Christ's Pieces, Cambridge, UK

 

This is right next to the bus terminus. 

It is a wonderful space for a picnic in good weather, such as we have had this week.

Sunspots - Thursday April 30th

Solar flux is 143 and the SSN 142. A=4 and K=2.

Es (sporadic E) - not yet?

In the northern hemisphere Es usually brings good short skip on 10m, 6m and 4m. Occasionally it even reaches 2m, but this is rare.

At the moment it doesn't seem to have properly arrived. I guess it might appear sporadically, but the main months are May, June and July. 

If we are lucky far further is possible by chordal or multi-hop E layer propagation or Es linking with F2 further south.

Amateur radio - as it was?

This video is very USA based. Sadly, its message is true almost everywhere. I think amateur radio, as we knew it, is dying. It might stagger on in my lifetime, but times are changing. The magic it once was is no longer magic.

Sunny day

 

We have a lovely day here as evidenced by the photo.

10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)

 My beacon was turned on at breakfast.

UPDATE 0932z:   4X1DA (3592km) in Israel spotting me.

UPDATE 1115z: Spotted by TA4/G8SCU (3011km) in Turkey and 4X1DA. Occasionally, the drift seen is very high. I wonder if this is the reflection patch moving?

UPDATE 1845z: 3 stations have spotted me including the German research base in Antarctica. QRT soon.

Surprise visitor

Earlier this week my son woke to a stranger in his bedroom. A magpie must have flown in an open window. 

It calmly sat on his hand and flew out the other window when opened.

Corvids are very intelligent.

Watchful eyes for swifts

At this time of year I am on the lookout for the first swifts to arrive from Africa. Usually I see them here in mid-May although I have seen them elsewhere as early as April 27th. 

I am ever hopeful I'll see one in East Anglia, UK in April. My son just has!

UPDATE 0915z:  Whilst walking with my wife to the hairdressers I was observing the sky for about an hour. Sadly, no swifts seen.

Sunspots - Wednesday April 29th

Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 144. A=3 and K=0.

49MHz

In many countries the 49MHz band is allocated to low power devices such as baby alarms and toy walkie-talkies licence-free as long as they are 10mW or below.