Sunspots - Wednesday August 14th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the sunspot number still 0. A=7 and K=2. Still poor.

UPDATE 1915z:  Latest K=1.

70cm activity contest

After about 30 minutes I (well my voice!) had had enough. With 10W pep SSB 4 stations were worked with G4CLA (105km) as my best DX.  Antenna is just the 2m big-wheel omni.

6m FT8

Since returning from Norwich, I have been on 6m FT8. On RX, 44 stations spotted in about 1 hour. On TX, 12 stations spotted me (no QSOs) with best DX report being from EA5BB (1505km).

UPDATE 2032z: Earlier CQ calls on 6m FT8 were spotted by 25 stations with the best being SV1DH (2430km). 2 QSOs resulted. On 6m FT8 RX 112 stations spotted.

UPDATE 2045z: QRT.

Norwich - NOT amateur radio

As the sun was shining, we decided to go by train to Norwich for the day. It has a fine Norman cathedral and is one of the most delightful cities in the UK. We always enjoy going there. This was the train back home.

Chinese lunar orbiter satellite

According to Southgate News, one of the aims of a Chinese lunar orbiting satellite was to map the interference in the HF spectrum on Earth as seen at the Moon.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/august/chinese-satellite-gives-rf-spectrum-of-earth-seen-from-moon.htm

USA - UK trade deal - NOT amateur radio

Oh yes.

And I am sure this will come with plenty of strings (China, Huawei and Iran being three) and a strong "America first" bias. Personally, I think we should tread very carefully of Americans baring gifts. If it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Every American I have ever met in the flesh has been kind and generous, but I do not trust President Trump or his team.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 13th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2. Pits.

Exhaustion and giddiness - NOT amateur radio

To be honest, the after effects of my 2013 stroke are getting me down. In the last few years there has been no improvement.

Today, the loft ladder beckoned (not actually into the loft, where I've not been since 2013!).

All the time on my feet giddiness and exhaustion are the main issues. Compared with my pre-stroke days, there are many things that can no longer be done. Chatting is now hard! Thinking of the positives, much can still be done. In many ways my life is far better than that of many. For this I am grateful.

At some point I need to re-erect my HF antenna and this involves getting up a ladder to the flat roof of my garage. In the past, this would have been trivial!

Cape Verde Is on 70cm

According to a second hand report on Southgate News the Cape Verde contest group can now operate on 70cms. Does this mean yet more astounding DX records will fall?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/august/d4c-contest-team-set-up-new-432-mhz-station-on-cape-verde-islands.htm

The original report came from John's excellent blog at https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2019/08/new-432-mhz-station-on-cape-verde.html .

6m FT8

A few moments ago I went on 6m FT8 for the day being spotted by 6 stations with a QSO with 1 Italian. This could have been 2 but I realised too late that I was not on TX . On 6m FT8 RX 4 stations were spotted . There is early Es about .

UPDATE 0850z: 22 stations in 11 countries spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1250z: 54 stations spotted so far. Widespread 6m Es again.

UPDATE 1605z: 112 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX with the best DX being EA8AQV (2989km). Plenty of Es still.

UPDATE 1912z: Now 173 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Clearly the Es season is not yet over.

UPDATE 2148z: QRT time. When I turned everything off, 163 stations spotted in the last 12 hours on 6m FT8 RX with the best DX being EA8JK (3022km).