Sunspots - Saturday January 4th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 13. A=6 and K =1.

Onesies - NOT amateur radio

Two of our grandchildren got "onesies" for Christmas. Here one of our granddaughters is wearing hers in this photo (right hand side). On the left she is looking at our latest photo album.

160m FT8

At about 1740z  I QSYed to 160m FT8. A 10W CQ was spotted by 35 stations and I was called by 1 SP station. On 160m FT8 RX 64 stations spotted with best DX spotted UT0MY (2696km).

UPDATE 1952z: 150 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX  with best DX 9K2HN (4567km).

UPDATE 2038z: Amazing!!! Not only was a recent 160m FT8 CQ to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground answered by a station in Germany, but I was spotted by 72 stations (in the last 6 hours) including VO1HP (3768km). This by far the most distant report I have ever had on 160m, but this was with my invisible antenna and QRP! The latter is the first report I have ever had from "across the pond" on 160m.

Stations spotting me this evening on 160m FT8 TX
with 10W and the earth-electrode "antenna"

UPDATE 2255z: 295 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX, with a good number from North America, The Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe.

Winter Es and 6m FT8

Turning on 6m FT8 RX just now, there is evidence of 6m Es with spots of stations in F and LZ. A 10W FT8 CQ was only spotted by 1 G though.

472kHz

People often avoid this band thinking they will need big antennas and extensive ground systems. Whilst these would certainly help, they are not necessary to achieve useful results, especially with WSPR.

With an ERP of less than 10mW from my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground I get spotted in Norway most nights on WSPR.

I use my FT817ND and my transverter.  The output from the transverter into 50 ohms is about 12W, but the measured ERP is only about 10mW (i.e. the "antenna" gain is about -32dB). A "proper" antenna and ground could be several dB more efficient. Most nights on 472kHz WSPR I get over 20 stations spotting me and on the better nights 30 stations! Neither my XYL or the neigbours are aware it is even being there!

This "antenna" also works pretty well on 160m. On 472kHz and 1840kHz it is an almost perfect match with a small 3C90 step-up transformer. At the old QTH I did not need this at all. I suspect it would be quite good on 137kHz TX, although I have not (yet) tried it on this band.

My theory is on LF and MF bands it works as a sort of loop in the ground. If this is correct, the loop would be bigger as you move down in frequency. It could even be quite effective at VLF.

WSPR does not really allow chats, but works with very weak signals. It is ideal for me on this band. From the old QTH I have had JT9 472kHz QSOs with stations in the UK and Belgium with a similar set-up at my QTH.

160m antennas

Although my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has got me over 1300km on 160m FT8 recently, some may prefer more conventional antennas. I had this problem at the old QTH and came up with this compact indoor vertical in the loft.  It seems pretty effective. It was wound on an old piece of PVC pipe.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/160m_loft_ant

Sunspots - Friday January 3rd 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 13 (yes some spots!!).  A=3 and K=1.

UK weather - NOT amateur radio

OK, I know forecasting the weather in the UK can be hard as several weather systems interact, but I find the UK's BBC weather forecasts poor unless we have a big high pressure overhead and very settled conditions.  At least they show a percentage likelihood of rain nowadays. Considering the vast amounts spent on super-computers to better forecast, I can see little advance in forecasting accuracy.

Many is the time I have looked out the window at rain when at the very same time the BBC says it is full sun. As a guide to weather coming, these BBC forecasts are poor in my experience and there are better guides to upcoming weather available.

If you use BBC weather as a guide to what is going to happen, you are on our own. Personally, I find looking out of the window a better guide.

Cynic me? Surely not!

See https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather

New EU 2m tropo record

Southgate News reports that there is a new tropo record in Europe with a contact between Scotland and the Cape Verde Is off Africa thanks to sea ducting.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2020/january/region-1-144-mhz-tropo-record-now-extended-to-4776-kms.htm

6m FT8

At 0945z, I QSYed to 6m FT8 calling CQ (10W to the V2000 vertical) initially. Just a single G spot by G0LGS (171km). On 6m FT8 RX  nothing yet spotted.

UPDATE 1420z: 4 stations spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX with best DX spotted being OH4ZS (2005km).

UPDATE 1510z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 3 G stations, but no QSOs resulted.

UPDATE 1632z:  Now 6 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1703z: My 3 sets of 6m FT8 CQs have been spotted by just 3 G stations, but no QSOs.