6m "super DX"

At this time of year, E layer propagation brings in some extraordinary 6m DX. This season, I have spotted Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and North America. As yet, I have still not spotted South America. At this time of year Japan is worked from Western Europe. In 2017 13 Japanese 6m stations were spotted on JT65. For the last couple of seasons I have stuck with FT8, but yet to spot any Japanese stations on 6m.

Rainbow gold - NOT amateur radio

Tradition has it that there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. This one was photographed late yesterday from our front garden.

Well, I certainly spotted no gold! Darn! If I had found it I could have easily bought that new radio.

Grimeton VLF CW transmission - June 30th

Southgate News reports on an upcoming 17.2kHz CW transmission from the Grimeton TX in Sweden using the callsign SAQ. On my wall I have a QSL card from them for a transmission many years ago. This very old VLF transmitter uses an alternator to generate the signal. It is now a world heritage site.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/saq-grimeton-transmission.htm#.XQYyyPZFy00

That geosynchronous amateur satellite

At the moment I only monitor narrowband activity on Oscar 100 via the web SDR at Goonhilly. I checked activity again just now and activity levels seem similar to a few weeks ago. I think new stations come, but also old stations go once the fun has worn off. Many have fun getting the microwave gear assembled and the dish(es) aligned and are less interested thereafter.

Trump tweeting again - NOT amateur radio

As far as USA politics are concerned, I have few problems with tweets about the USA. After all, he was elected as the US president. No doubt some in the USA think he is fine.

Where I have issues is meddling where he seems to know little. I would prefer it if he tweeted less and read more, but if tweet he must then tweet about US murder rates and gun crimes, not about the London major. Re-tweeting Katie Hopkins of all people!

Some compare the current US president with a certain mid-European leader in the 1930s. Outside of the USA he comes across as rather ill informed.

My personal views and others are, of course, entitled to theirs. He is such a genius.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48651131

Sunspots - Sunday June 16th 2019

Solar flux is just 66 and the SSN still zero. A=4 and K=2.

The spotless period continues. I expect my favourite source of solar data will be changing its forecast next month.

6m FT8 RX

Good 6m Es this morning with 130 stations spotted in the last 6 hours with the best DX on 6m FT8 RX being UN3GX (5522km) in Kazakhstan. It is only now 0826z.

UPDATE 0924z: Now 188 stations spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX with best DX A45XR (5794km). Several stations are also being spotted that are not appearing on PSKreporter maps. This could be my internet connection or some other issue.

UPDATE 1457z: 347 stations spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX. As yet, no super DX on 6m here today.

UPDATE 1733z: 386 stations spotted today so far on 6m FT8 RX. At the moment the Es seems to have dried up.

Rain! - NOT amateur radio

Don't let anyone tell you the UK weather is not changing. This June we have seen more rain in the last week than I can ever remember in June. Our best weather this year was in February! Crazy.

G4ILO referrals

Even though Julian Moss sadly died several years ago, I still get several visitors arriving here via his blog. This pleases me a lot.

See http://blog.g4ilo.com/

Poor propagation

Southgate News reports that we have been without sunspots now for a month.

See http://southgatearc.org/propagation/k7ra/index.htm#.XQU6mfZFy00