Sunspots - Wednesday August 27th

 Solar flux is 226 and the SSN 193. A=9 and K=2.

What propagation mode?

When we see short-skip on 6m into Europe we often associate this with Es.  But we are near the top if the solar cycle and we often see short-skip into Europe on lower frequencies like 20m, even in the quiet years. 

Now, I am no expert on propagation and wonder what mode of propagation many of these spots are? I presume Es, but maybe I am wrong? 50MHz seems too high for F2.

500mW 10m WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon has been on since 0912z.

UPDATE 1920z:  12 stations have spotted me. QRT soon.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

 

Stations spotting my
6m 5W FT8 today

My gear has been on since 0912z.

UPDATE 1918z:  85 stations have spotted me. Widespread across Europe and North Africa. QRT soon. It is interesting that in the last few days I have been spotted by progressively fewer stations.

WISPY RX

This was originally designed as a WSPR receiver but it works equally well as an FT8 receiver with a suitable crystal. It is extremely simple yet works very well. It allows the main rig to be freed for something else.

Lunch

Yesterday, someone put a photo of their lunch on 365project.

It was a lobster roll with chips and coleslaw - delicious 😉.

Time

We are aware of time flowing from the past into the future, but this may be a human illusion. 

As the poet T. S. Eliot said maybe time past, time present and time future are all present now. See the poem Burnt Norton in his Four Quartets.

This ties in to some extent with quantum mechanics.

6m QRP FT8 yesterday

With 103 stations spotting me yesterday I think we can safely say that the Es season is still with us. 6m was filled with European stations . 

The season will end …but not yet!!

Sunspots - Tuesday August 26th

 Solar flux is 175 and the SSN 136. A=8 and K=1.

TX-500MP

The original TX-500 (I think) had a Russian pedigree. I think production was shifted to the Middle East to avoid sanctions. I may be totally wrong on this. If I am wrong, my sincere apologies.

They have produced the TX-500MP which is a handheld with built-in ATU. There is a video about it. I have no idea about price. It looks like a useful product.