WRC-19

Southgate News has a piece on the RSGB papers for the next World Radio Conference. If things go to plan, this might see a worldwide 50-54MHz band for radio amateurs. Often, we are disappointed.

Personally, I'd prefer a much smaller allocation around 40MHz (8m), which would have been far more use and interesting.

See https://rsgb.org/main/news/special-focus/wrc-19/wrc-19-papers/
See also http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/144-and-1240-mhz-bands-rsgb-information.htm#.XRG1g_ZFy00

6m last evening

6m FT8 RX yesterday here

After a rather poor day yesterday, things livened up, although I had to disconnect everything because of the storm risk. Before closing, 5 North Americans spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Had I stayed on longer, there is little doubt others would have been spotted.

At the moment the storm risk seems distant, so I may reconnect the 6m gear shortly.

Windmill starlings - NOT amateur radio

Apparently starlings are in decline in the UK. Well, not here! The photo shows the starlings gathering on "our" windmill next door last night. They roost elsewhere, but gather on the windmill sails before flying off.

The photo was taken from our front garden.

Sunspots - Tuesday June 25th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

Storm risks

It is just starting to rain and we have thunder forecast for the end of the night. Later, all antennas and mains leads in the shack will be disconnected. At the moment the nearest storms are hundreds of miles away. By the end of the night it could be quite different here.

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

Crab apples - NOT amateur radio

When we moved here almost 6 years ago we inherited a crab apple tree. This has now grown.

2 years ago we had lots of crab apples. Last year we had just 15. This year we have hundreds.

A friend of my wife makes crab apple jelly, which we like. It is great with some meats.

PSKreporter maps

Until very recently I had put down issues with PSKreporter maps to problems with my internet connection. I am now having doubts as my internet seems to be working well and reliably yet several stations which are received on the PC are not reported on PSKreporter. Several stations spotted earlier on 6m are no longer shown. It would be interesting to hear if others have the occasional issue. Most times it works well.

Friedrichshafen

This is the biggest European amateur "show". I have never been and never likely to go. No new products were announced to my knowledge. I may be wrong.

See https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/

6m FT8 RX

Although there is the possibility of storms later, so I may have to go QRT, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. At the moment (0812z) , no Es here with just Gs spotted.

UPDATE 1124z: Very little 6m Es here today with just EA7JAN (1805km) spotted so far.

UPDATE 1325z: Rubbish!  No further stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX here today.

UPDATE 1559z: Now 22 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX SV9RNG (2764km) on Crete.

UPDATE 1830z: Now 144 stations on 3 continents spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Looks like late Es.

UPDATE 1907z: Now 167 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2036z: Now 199 6m stations spotted including an SU (Egypt) and ST0CAZ (4801km).

Double yolker - NOT amateur radio

Most mornings I start the day with a no fat added cooked breakfast and fresh fruit. I appreciate this may not suit everyone!

We usually buy our low cost free range eggs from our local supermarket. Imagine my surprise to see a double yolker this morning. We have lived here for nearly 6 years and I have only seen 2 in all that time!

I should have taken the photo as soon as I cracked the egg. By the time this was taken the yolks had merged.