Dad's benches - NOT amateur radio

My father died in 1987.

He retired from his job on the local water board in South Devon at 60 and then led a team of young people working for the National Trust mending the coastal footpaths. He loved his work and when he died the National Trust erected a couple of benches with plaques in his honour.

In WW2 he was a flight engineer in a Pathfinder squadron. Later I realised, too late, just how brave he must have been. He hated the war and the thought of killing innocent people. He rarely wanted to speak of those dark days. My biggest regret now is not being able to speak with him about how he felt.

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

In a word "good".

21 North Americans spotted and 2 South Americans with HK3PJ (8482km) as best DX. In all, 515 stations spotted here on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground in the last day on 160m FT8.

160m FT8 RX spots here in the last 24 hours

Sunspots - Saturday March 23rd 2019

Solar flux is 80, which is the highest it has been for ages and the SSN 27. A=1 and K=0

160m FT8 RX

For about 20 minutes I have been on 160m FT8 RX. Already, 90 stations spotted with best DX UB9XT (3147km).

UPDATE 2006z: Now 175 stations spotted with best DX 4F6FO (3964km).

UPDATE 2234z: Now 324 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX with the best DX spotted being R0SR (6425km) in Asiatic Russia.

160m FT8 RX this evening

BREXIT blues - NOT amateur radio

If you live in the UK I expect, like me, you are sick and tired of BREXIT and the apparent inability of our elected MPs to agree on anything. A petition on the UK Government website calling for Article 50 to be scrapped is reported to have over 3 million signatures already. Experts think it very unlikely this is due to bots. Most votes are genuine.

No, most people in the UK and EU are appalled by our apparent lack of ability to agree on anything. There is no doubt that leaving the EU has terminally affected UK politics. A radical re-alignment of UK political parties seems highly likely in the next 10-20 years. I have little doubt that the EU will miss us, assuming we do leave.

BREXIT is going to have far reaching consequences. In the end, I am sure the UK will be fine, whether inside or outside the EU, but these next few years could be difficult as things change.

Cambridge Market - NOT amateur radio

These flowers were on sale in Cambridge Market on Wednesday. Next door was a stall selling sweets.

10m FT8

With the better solar numbers today, just maybe we'll see more promising conditions on 10m, maybe. At about 0945z, I QSYed to 10m FT8 RX. After 30 minutes, no spots.

UPDATE 1320z: Just local G4AWP (19km) spotted on 10m FT8 so far today.

UPDATE 1405z: So far today just a couple of local  UK stations G4AWP and M0PWL (25km) spotted. No DX, not even a European! A brief CQ (2.5W) a short while ago resulted in no spots.

UPDATE  1430z: IZ4GWE (1224km) spotted.

UPDATE 1511z: G0OYQ (177km) now spotted.

UPDATE 1626z: A total of 5 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. 4 were English with 1 Italian.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Poor to average.

In all, I spotted just 8 stations and 6 stations spotted my 10mW ERP. It is going "off the boil".

472kHz WSPR overnight here

Sunspots - Friday March 22nd 2019

Are we through the minimum? It looks like it!

Solar flux is 79 and the sunspot number 49 (yes 49!!!). A=2 and K=0. These are the best figures for a very long time!

Let the big climb begin. Please.

472kHz WSPR

Since just after 1900z I have been on 472kHz WSPR with my usual 10mW ERP (20% TX, 80% RX) from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. So far 3 stations have spotted me with best spot being by PA0O (440km). So far, not a bad evening.