Sunspots - Tuesday November 5th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP)

As 10m is probably of little good now, I have decided to QSY to 472kHz (630m) WSPR TX with my 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I have just QSYed at about 1840z. In among the first 4 spots was DL/PA0EHG (493km).

With 7 unique stations spotting me within 20 minutes, this is looking promising.

Every time I TX on 472kHz WSPR about 3-5 stations seem to spot me. In the last hour 8 different stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2150z: So far this evening, 12 stations have spotted me on 472kHz WSPR. See table arranged in distance order.

BREXIT and UK elections

Basically I have given up on our politicians Just before an election they all make rash promises that rarely get changed into actions. They are all guilty of it! As my mother-in-law said their promises are like pie crusts.

As for BREXIT, most have lost the will to live, whether we voted "remain" or "leave" the EU. It seems few in politics or the UK can agree or even agree to disagree!

Mothercare - NOT amateur radio

When our children and grandchildren were very little, Mothercare was a great High Street shop. Today we hear they have called in administrators and 2500 jobs are at risk.

It seems nowhere in retail is safe on the High Streets in the UK and probably elsewhere. There is no doubt our shopping habits are changing as more and more of us shop online for more convenience and often better prices.

Only today my wife chose to buy a new tablecloth online. Otherwise it would have been a 26 mile round trip only to find out it was probably not in stock anyway.  The whole order online took 3 minutes and the tablecloth will be here this week. We ordered some leather balm online on Saturday and it was here Sunday.

No, our retail habits are changing.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50287153

Miracle Antennas

For some years now I have hosted Yahoo Groups on Sub-9kHz amateur radio, VHF AM and Miracle Antennas. Yahoo is effectively ending its groups, so new groups have been created at .io . As an example see https://groups.io/g/miracleantennas.

To migrate a group costs $110 in the first year, whereas starting a new group is free. Of course you lose the message archive, photos and files unless these are manually transferred when a new group is created.

Windows or Chromebook?

Our lounge PC is an HP Pavilion running Windows 10. We have had it for several years now (I cannot yet find out when we got it - does anyone know how to interrogate the PC to tell me?) and it is mainly used for web surfing and local picture storage (these are backed up). I am seriously tempted by a Chromebook as I think this would serve this purpose fine. I'd need to add a big memory micro SD card for local picture storage.

I do not run any amateur radio stuff on this PC. I know the Chromebook would not run Windows programs; there may be a way, but I have not looked i.e. a bit like Wine on Linux OS. The advantages of the Chromebooks would be fast boot-up, few viruses (if any), much less bloatware and low cost.

Anyone got any views they'd care to share?

UPDATE 1220z: The BIOS of the Pavilion is late 2016.

LF and MF RX

Over a year ago I bought an E-field probe from PA0RDT. It has still to be erected!

In the meantime I have been busy on 472kHz WSPR using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground using 10mW ERP.

My idea was to concentrate on 136 and 472kHz RX with the EFP high up in a tree. As ladder work would be needed, and I am no good on ladders these days, this may have to wait.

The tree I want to put the EFP up at the top of is the silver birch, which has still to shed its leaves. See photo. It is furthermost from all nearby houses.

See  https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/winter

WRC-19 Egypt

As many know, WRC-19 is taking place currently in Egypt to discuss spectrum issues, some of which have an impact on amateur radio. Discussions have just started and there are several weeks to go.

See https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/2019/11/03/wrc-19-day-5-dont-count-your-chickens/

FT8 (and other digital modes) frequencies

If you are like me, you forget frequencies of various digital modes and need reminders. As an example when I went on 10m FT8 at first I went on 28.174 whereas the correct FT8 frequency is 28.074MHz. When in doubt I look here. He has a series of frequencies listed by mode.

See https://www.qsl.net/sv1grb/psk31.htm

10m FT8 RX

Although I briefly called CQ with 2.5W, I am now on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1005z: Just one spot so far: G0OYQ (177km).

UPDATE 1105z: Now 2 10m FT8 RX spots with best DX being RA2FL (1343km).

UPDATE 1209z: So far 4 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. 3 are Gs.

UPDATE 1430z: 5 stations in 3 countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1848z: Now 7 stations in 3 countries spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. I noticed an EB8 earlier calling a W6 that did no make it to PSKreporter. In the "good old days" W6 would probably be California. These days it can be anywhere in the USA. Stupid FCC I assume.