SOTA spots

Some people choose their amateur radio the hard way. Some like to combine hiking to high spots to do "activations". These activations are part of summits on the air (SOTA).  I believe there are awards for summits worked.

If this is your "thing" you may like https://www.on6zq.be/p/swf/index.html#/spotfilter which shows activations. At least you can work these stations from the warm and dry!

DX is relative

As an old timer of advancing years now, some may well disagree with my "grumpy old man" statements. Tough, I shall say it anyway!

Today, I want to say that DX is relative. Some must run the full legal power (or more), have a big tower and a big beam and rotator to work that last DXCC entity that half the world is shouting at. He or she probably thinks little of spending many thousands on the "hobby". To me, this is plain ego stroking.

For me, DX is what comes my way. Usually I run QRP and with this I obtained DXCC mostly on 10m SSB long ago. If I get QSOs with distant stations, fine.  To me, working these stations means as much (or more) than those who choose to spend big on the "hobby".

I often tell newcomers that you can have much fun spending very little as the "grown-ups" who want to splash the cash. Rigs like the uBITX can be quite inexpensive, but are capable of working the world with modest, low, wire antennas.  Of course, if you build your own rigs you can get on the air for even less. One USA company is selling very low cost DSB FT8 transceiver kits that cost less than a single meal out (remember those?).

See https://qrpguys.com/

CQ-Serenade

Apparently you can listen to Southgate News on CQ-Serenade on the radio. Frequencies and times are shown on the Southgate News pages. What I did not know was that a record was made between 1965 and 1970 called CQ-Serenade. I had never heard it before. You can hear it at: https://www.on6zq.be/w/index.php/Audio/CqSerenadeEn

Sunspots - Monday June 1st 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Internet time and Windows 10?

For years I have used an internet time server to synchronise to internet time so I know my PC clock is accurate for modes like WSPR and FT8. I have used the one at https://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/ successfully. I changed the  frequency of syncs so it does it quite often. I have never had a problem before.

In the last few days 2 different people have told me my timing is way off. Luckily, I still seem to get loads of QSOs and spots on FT8 and WSPR.

Anyone else had this problem recently?

It is almost like it no longer syncs to internet time or now does it very infrequently. Any comments most welcome.

Muntjacs - NOT amateur radio

On one of our village walks we regularly see Muntjac Deer, as the photo shows. We have seen them on 3 occasions in the last 5 walks on this route.

I think these were introduced into the UK in the 1900s. They are very common now. At night you can hear them barking. It sounds like a dog and goes on and on with the same note.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntjac

Seen on our walk - NOT amateur radio

These flowers were seen on a recent walk.

10m WSPR

My 10m 500mW TX WSPR beacon is already working at 0530z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1105z:  12 unique stations have spotted me so far today on 10m WSPR TX. Quite amazing.

UPDATE 1230z: Now spotted by EI7GL (594km) making the 13th unique station to spot me today.

UPDATE 1810z: Amazingly 65 unique stations have spotted me on 10m WSPR in the last few days. See table. I was clearly totally wrong thinking most people had stopped using 10m WSPR!  Not forgetting all these spots were on the tiny indoor loop in the shack!

Early start on 6m FT8 (real DX later)

6m spots of my
10W at 0611z

As I was awake early, I am already on 6m FT8. It is now 0550z. Some in Eastern Europe are working Japanese stations on 6m. Already there is plenty of Es.

UPDATE 1108z: Plenty of European and Asian spots of my 10W 6m FT8, but nothing from the Far East.

UPDATE 1307z: Just had 4 QSOs in quick succession with German stations. Lots are calling and working North Americans, so I guess the band must be open "across the pond". No sign of the Americas here yet.

UPDATE 1349z: 788 spots of my 10W so far and 509 stations spotted here so far today.

UPDATE 1930z:  In the last day, my 10W on 6m FT8 to the V2000 omni vertical has been spotted by 1128 stations with the best being UN3M (3553km) in Kazakhstan. Nothing transatlantic here sadly.

New version of WSJT-X

At the moment there is a release candidate for a new version. I think the full release of this version is very close, so I'll wait for this.

See https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/