Witch hazel? - NOT amateur radio

I am definitely not a plant expert! This was seen at Anglesey Abbey a few days ago. I think it is witch hazel, although I am not sure. If it is, I am not sure why it got this name.

160m FT8 RX overnight

A pretty good period with 403 different stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX in the last 24 hours with 16 North Americans spotted overnight. Best DX was N5TZH (7537km) in Louisiana. Yet again, using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Saturday February 16th 2019

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN zero. A=4 and K=1.

Budding artist - NOT amateur radio

Our 9 year old grandson is a great artist. This is his latest. Like many youngsters, he seems addicted to the iPad. There are other examples of his artwork on my main website. He is a good all-rounder and enjoys several sports. Of all our grandchildren, he is probably the most sociable and rounded.

160m FT8 RX

Since teatime, I have been on 160m FT8 RX. So far, 94 stations spotted on the band.

UPDATE 2106z: Now 161 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2207z: Now 213 stations spotted and WU1ITU (4831km)  spotted at 2154z.

UPDATE 2314z: Now 252 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with 3 North Americans.

10m FT8

Most of the day I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far, 5 spots with my best DX F5RD (681km) in central France. Not sure if this was a slight bit of Es or aircraft reflection.

At the moment many users have deserted 10m, although I expect they will be back in the main Es season from April-August. As FT8 seems to show, 10m is actually open (albeit briefly) on many days. It would not surprise me to hear that better equipped stations could work N-S DX paths on many days, although you need activity!

Overnight on 160m FT8

Not a bad night. 10 North Americans and 1 Caribbean stations spotted last night along with 410 Europeans and Asians on 160m FT8 RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Friday February 15th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0 yet again. A=13 and K=3.

160m FT8

Using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground for a brief CQ just now (2.5W) resulted in just one spot by M0RTP (116km). On 160m FT8 RX so far 4 stations spotted in 4 countries here, although it is still bright and sunny.

UPDATE 2218z: Loads and loads of Europeans spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening again. VE3OAT (5359km) was the first North American spotted at 2207z.

UPDATE 2326z: Now 5 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 RX already! At the last count 299 Europeans and Asians spotted already on 160m FT8 RX.

Statue - NOT amateur radio

On St Pancras Station in London is a statue of Sir John Betjeman. St Pancras is where the Eurostar trains leave from for Brussels and Paris.

Sir John loved trains and without his intervention in the 1960s it is likely this fine building would have been pulled down in the name of "progress".