Sunspots - Sunday April 28th 2019

It seems hard to believe Easter was a week ago, even though very late and we are nearly in May already!

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

Mystery object - NOT amateur radio

We spotted this on a walk around the village yesterday. It was about 4 inches (11cm) across and very light, so not stone. It could be wood.

I think the colours are a mix of old paint and lichen. Whatever it is, it was odd.

When I picked it up the green bits lit up and it said, "take me to your leader". OK, I am kidding!  👻

6m FT8

Although I briefly called CQ (2.5W) earlier and got one spot from a G station 65km away, I have been mostly RX only. So far today, 7 spots with best DX DK8NE (702km). This could be Es or aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1347z: Now 35 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today with best DX OH6DX (1918km) who was an amazing +10dB S/N.

10m WSPR TX

Quite early (before breakfast) WSPR spots of my 500mW beacon today.

UPDATE 1400z: Already 56 spots by TF1A (1798km) in Iceland today. A good job this station is there, as no other spots received! This station has been spotting me now for hours.

UPDATE 1937z: In the end just one station spotted me, but he managed spot me 71 times over a 4 hour period.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

Yet again, I ventured on to 472kHz WSPR overnight. Again an average night with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground being spotted by 6 stations with my best spot being by PA0O (440km). I spotted 4 stations here.

Last night here on 472kHz WSPR

Sunspots - Saturday April 27th 2019

Solar flux is just 66 (poor) and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1. Pretty bad really.

Was this an April fools joke that ran and ran?

For some weeks now I have seen articles reporting a novel VLF antenna that is extremely tiny. This is meant to be a TX antenna! Now, this may be genuine, but it has the ring of an April fools joke with legs! If you know this is genuine, please let me know.

See https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2019-04-12-slac-develops-novel-compact-antenna-communicating-where-radios-fail.aspx

Brain fog - NOT amateur radio

Earlier I was reading something about the hidden symptoms of MS and was struck by how similar these were to my own symptoms following my 2013 stroke.

On my feet I'm always giddy and I often say it is like living in a sort of continual fog and getting exhausted very quickly.

Outwardly I look well and indeed most people think that, 5 years on, I am fully recovered. Like MS sufferers, they have little idea!

Alan Turing - NOT amateur radio

I don't think this has been on before, but please accept my apologies if it has.

Alan Turing is perhaps the best known of the Bletchley Park code breakers in WW2. This plaque is on a wall in Cambridge.

There were others who came to light much later who were probably even more important, but the UK government kept their names secret including Bill Tutte (Google him!). There is a memorial to Bill in Newmarket.

10m WSPR TX

Well, the level of 10m WSPR activity has totally surprised me. Yet again, I was active with my little 10m, 500mW, WSPR beacon. This is 100% TX, 500mW, with randomised frequencies which change every 2 minute slot. Although this morning was quiet, 9 different stations have spotted me this afternoon! This totally self contained WSPR beacon needs no PC and is about as small as a pack of playing cards. In the last few years it has reached every continent including Antarctica. Amazing and real fun.  All this with very modest wire antennas.

10m WSPR TX spots today so far.