6m antenna

Although I would not like to see this in my neighbour's garden (or mine!), I must be a bit of a hypocrite as I want DX stations to have a decent signal on 6m. 4S7AB in Sri Lanka has been gifted a G0KSC 7el 6m yagi according to Southgate News. This is a big antenna. He has already worked Japan with it. I hope he works some Europeans soon on 6m.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/4s7ab-gets-a7el-50-mhz-lfa-wos.htm#.XRnz1fZFy00 

Solar forecast

Of late, we have had pretty poor conditions, suggesting we are very close to solar minimum. As I mentioned before, there is some divergence of views about the exact date of the sunspot minimum. One forecast was suggesting we had already passed this, whereas another was suggesting we are not quite there yet. At the moment, it feels like we are very close to sunspot minimum. My favourite forecast is usually updated early in the month, so it will be interesting to see if their dates for solar minimum have changed.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

"Boney Was A Warrior" - NOT amateur radio

My wife mentioned that she used to sing this when she was 4-5 on the way to school. At the time she did not know who Boney was, did not know when it was written and did not know the full words.

As you can expect, a quick Google was called for to find the full lyrics and the date.  To the best I can discern, it was a sea shanty written in 1830. It talks about the Napoleonic wars, Waterloo and Napoleon's imprisonment on St Helena. He died in 1821.

See https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/traditional/boney-was-a-warrior

6m FT8

As on previous summer days, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. Plenty of Es with 27 spots all over Europe as of 0830z.  No "real DX" here still.

UPDATE 1138z:   Now 59 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today. Best DX today on 6m FT8 RX is 5T5PA (3791km) in Mauritania.

UPDATE 1346z:  Now 69 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today. Most are European.

UPDATE 1752z: Now 150 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX including many stations in the USA and 1 in the Caribbean. Currently the best DX on 6m FT8 RX today is W4DXX (7010km) in Georgia.

Stations spotted here on 6m 

FT8 RX to 1915z today

UPDATE 1912z: With at least 35 USA stations spotted so far this evening on 6m FT8 RX, this must be the best evening so far for North Americans on 6m. And this is still with just the V2000 vertical omni fed with CB coax! An earlier CQ (2.5W) only got me around Europe.

North Americans spotted on 6m 

FT8 RX this evening so far.

UPDATE 2007z: The second map shows the North Americans so far spotted this evening on 6m FT8 RX. It is still wide open. I have spotted at least 45 so far tonight.

UPDATE 2140z: QRT.

Sunspots - Monday July 1st 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=3.

July already!

2m FT8

6m has been given up and I am instead on 2m FT8. Initially I called CQ (2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna) and was spotted by 10 G stations, although no 2-way QSOs resulted. I am now RX only.

My best report on TX was by G0OFE (229km).  On RX the best DX so far is F6KBF (387km).

It looks like the big DX opening is over.

UPDATE 2114z: Now 29 stations in 6 countries so far tonight on 2m FT8 RX.

Still surprises

On Oscar 100, the geostationary amateur satellite, activity levels do not seem to have increased on the narrowband transponder. I still cannot get over listening to ZS stations chatting away on 10GHz!

For some people this could be an answer, although most seem to enjoy the journey to communicating via the satellite rather than just chatting. Once they can do it, the "repeater in the sky" holds less interest.  It seems novel to be able to work DX from Brazil to South East Asia and the whole of Africa at any time without QSB.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

Trump and North Korea - NOT amateur radio

OK, I admit that President Trump is not one of my favourite all time leaders, but credit where credit is due.

Meeting Kim in the Korean demilitarised zone and stepping into North Korea, although probably good for next years' elections, has probably done some good. All credit to him for taking the risk that he would be snubbed. Mind you, I am sure behind the scenes their aides were working hard.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48814975

Getting older - NOT amateur radio

Late last year I turned 70. I am not sure if this is because I am getting (got?) old, but things feel somehow different.

Maybe it is the realisation that I may die next year or in 25 years. My health is likely to get worse as the years progress. Maybe it is the realisation that all that I want to do cannot be achieved. Memories become more important.

Some of these feelings may be as a result of my 2013 stroke.

Live for and in the moment. What will be will be.

