Sunspots - Sunday July 21st 2019

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

6m FT8

Good Es this morning on 6m. My brief CQ was spotted by 16 stations (no QSOs) as far away as Sardinia. On 6m FT8 RX 19 stations from all over Europe copied so far in the last few minutes.

UPDATE 0848z: 36 stations so far spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX. My theory about most Es openings late in the season being to northern Europe is being tested! 😕

UPDATE 1400z: Now 158 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX with best DX being N4BP (7118km) in Florida, USA. A good day on 6m.

UPDATE 1614z: Now 206 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Just recently, Israel spotted.

UPDATE 1802z: Now 280 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today in 4 continents.

Es (sporadic E) super DX

OK, I may be wrong, but to me multi-hop (lots of hops) Es does not seem to fit with some of the "real DX" being worked on 10m and 6m.

Some of the paths being worked would need 5-6 hops or more. To me, it seems far more probable these very long paths depend on some sort of chordal hop between patches of E layer ionisation without the intermediate hops. Of course, multi-hops are possible in some cases, but I am sure these are the exceptions. For European DX on 10m and 6m I am sure 1 and 2 hop Es is likely in the summer months.

Neighbours 50th wedding anniversary celebrations - NOT amateur radio

This lunchtime we joined about 70 other people at a local garden centre for food and drinks to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of our next door neighbour. It was a happy, unfussy occasion.

2m AM rig

Many years ago I used a homebrew 2m AM rig. It was about 500mW out from memory. When I bought a second-hand Liner-2 SSB rig it was abandoned. I think it was scrapped for parts. I think the meter is still being used today as part of an antenna current meter on 630m! I can see an old Pye Telecom PF2AMB speaker/mic.

For several months I had a regular sked on CW with G5UM who was about 80km away. As I recall I used an external 455kHz "gimmick" BFO to resolve him. On RX the oscillator drifted! On AM it mattered little. He always gave me 559.

The rig was crystal controlled on TX.  It had a metal case covered in wood effect fablon. For its time, it was a decent rig and got me to France in a lift. Happy days!

2m FT8 RX

Until just now I have been on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni antenna. I am at the moment QRT, but 9 stations spotted here in the last hour on 2m FT8 RX with best DX spotted being DL6YBF (471km).

UPDATE 1524z: Back on 2m FT8. A recent CQ call resulted in no QSOs, but I was spotted in Devon by G4RRA (333km) and Cornwall  by G7RAU (461km). In all, 12 stations spotted me.

UPDATE 1642z: 13 stations in 4 countries spotted in the last few hours on 2m FT8 RX with best DX being DF6PW (562km).

UPDATE 1825z: 38 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX in the last half day including 5 Germans.

UPDATE  2040z: Soon be time to go QRT. In all today 48 different stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

Why? - NOT amateur radio

Earlier today this photo from 2012 popped up. It was taken at our old house.

Neither my wife nor I can remember why I should be holding what looks like a young long tailed tit. OK it was 7 years ago, but you'd think something would be triggered!

Sunspots - Saturday July 20th 2019

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

Rainbow Lorikeets - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, our younger grandson is in Australia seeing his Australian grandparents. He is mad on rainbow lorikeets. As the photo shows, he is in his element!

Moon landing - NOT amateur radio

Like most people of a certain age, I can remember precisely where I was when Man first landed on the Moon 50 years ago tomorrow. In some ways it feels like yesterday, although it was before I had started work.

And to think how little computing power they had! Looking back, these were very very brave men. It seems amazing that we have not been back to the moon since 1972.