Covid-19 hope? - NOT amateur radio

Today is the first time I can remember when Covid-19 cases in this county have gone down not up. This may be a blip, but it is a hopeful sign.

10m WSPR TX

As yesterday, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW to the indoor loop. TX is 100%, but the frequency is randomised every 2 minutes. No spots yet.

UPDATE 2120z:  Amazing! 29 different stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today. And I thought 10m WSPR was passe!

6m today

Already (last 6 hours) 607 spots of my 6m FT8 10W to the vertical V2000 omni antenna. Most spots are for EU stations by Es. Over 300 stations spotted on RX.

Spots of my 10W FT8 6m today

UPDATE 2115z: 1251 stations have spotted me today so far. For the second evening in a row I was spotted in the Caribbean. Also spotted in Gabon and Kuwait.

6m transatlantic finally

Spots of my 10W FT8 6m yesterday

For the first time since 2007 my 6m signal has crossed the Atlantic. Last evening my 10W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni was spotted by FG5GH (6691km) in the Caribbean.

I am perfectly sure better equipped stations with more power and better antennas are capable of far more.

Sunspots - Friday May 29th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

TUI rubbish - NOT amateur radio

Yes, I know things are tough, but all we get are computer generated general answers saying how sorry they are.

We have now been awaiting our 70% refund for 12 weeks. To be honest, they have treated previously happy customers dreadfully. It is very unlikely I shall ever book with them ever again.

Wouldn't it be good to get an apology, not from a computer for regular customers? Our refund way before the lockdown was promised in under 5 days!! Basically my recent experience of TUI is inexcusably bad.

I also heard they had a bailout from the German government as well!

70cm activity contest

Regular blog readers will know that I have no real antennas for 70cm horizontal SSB, so I just use my 2m big-wheel that seems to match OK on that band. I have no idea what the polar plot looks like!

Usually (if I remember!) I go on for the monthly activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. Using 10W I am rarely on for an hour because of my poor voice and antenna. Although I copy far fewer stations than in the 2m activity contests, I do my best.

Despite everything, I am 53rd out of 142 stations in the AL (low power) section.

More cancelled rallies

The Durham District ARS Rally has been cancelled.

6m FT8

At about 1030z, I turned on my 10W 6m FT8 to the V2000 omni vertical antenna. At the moment (1036z) 16 G spots only with zero Es. Just one G spotted so far on 6m RX.

UPDATE 1100z: Es now evident with 37 spots of my 10W in 5 EU countries.

Part of BX6ABV logbook 

UPDATE 1322z:  About 5 hours ago I was supposedly spotted strongly by BX6ABV (9828km) in Taiwan.  Although he was spotted widely in the Far East, I am suspicious he could be a pirate. If genuine, this would be great for 6m. Parts of this station's logbook is attached.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

As it does not use the PC, I am again on 10m WSPR TX using

500mW to the indoor loop. Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised by the level of 10m WSPR activity.

UPDATE 1101z: No spots so far.

UPDATE 1922z: Time to go QRT. 5 stations spotted me today as the photo shows.