Nocilucent clouds and DX

According to Southgate News this has been a good year for noctilucent clouds (NLCs). The path from western Europe to Japan (a very long way!) seems to open up for a short-time in June each year on 6m. This is just the time NLCs form in the mesosphere. There seems to be a direct correlation. 2 years ago, despite using a V2000 omni vertical fed with lossy CB coax I copied 13 Japanese stations on 6m JT65. For the last 2 summers I have been monitoring 6m FT8. As yet, I have not copied Japan on 6m FT8, which is a bit less sensitive.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/mysterious-moisture-in-the-mesosphere.htm#.XQtBAvZFy00

See also https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent

6m FT8 RX

So far today, 17 Europeans spotted on 6m FT8 RX, although no "real DX". Mind you, it is only 0815z.

UPDATE 0854z: So far, 76 stations spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX with the best DX being EK7DX (3590km).

UPDATE 0914z: Now 114 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1313z: Now 443 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today including 5 Caribbeans and 1 in the USA. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX so far is J69DS (6840km) on St Lucia.

UPDATE 1424z: With 14 USA and Canadian stations and 5 Caribbean stations out of a total of 498 stations already on 6m FT8 RX, today is almost certainly the best day this season so far on 6m. Best DX is currently N4WW (6988km). Interesting that WU1ITU (4831km) is in the log as the last time I logged this station was on 160m last winter.

6m FT8 RX spots 

here to 1630z today

UPDATE 1630z: Now 520 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Thursday June 20th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number still 0. This is definitely the longest spotless period this minimum. We must be at, or very close, to the sunspot minimum. A=4 and K=1.

Decreasing storm risk

At the moment the nearest storms are some way away in Holland. All being well I can be on the East Cambs net at 1830z and 6m FT8 RX afterwards.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

East Cambs 2m net

A reminder that this local net meets on 144.575MHz (yes 144.575MHz) at 7.30pm FM on Wednesday nights. Normally we finish within 30 minutes. Although sometimes someone asks a technical question, these are normally not too challenging.

UPDATE 1920z: M0CNP (Burwell) joined us tonight.

6m FT8 RX today

So far this morning 132 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX including Israel and Kuwait. Sadly no Far East stations spotted here.

UPDATE 1237z: 244 stations spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX with a couple of Caribbeans. Best DX is KP4EIT (6834km) in Puerto Rico.

UPDATE 1347z: 285 stations now spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Both Puerto Rico stations spotted have been coming through now for several hours.

UPDATE 1433z: Now 5 Caribbean stations being spotted with best DX HI8PLE (7062km) in the Dominican Republic. Total stations spotted on 6m FT8 today is 316. At the moment thunderstorms are some way away, so I'll remain on 6m FT8 RX for now.

UPDATE 1748z: Now 402 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

Anglesey Abbey door - NOT amateur radio

Anglesey Abbey is a National Trust property about 5 miles away. We visit the extensive grounds most months. Although sometimes busy, especially at weekends, the grounds are so vast that it is easy to find spots with few people. The door in this photo is on the way to the watermill.

Friedrichshafen - June 21-23 in Germany

This is the biggest European amateur radio exhibition. It is just possible some new products may be announced, although I think this is unlikely. There were a very few new products announced at Dayton, Ohio.

6m FT8 RX yesterday

Es was pretty good yesterday until I had to go QRT to avoid the storm risks. In all, 493 stations were spotted on 6m FT8 RX. in the last day.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 19th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.