Sunspots - Monday April 15th 2019

Solar flux is 75 today and the SSN 11.  A=4 and K=3.

Duxford - NOT amateur radio

Last Thursday my wife went to the air museum at Duxford. The photo shows my wife with one of our grandsons.

Still on 6m FT8 RX

6m FT8 is amazing with 9 stations in 2 countries already spotted (0852z). I suspect these are normal "flat band" tropo and aircraft reflections. Best DX so far is PA3EWP (291km).

UPDATE 2120z: 38 stations in 5 countries spotted in the last day on 6m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted here on 6m FT8 RX here in 

the last day using the V2000 vertical omni antenna

Sunspots - Sunday April 14th 2019

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 14. A=8 and K=2.

Very tiny VLF TX antenna?

Just possibly this research could lead to compact (inches only length) VLF transmitting antennae. This link was sent to me by Jay W5OLF, who designed my 10m WSPR beacon, which is still working fine.

See https://phys.org/news/2019-04-slac-compact-antenna-radios.html

Breakfast - NOT amateur radio

Our son cooked breakfast on his recent visit. Very enjoyable.

Captain Lapthorn - NOT amateur radio

On Thursday my wife took one of our sons and grandsons to the air museum at Duxford. The photo shows our grandson on (I think) Concorde.

Interesting blog - EI7GL

John EI7GL in southern Eire has a very interesting blog and he usually posts the DX he is copying there on 10m. This is lots of other stuff too.

Judging by his results, I suspect my antenna is several dB down on his, at least in some directions.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/

6m FT8 RX today

After yesterday's success, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. As someone said, some of the signals copied here may have been aircraft reflections. Some may have been ordinary "flat band" tropo. As yet, no spots received here today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1315z: So far, 7 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX OH0Z (1498km) in the Aland Islands.

UPDATE 1652z: So far today 18 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Mostly G plus a couple of EU stations, probably Es but just possibly aircraft reflections.

Stations spotted here today on 6m FT8 RX 

with the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

UPDATE 2140z:  In all, 26 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Saturday April 13th 2019

Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number 14. A=8 and K=3.

If we really are on the way down still, these are still pretty respectable numbers at this part of the cycle. Are the experts really correct?