Daffodils - NOT amateur radio

We still have several weeks of winter, but daffodils in flower promise spring and new life. These were in Dalham, a delightful village not far from here, where we did a walk earlier today.

Our village - NOT amateur radio

This is a house in our village. We nearly bought the house next door many years ago. Instead we stayed put in the same house for 38 years!

160m FT8 RX overnight

A good period. In all, 21 North Americans, 2 Caribbeans and 1 South American spotted with best DX on 160m FT8 a spot of HK3W (8507km).

Stations spotted overnight on 160m FT8 with 

the earth-electrode "antenna2" in the ground

UPDATE 1254z: DL7AU (927km) was recently spotted in broad daylight on 160m FT8 RX.

Cat - NOT amateur radio

One of the reasons we visited our and family in London yesterday was to see their cat, bought as a kitten a few months ago.

She is now growing fast and is very playful as the photo shows.

Sunspots - Sunday February 3rd 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 0. A=17 and K=3.

160m FT8

After the afternoon with our son and family in London, I am now on 160m FT8 RX for the evening and overnight periods. Even in just a few minutes, all over Europe spotted.

UPDATE  2235z:  Best DX so far n 160m FT8 RX is RU9F (3511km).

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

In all, 6 stations spotted my 10mW ERP with the best being a spot by PA0O (440km). I spotted 12 stations in 5 countries including 5 Germans and a couple of Norwegians .

Past the worst?

The latest solar data has been published. This source seems to think we are moving beyond the solar minimum.

Sunspots - Saturday February 2nd 2019

Solar flux is 71 today and the SSN 0. A=17 and K=3. Bouncing along the solar minimum?

472kHz WSPR

For a change, I have gone back on 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground). Already a couple of spots with best DX on TX G0MRF (139km) even though the transverter has not yet settled fully.

UPDATE 2125z: Still just a couple of spots of me, but 10 spots, so far, of others with best DX being LA2XPA (1310km).

UPDATE 2225z: Now 4 stations have spotted my QRPP with best DX a spot by PA3ABK (306km).