Plonker

Yesterday, I went on the 2m East Cambs net. One regular had said he could not make it, but G3TFX, local to me was on. He was 52 rather than the usual 59+. Later he said he had a chat with G7LEU. Richard was puzzled why I was so weak. He wondered if I was running milliwatts.

Later I found out why! Although I had connected the antenna adaptor (PL259 to BNC) I forgot to connect the antenna! So G3TFX was 52 even without an antenna!

Next time I shall try to remember the antenna.

Church flowers - NOT amateur radio

We must have a dedicated band of helpers at our local church putting out the flowers. These were the flowers in one window on our walk yesterday.

Good 472kHz WSPR session again

In the last session, spots from 14 stations received, many of these being multiple times. In some cases it is the same station  using different receivers, but I have been spotted in Norway by Jan LA3EQ (769km) on every recent occasion! Yet again, I was copied far more often than I received others, despite the noise floor here being low. This suggests fewer stations are TXing at the moment.

472kHz WSPR spots received in the last session using 10mW ERP 

(at most) and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 1458z: I have been on 472kHz WSPR all day. G1GKN (99km) has been a consistent signal on RX all day. G3YPP (105km) has been spotting me all day. in North Norfolk.

UPDATE 1639z: So far 22 stations have spotted my QRPP signal on 472kHz WSPR. Best DX was 2 spots by LA8AV/1 (1035km).

Sunspots - Tuesday October 8th 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=2.

Metaphysics - NOT amateur radio

As we get older, I guess it is natural to think of our finality. My own death could be later today or in 30 years' time. It is hard to think of simply not being.

If we look on ourselves as just evolved and successful animals why should we have anything after we die? The simple truth is not one of us knows.

There seems little doubt that the religions of the world are all struggles to find meaning in our lives. As I have said many times, there is so very much that we do not, indeed cannot, understand.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysics

Norwich Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

We love Norwich and go there quite often on the train from Ely.

Norwich Cathedral is one of the finest in England. It is Norman (nearly 1000 years old) and many of the stones used to build it came all the way from Normandy in France by boat. The photo shows one of the fine windows.

HF conditions

At the moment the higher HF bands are not in good shape. There is DX there sometimes, but it is not as easy to find as at the sunspot maximum. At the moment we are at solar minimum and it will be a few years before bands like 10m really spring back into life.

The video shows how good 10m can be in case you have forgotten! This was recorded in 2012.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hfcondx

Walk around the village - NOT amateur radio

Most days we try to do a short walk.

According to my phone, we have walked 2.68 miles today. On the walk we bumped in to several friends and the rain held of.

We are home again.

Good session on 472kHz WSPR

Overnight was a good session for me on 472kHz WSPR. Running (at most) 10mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, I was spotted by quite a few stations (see photo). Notice that LA3EQ (769km) copied me multiple times!

472kHz WSPR TX last evening 

and overnight (10mW ERP)

472kHz WSPR RX last evening and overnight

UPDATE 1928z: A couple of spots by stations in the Netherlands this evening, but nothing yet from Norway. I am not sure if LA3EQ is on tonight. As last night, as many stations are spotting me (actually more) than I am spotting others. It suggests my ERP is a bit higher, but measurements suggest not. Perhaps more stations have better RX set-ups?

Sunspots - Monday October 7th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1.