More trans-Atlantic 2m DX

Southgate News reports on the EI7GL blog saying that the trans-Atlantic path from Cape Verde to the Caribbean has been worked again on 2m. Not only that, but the Cape Verde Islands have been spotted in Venezuela on 2m FT8. When will we see the first 2-way QSO from Venezuela to the Cape Verde Is. on 2m?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/144-mhz-trans-atlantic-path-opens-up-again.htm#.XRiW9PZFy00 

Eddystone EC10 RX

When I was younger, I always wanted one of these. In the late 1960s they retailed for £48. They were, I think, the first transistorised communications receiver Eddystone made. The RX used OC171 germanium transistors and a low IF. Actually they were useless! The only good thing was the wonderful Eddystone dial.

A friend of mine had a dad who worked for Eddystone and he managed to get me a pre-production Mk 1 EC10. The entire 10m band covered about 1cm of dial and the image rejection must have been almost non-existent. By today's standards it was a useless RX. Mine was mainly used on 160m and 80m and as a tunable IF for 2m.

Even today I think they still command good prices on eBay, although this must be for collectors rather than performance.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/ec10

6m FT8 RX

This morning there is lots of Es on 6m FT8. Stations are being spotted from all over Europe with best DX on 6m FT8 RX  EA8DBM (3016km). Still no "real DX" on my modest set-up.  So far 65 stations spotted on 6m and it is just 0833z.

UPDATE 1010z: Now 94 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX this morning. As before, no "real DX"

UPDATE 1330z: Now 99 stations in 17 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1345z: It seems the Es opening on 6m must have ended. No more spots now for some time.

UPDATE 1612z: With just 100 stations spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX, I think the Es opening earlier has definitely ended. Es sometimes peaks again around teatime, so there is hope yet.  Nothing special here today. Nothing from the Americas or Caribbean. Nothing from Asia.

SAQ VLF (17.2kHz CW) transmission TODAY

A few times a year, the historic VLF alternator TX is fired up. Today is one of those rare times.

See  https://alexander.n.se/the-radio-station-saq-grimeton/saq-transmissions/?lang=en

Sunspots - Sunday June 30th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=3.

Interesting clouds - NOT amateur radio

When it comes to clouds I am definitely no expert!  Last evening, at about 2030z, there were some interesting clouds over "our" windmill next door, so I took a quick photo out of the lounge window. I think they are fibratus clouds, which are a form of cirrus, but as I said, I am no expert!

Front lawn - NOT amateur radio

In the heatwave last summer, part of our front lawn died and never recovered.

The rear lawn went brown, but fully recovered. It has, arguably, a bit more shade.

In the last few weeks I de-thatched the front lawn and reseeded it. Much to my surprise the seeds germinated (some in just 6 days) and the lawn already looks much better. Give it a few weeks and a grass cut and it should look quite good again.

The photo shows as it was and as it is now.

2m opening

2m has been wide open and could be good again this weekend. The map show the 2m FT8 RX DX spotted in the last 12 hours. Not bad for an omni antenna on a bungalow!

6m FT8

For about 30 minutes now I have been on 6m FT8. Initially I was on TX calling CQ with my 2.5W to the vertical omni V2000 (just G spots). I see that JA was being worked from EA8 on 6m FT8, although no JAs spotted here (again).

There is already Es on 6m with I , DL and EA8 spotted.

UPDATE 1252z: So far today 39 stations in 8 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1403z: Now 61 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Mostly EU by Es.

UPDATE 1514z: 4 North Americans now coming through on 6m FT8 RX with W2TT (5651km) currently the best DX. In total, 80 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX here.

UPDATE 1644z: Now 102 stations (8 North Americans) spotted on 6m FT8 RX today with best DX WA5ZFP (7455km) in Louisiana, USA.

UPDATE 2148z: 173 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Saturday June 29th 2019

Solar flux is 65 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

2m wide open

Stations spotting me on 

2m FT8 in the last hour.

A local friend in the village Richard G3TFX alerted me that 2m is wide open. He tells me he just worked a station in Windermere who was using a handheld and 2.5W. I decided to call CQ at 2.5W to the big-wheel with FT8. No QSOs yet (apart from 1 G), but reports from several European countries with the best report being by OZ1BEF (721km). I shall stay on RX when I go to bed. On RX best DX is SM7MMQ (930km).

UPDATE 1055z: My best report (me on TX FT8 at 2.5W to the big-wheel) is SQ6POM (1059km). 3 QSOs so far, all Gs). Off to bed so time to switch to RX only.