Local landmark - NOT amateur radio

Our local church dates from Saxon times over 1000 years ago. It can be seen from miles around.

160m FT8 overnight

Not a bad night but not the best either.  728 stations spotted with North and South America in the log.

160m FT8 RX overnight 

Sunspots - Sunday February 9th 2020

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

Ely cathedral - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we visited Ely Cathedral. It is very, very old. The photo shows the light inside.

160m FT8

Results with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground are very similar to previous evenings. So far, 40 stations spotted here and 6 spots of my 10W.

UPDATE 1808z:  So far this evening 22 stations have spotted me. On 160m FT8 RX, 149 spots so far this evening.
 2110

Spots on 160m FT8 RX this evening

UPDATE 2018z: 26 spots of my 10W FT8 CQ calls on 160m this evening. 362 spots on RX spots far this evening. Quite a few stations are working Japanese stations that I think TX higher up the band. I must find out where and monitor.

UPDATE 2028z:  Looks like the Japanese TX on 1907kHz which is where I am looking now. Maybe I am too late this evening? I shall monitor 1907kHz for a while before going back to 1840kHz.

UPDATE 2100z: Both JA5EXW and JH4UYB spotted on 1907kHz USB FT8, but neither appeared on PSKreporter. I am obviously looking in the right place. Tomorrow I must try earlier. A couple of EU stations are transmitting up there hoping to work Japanese without split.

UPDATE 2118z:  VO1HP (3744km) spotted at 2110z, which is quite early. 4S7AB (8678km) is currently the best DX spotted this evening.

Stations spotted so far this
evening on 160m FT8 RX

UPDATE 2140z: 418 stations spotted so far this evening on 160m FT8 RX. This excludes the Japanese stations.

20m FT8 with the magnetic loop

Just before 1130z I QSYed to 20m FT8 using the tiny magnetic loop antenna on the shack windowsill. Already 5 spots of my 10W FT8 CQ with best DX RO1M (2030km). On 20m FT8 RX 15 stations spotted, mostly in Eastern Europe.

UPDATE 1348z:   Just measured the loop diameter - just 0.4m!! The wire is about 1mm diameter.  So far, 15 stations have spotted me with the magnetic loop (10W) with the best DX being a spot by K1GUY (3288 miles). Quite amazing.

UPDATE 1700z:  I have just QSYed to 160m FT8, but managed 31 spots of my 10W 20m FT8 CQs (no 2-way QSOs sadly) with the tiny magnetic loop.

Building

The photo shows me building in the back of the garage at the old QTH many years ago. These days building is hard.

Another good session on 160m FT8 RX overnight

Yet another good session on 160m FT8 RX overnight with 756 stations spotted including many in North America and 1 in South America.

UPDATE 1000z: Nothing in the last 2 hours! Definitely a nighttime DX band.

Spots on 160m FT8 RX overnight here 

Sunspots - Saturday February 8th 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 0. A=15 and K=2.

160m FT8

The sun is still shining here. It will be dark in about 30 minutes' time.

I am now on 160m FT8 with 10W to the earth electrode "antenna" in the ground.  Already my CQ call has got spots from 13 stations across Europe and on 160m FT8 RX the best DX is RU8W (3643km) after about 30 minutes on the band.

UPDATE 1930z: After a CQ call session on 160m FT8 (10W) I got not a single spot! Investigation revealed that the connection to the earth-electrode "antenna" had fallen off!! Since reconnecting I am being widely spotted again. At the moment 23 spots received with the best spot being by OH2BUA (1833km).

Stations spotting me
on 160m FT8 (10W)

UPDATE 1957z: Already 33 stations have spotted my 10W FT8 on 160m. The earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground certainly works for me!