10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0618z. 

UPDATE 1707z:  5 stations spotting me. These are probably Es.

ZachTek WSPR beacon

As you may recall, I have used my ZachTek WSPR beacon most days (and some nights!) on 10m and I have been very pleased with it. 

I just connect power and antenna and the device does the rest. No PC is needed. GPS works out the locator and it defaults to 200mW although this can be changed in software e.g. if you use attenuators or have a lossy coax.

The end of AM broadcasting?

There seems to be a move to close the remaining longwave and mediumwave AM transmitters. 

The BBC recently closed Radio 4 on 198kHz longwave and there are fewer and fewer stations remaining on longwave and medium wave AM. 

In the end I can see a day coming when all broadcasting is via the internet and not "over the air". 

I would not be surprised if we see the end of linear broadcasting completely. Instead people would watch what they want when they want whether radio or TV.  The danger is if we ever lose the internet we lose all broadcasting. This could be hacking or just a fault.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 4th

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 104. A=19 and K=4,

Written in 2014!!!

Way back in 2014 I wrote this on Facebook. Nothing changes sadly.

Faroe Is

 

The Faroe Islands are between the Shetland Islands and Iceland. I have never been there.  A friend who   lives there frequently posts some excellent photos.

10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)

 As mentioned earlier, my beacon is on.

UPDATE 1455z:  9 stations have spotted me since breakfast. Es presumably

 

Teasels

 

This was seen yesterday in our village in Cambridgeshire, UK. 

They are beautiful.

10m 200mW WSPR overnight again

Overnight (suitable supervised - the TX is about 3m from the bed)) I left my 10m QRP WSPR beacon running again. 

Yet again I was spotted in Spain and the Canary Is. throughout the night. Es is definitely not just a daytime thing!

Sunspots - Monday August 3rd

 Solar flux is 127 and the SSN 105. A=17 and K=4.