630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX

 For the first time this season I am on 630m (472 kHz) WSPR RX. 

As my son managed to cut my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground whilst gardening and being "helpful", I am having to use the coax up to my 2m big-wheel with a ferrite rod ATU, much as in this photo of 10 years ago shows.

The noise level is S8 on the FT817ND's meter.

UPDATE 2118z:  unique stations spotted with the furthermost GM4SJB (692km). 

SAQ transmission Wednesday

M0NYW VLF converter

I am told by Jason M0NYW that there is a special transmission of the historic VLF alternator transmitter SAQ on 17.2 kHz CW. This is a good chance to test your VLF system. This TX is about 100 years old! Jason has made an excellent job of his VLF converter (see photo).

See https://alexander.n.se/en/saq-scheduled-to-air-on-november-16th-2022/ .

Local shop in the village - NOT amateur radio

 

This was our local shop a few days ago with my wife in the yellow jacket.

Late afternoon sky - NOT amateur radio

 

This was the sky on Sunday afternoon in our village. Today has been mostly showery - very November.

WSPR.rocks website

Up until now I have always used WSPR.net to see where my 10m WSPR beacon is reaching. Today I looked at the wspr.rocks website for the first time. It looks pretty good.

See http://wspr.rocks/ . 

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

Been on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8  for about 2 hours TXing in the first period, but no spots.

UPDATE 1430z:  Although nobody has spotted me today on 8m FT8, I see ZS6OB (9099km) has again been spotted by me on 8m FT8 RX. As this is just with a low wire dipole, this is pleasing.

UPDATE 1743z:  Yet again, my 8m FT8 QRP has been spotted by EI9KP (649km).  The propagation mechanism remains a total mystery as I only have 5W and a low wire dipole. It is too far for tropo and too near for Es. Aircraft reflection is a possibility. My report was not bad.

10m WSPR QRP (500mW) TX (Tuesday)

On 10m QRP WSPR TX with the W5OLF beacon. 3 unique stations spotting me so far today. 

UPDATE 1420z:  Spotted by 9 unique stations (see map).

Sunspots - Tuesday November 15th 2022

Solar flux is 142 and the SSN 77. A=4 and K=1.

Remembrance Sunday - NOT amateur radio

Usually we do not go to our local remembrance church service. I have inherent dislike of glorifying the military. 

This service was very different. People were asked to stand when a villager who lost his/her life in war was named. In the end, a huge number of people were standing. 

This re-enforces that most wars are pointless. I hope the world wakes up that wars rarely solve issues. There are exceptions when we are fighting evil. Even in these cases, we need to understand the reasons these tyrants  (e.g. Hitler and Putin) had or have these views. Usually jaw jaw is far better than war, war.

2m 5W QRP FT8

It has been foggy all day, so on my return from Cambridge, I have gone on 2m QRP (5W) FT8. So far (at 1835z) stations have been spotted in 3 countries. I have been spotted by 13 stations across England so far.

UPDATE 2140z:   16 spots of me in 4 countries, with the furthermost F6EGD (472km),