Sunspots - Friday December 29th

 Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 83. A=3 and K=1.

Flower - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw this on our Boxing Day walk. I think it is a Calendula.

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

10m QRPP WSPR TX (Thursday)

 My 500uW (0.5mW) TX WSPR beacon is on 10m again, but no spots today at 0941z.

UPDATE 1714z:  No spots all day.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Looking at my Facebook memories today, I noticed that I monitored 6m FT8 a few years ago and was spotted by several stations by mid-winter Es. So, I have decided to try 50.313MHz FT8 with my 2.5W and V2000 vertical omni. At 0925z, just one G spotting me with a couple of stations received including a station in Brittany, France.

UPDATE 1224z:   Several G spots of me. Best DX on RX was a station in Germany.

UPDATE 1500z:   There looks to be some winter Es about. I have been spotted by 10 stations and have spotted stations on 6m FT8 as far as southern France.

UPDATE 1717z: 12 stations spotted my QRP 6m FT8 today with the furthermost OH1MN (1633km). See map.

UPDATE 1902z: 14 stations have spotted me including 3 in Scandinavia, presumably by winter Es.

Plans for Thursday

My 10m QRPP 500uW WSPR tests will continue but I may try a new band on QRP FT8.

630m QRP overnight

A disappointing night with just 6 stations spotting me. Certainly in the UK it was very windy and this may have put off some with high antennas.

Sunspots - Thursday December 28th

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 78. A=4 and K= 0.

630m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

At 1620z, my QRP 630m WSPR was turned on. As usual 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

UPDATE 2025z: 5 stations have spotted me. Furthermost PA0LSB/V (326km).

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

 Although I have been on most of the day, not a single spot on TX or RX.

10m QRPP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

My 500uW (0.5mW)  WSPR TX tests continue. Today, I was spotted by DF1VB (506km) . At this tiny power I have been spotted by 4 stations on 3 continents. I have been amazed by these results.