10m FT8 since breakfast

Following my usual pattern, I am on 10m FT8, mainly RX, although I  did put out a brief CQ call (2.5W) when I first came on 10m. No spots so far today.

UPDATE 1123z: Just one spot so far today on 10m FT8 RX of G0OXY (56km). Dire!

UPDATE 1352z: GI4SNA (491km) spotted. Aircraft?

160m FT8 overnight

Quite disappointing overnight with 6 North Americans and 1 Caribbean spotted on 160m FT8 RX and best DX V31YN (8346km). Only 348 stations spotted in the last day on 160m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 26th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0. A=2 and K=0.

160m FT8

At about 1725z, I QSYed to 160m FT8. My CQ (2.5W) was spotted in Belgium, but no QSOs resulted. Since then, I have been RX only. So far, 29 stations spotted with best DX LA9VFA (2460km) on the northern tip of Norway.

UPDATE 1842z:  Now 77 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2210z: After a brief session looking on 1.908MHz for JAs, I have returned to 1.84MHz FT8. So far, 160 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX. The first North American this evening was WU1ITU (4831km).

Global warming? - NOT amateur radio

Temperatures reached 20.3deg C in Wales today. This is the highest ever winter temperature in the UK.

It is beyond doubt that our world is warming, despite what rubbish President Trump may spout in support, allegedly, of his coal and oil lobbyists about global warming being a Chinese hoax.

Nor sure what evidence he has, but his views seem at odds with most scientific evidence. I trust science. Sorry, but I don't support the views of a billionaire president.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47360952

Lopped trees - NOT amateur radio

A very similar picture was posted here yesterday. This is another view of the back garden showing the two trees that were lopped last month. In a few months they should be in leaf.

Bolt Tail - NOT amateur radio

Another photo of where I came from in South Devon. Quite splendid. 

I have already said in earlier posts that we know for certain we were hereabouts in 1427, so there is every chance my distant ancestors fished and farmed here millennia ago and the iron age fort in the far distance on Bolt Tail was partly manned by my ancestors. 

And we are just a speck in history. Quite humbling.

Already bored?

Although Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite, has been operational for a few weeks now, the narrowband transponder still seems quite quiet. A few moments ago there were just 2 QSOs on SSB, whereas I was expecting the band to be quite full.

As I mentioned yesterday, it may take a few weeks or months before people "trust it". Even so, I was expecting more activity than we are seeing so far. As yet, I have seen activity from Brazil and Qatar, but not India or further east. Most stations are from Europe.

Solar minimum

The solar numbers for February 2019 do not look very good. Although some are still predicting the minimum is over, I have my doubts. Certainly 10m FT8 is very quiet here most days with just G spots. I hope I am proved wrong.

10m FT8

Since about 0920z this morning, I have been on 10m FT8. After a brief 2.5W CQ call, I am now RX only. No spots yet.

UPDATE 16565z: Just 3 spots today on 10m FT8 RX with best DX HA7ME (1535km). Soon be time to QSY to 160m FT8 I think. Still bright and sunny here.