Still 7 - NOT amateur radio

We first saw these cygnets more than a week ago. Good to see there are still 7. This was at Anglesey Abbey. 

6m FT8 with 2.5W and the V2000 omni

As the antenna and coax were faulty, I had not been on 6m for some weeks until just now. The FT8 slot on 6m is filled with Es stations from Europe. I am on TX too. I wonder who I shall work? 

Within a very short time (a few minutes) I had been spotted across Europe by 25 stations and I have spotted 55.

UPDATE 1224z:  120 stations have spotted me and 2 QSOs.  225 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. When open, 6m Es is every bit as good as 10m in my view.

UPDATE 1411z: 235 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. 5T5PA (3791km) in Mauritania, West Africa, remains the best DX spotted on 6m FT8 RX although I see Caribbean and USA stations are being worked. As I said before on this blog, a decent beam antenna at a reasonable height could be worth 10dB over my station, which can be a big difference on some signals. It means signals that I cannot even detect become workable.

UPDATE 1542z: Furthermost spotted today on 6m FT8 is A71AM (5138km)

UPDATE 1744z:  412 stations spotted today on 6m FT8. 

Stations spotted today
on 6m FT8 RX

UPDATE 1922z:  530 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with the furthermost PV8DX (7830km). On 6m TX FT8 (2.5W) I have been spotted by 212 stations with several QSOs around Europe.

238 stations
spotted my 2.5W
6m FT8 TX today 

UPDATE 2122z:  Spotted by 238 stations using 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. The furthermost was a YU on RX in Niger, south of the Sahara (4200km). I was going to go QRT, but 6m is still wide open.

Nice colours - NOT amateur radio

The herbaceous borders at nearby Anglesey Abbey are particularly good at the moment. I love the mix of these colours. 

Sporadic E (Es) and wet string

 At this time of year we get Es in the northern hemisphere. What amazes me is how strong signal can be. This is not always the case, but it is not uncommon to get S9+ signals with low power, even on FM. Es can be particularly effective on 10m and 6m. Often the season goes on into September. Very simple antennas can be effective. Yesterday I was happily decoding FT8 signals with my antenna wire on the ground on 10m. A dipole made of wire is perfectly adequate.

10m FT8 yesterday

Spots of me
on TX 

Now I have an outside antenna for 10m, results are better. 887 stations spotted on RX and 47 spots of my 2.5W and several QSOs. 

Stations spotted on
RX yesterday 

The second map shows the stations spotted here yesterday. 

Sunspots - Sunday July 4th 2021

 Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 81. A=4 and K=1. 

SAQ reminder

 If you want to have a go at receiving SAQ on 17.2kHz CW, a reminder that there are special transmissions of this historic alternator VLF TX today. 

VHF NFD

The RSGB used to hold VHF NFD in September, but it is now this weekend in July. I came on briefly this evening to give a few points away with 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. I might try briefly tomorrow. 

Discount food shop - NOT amateur radio

Recently a new discount food store opened in nearby Newmarket. It is actually a nice shop. 

They will give the other supermarkets a run for their money. The photo shows our purchases there yesterday. 

Northern Iceland - NOT amateur radio

Some years ago we had a great holiday in Iceland. The weather was very good and we were surprised by how green it was. There were lots of wild lupins.

The photo shows northern Iceland. It was one of the nicest places I have ever been to.