I am no 160m expert. Last night was the first time this winter when not a single North American was spotted on 160m FT8 RX. Just one South American spotted: HK3W (8507km). The impression I am getting is 160m conditions are changing.

10m FT8

After a brief CQ call (2.5W) I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots on 10m FT8 on  RX and TX.

UK Garden Birdwatch

Every winter for the last 40 years the RSPB (our national bird society) has organised a Garden Birdwatch. You simply sit watching the birds in your garden or park for any one hour and record the maximum number of each species seen in the hour at one time. This year I saw 9 species, but missed some quite common birds usually seen. As in earlier years, larger birds seem to dominate. We have plenty of starlings as these congregate on the nearby windmill. They do not roost there, but seem to use it as a stopping off point.

XBM80-2 in Dutch

Frank PA3CNO tells me my XBM80-2 appears in the Dutch "RAZzies" magazine for February. Frank asked my permission first - thank you Frank. As I speak no Dutch I cannot understand a word!

See https://www.pi4raz.nl/razzies/razzies201902.pdfs

Sunspots - Sunday January 27th 2019

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number 26. A=7 and K=1.

160m FT8

For several hours now, I have been on 160m FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

On TX I ran 2.5W. Best DX on TX was a spot by LA2XPA (1281km) in western Norway. 5 further stations in 4 countries spotted me.

On 160m FT8 RX the best DX currently is RU8W (3643km).

Film "Roma" - NOT amateur radio

We just watched a film on Netfix called "Roma". It is a 2018 film in Spanish with English subtitles. It has won several awards at film festivals around the world. It is set in Mexico City in 1970/71 and is a "fly on the wall" film about a live-in house servant. Slow, but well worth seeing.

G3TFX

One of my old work colleagues moved to our village a few months ago. Here he is on his radio. We went to his house today as his XYL was celebrating her 70th birthday.

Windmill - NOT amateur radio

Before, I have mentioned that we live next door to a windmill that is about 200 years old. It was fully restored a few years ago thanks to a Heritage Lottery grant. When we have breakfast, we look at the windmill. The photo just shows our hedge. I guess the windmill is about 10m away.

10m FT8 RX

Most of the day I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots here, although I expect to be monitoring until dark.

UPDATE 1645z: Still no spots here.