Sunspots - Sunday April 7th 2019

Solar flux is 72 today and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=2.

472kHz WSPR

All evening I have been on 472kHz WSPR. At the moment as many stations are being copied here as are copying me, which is more typical of earlier in the season. Actually it is more usual for me to spot more stations than copy me.

Best DX here on RX currently is EA4GHB (1300km). I shall be on overnight again. Yet again I am using 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.  According to WSPRnet, there are only 2 UK stations on 472kHz TX, which is pathetic.

10m FT8

After (at last) spotting some "real" DX on 10m FT8 yesterday, I am again on 10m FT8 during the daylight hours. Initially I called CQ (2.5W), although I am now RX only. As yet, no spots given or received.

UPDATE 0916z: 2 G spots so far on 10m FT8 RX here. Best DX so far on 10m FT8 RX is G4HZW (212km).

UPDATE 1047z: Now an Italian and Sicilian spotted. Es? The map shows stations spotted on 10m FT8 in the last 24 hours.

UPDATE  1514z: With 21 stations in 7 EU countries I am wondering if we are seeing the real start of the Es season? Of course, it could be there are more stations active wanting to catch Es and these stations might be available outside the Es season if they were active.

472kHz last night

Again more stations spotted me than stations that I spotted. The best spot of my 10mW ERP was by DL0AO (865km). On RX LA8QV (1035km) was again the best spotted here.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR here with

 the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Saturday April 6th 2019

Solar flux is 72 today, but the sunspot number is again 0. A=14 and K=3

472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP)

OK, I am a masochist!  Overnight I am again on 472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground). Within a few minutes I have been spotted by 3 stations and spotted 1. I doubt there will be many more!

UPDATE 1927z: Now 4 stations spotting me with best DX PA0O (440km).

Tan House - NOT amateur radio

This may have been on before, but it matters not.

This is probably the loveliest house and garden in our village. Before we came to the village it was the home of the Right Honourable Sir Francis Pym who was UK Foreign Secretary at some point.

I remember seeing him in his office at the Houses of Parliament and was surprised to see a model cruise missile on his desk. In person, he was a very approachable person, although politically we were poles apart.

6m FT8 - soon

With the Es season just a few weeks away, I shall have to start monitoring 6m FT8 again. Last year a surprising array of countries and continents was spotted.

Last year I just sat the RX on 50.313MHz USB. Unless the frequencies have changed, I shall do the same this year, probably starting next week.

It means the HF antenna is free for 10m WSPR, or 10m SSB or CW QSOs.

10m FT8

For about 15 minutes I have been on 10m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially, then RX only. Guess what? No spots given or received.

UPDATE 1019z: Still no spots, although I see that a couple of Gs were spotted earlier that did not get uploaded to PSKreporter, perhaps as a result of losing internet connection?

UPDATE 1242z: Just a single G spot so far - G8UBJ (108km).

UPDATE 1609z: Just 3 Gs spotted all day on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1908z: Real DX at last! VP8LP (12773km) spotted on 10m FT8 earlier.

472kHz WSPR overnight

I was going to give up on 472kHz now the "season" is drawing to a close, but I weakened and went on 472kHz WSPR overnight. Again, more spotted me than I spotted. suggesting some are leaving the band now.

472kHz WSPR here in the last day on 

the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.