BREXIT deal slipping away? - NOT amateur radio

Frantic last minute BREXIT discussions are continuing, but meanwhile the clock ticks. Is a deal for the UK to leave the EU about to happen? I think both sides want a deal, but they are finding the precise words of a legal agreement hard to find.

Good night on 472kHz WSPR

Last night was, I think, the best ever at this QTH with spots of my 10mW ERP 472kHz QRPP WSPR by 2 different Norwegians. One was the best DX ever from this QTH on 472kHz WSPR - LA9IY (1374km).

Stations that spotted my 10mW ERP

 472kHz WSPR overnight

Sunspots - Wednesday October 16th 2019

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

2m UKAC results

The results of the October 2m activity contest (UKAC) have been published. In the low power section I have moved up to 76th out of 190, despite being active for less than an hour and just using the big-wheel. In my view, this is a fun contest.

Grass cut - NOT amateur radio

Although still dull, it was dryish, so I cut the lawns.

The garden is starting to look quite autumnal with several trees losing leaves.

The photo shows the back lawn earlier.

Poor night on 472kHz WSPR

Last night was a poor one on 472kHz WSPR. Both on RX and TX (10mW ERP to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) there were far fewer spots. I am wondering if after several days of rain, the soil conductivity is higher so the effective loop size in the ground is much smaller? Or were conditions just poorer?

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR here

Martin G8JNJ modelled my ground loop at 475kHz and got the "gain" as -33dBi. This seems about right and it maybe even worse!

UPDATE 1338z: I have been on 472kHz WSPR all day. Spots received up to 203km in daylight and I have spotted some new stations on 472kHz WSPR RX.

Earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

For some years now I have used this antenna system successfully on the VLF, LF and MF bands. It certainly works and has worked as high as 60m, although this high I am unsure how much is the "loop in the ground" and how much is from the wire just above the ground. If you don't have space for a big antenna and earth on 160m, 630m or 2200m, you might want to give this a try.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas

Sunspots - Tuesday October 15th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR

Although I have spotted several stations, including multiple spots of LA8AV (1035km), not a single spot of my 10mW ERP so far. This seems a little odd. By now, I would have expected some spots.

UPDATE 2043z: I restarted WSJT-X and resynced the clock and was spotted by 2E0ILY (209km). Was this just coincidence?

2m FT8

As 6m was not showing much promise, I have moved up to 2m FT8 using the FT817ND and the big-wheel. I am getting suspicious of PSKreporter maps today as no spots (of my 2m FT8 CQ) appeared and neither were several calls by G0GGG on 6m which were copied here locally.

Stations that spotted my 2m FT8 CQ 

(2.5W to big-wheel) this afternoon

UPDATE 1456z: Now getting my usual spots from Cornwall and Northern Ireland on 2m FT8 despite just running 2.5W to the big-wheel. I suspect there was a short problem with PSK reporter. Also seeing 2m FT8 stations in Belgium and The Netherlands.

UPDATE 1639z: So far today, 17 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX here.