Solar predictions

Usually, near the start of the month my favourite site for solar data has a major update. This last few weeks have seen days with high solar flux and sunspot numbers, so it will be interesting to see if forecasts have changed much.

Internet speeds - NOT amateur radio

When I first had the internet and a website (mid 1990s) my download speed was 2.5k and I had to pay for a phone connection (long distance) to London.  My website is still on the Wayback Machine. It was first created in 1996.

My download speed is now over 100M and many with full fibre have download speeds of around 500M or even greater. How times change.

One wonders what our grandchildren will experience. My father, who died in 1987, would have had no concept of the internet or mobile phones. It is impossible to conceive of something we can have no concept of at all.

Leak - NOT amateur radio

We have a leak in the pipe between the meter in the pavement and the house. It is not covered by my insurance so we are having a new pipe fitted. Tomorrow (all being well!) the plumber is coming to fit the new pipe. Oh joy! 

UPDATE 1332z:  It looks like it could be an issue with the water meter, so no new plumbing may be needed.

Still no swifts - NOT amateur radio

 

They usually arrive here soon and stay a few months. Every day I scan the skies, but nothing yet. 

Once they arrive they are very common overhead. 

Often they are heard screaming first.

Many of their traditional nest sites have gone and numbers are down. Once they arrive, I feel life is still OK.

Shetland spring - NOT amateur radio

One of my friends on 365project recently posted this photo. The idea is to post a photo each day. 

Some use it to improve their photography. We use it as a visual diary. 

It is totally free, although access may be made private for a small annual fee. 

My wife and I have each done it for 13 years. It is good to look back over the years. I love it.

630m interest waning?

Last night I was spotted by only 5 stations. I was late on but the impression I am getting is interest in the band is waning as we approach the summer.

10m WSPR at 10mW (Tuesday)

Late yesterday afternoon I decided to try 10m WSPR at 10mW which is some 13dB up on the power used in recent weeks. Spotted by EA8BFK (2880km) yesterday. I think the extra power must help. Probably stay at this power level to see how it goes in the Es season.

UPDATE 0821z:  No spots this morning.

UPDATE 1325z:  Spotted by 4 stations. Interestingly, at 10mW all 4 copied me, whereas at 500uW (0.5mW) only EA8BFK would probably have spotted me.

UPDATE 1442z:  Now 5 stations are spotting me with 10mW. Note my beacon is pre-programmed to report 0.5W, even though with the attenuator in it is actually 10mW.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 30th

Solar  flux is 138 and the SSN 88.  A=6 and K=0.

How it was

We can imagine this is how amateur radio looked 100 years ago. 

All gear was homemade back then. No Japanese or Chinese transceivers!  Real experimenters.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

 Once again I am on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. I was puzzled that nobody was spotting me then I realised: in the settings I still had the callsign used for 8m ISM. Now plenty of spots!

Muntjac deer - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon I cut our front laurel hedge.  

Suddenly a Muntjac deer appeared and I just managed a hasty photo. At one point it was only about 3m from me. 

It was near the windmill next door.

Muntjacs are quite common. Luckily, they have not managed to get into our rear garden. They are about the size of a medium sized dog. They make a very boring bark!

South Hams, where I grew up - NOT amateur radio

This is where I grew up and lived until I got a job in Cambridge. It is still very beautiful. 

This is Bolberry Down.

10m QRPP WSPR (Monday)

 My 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR is on again.  No spots.

40.680 MHz QRPP WSPR

My dipole for 8m has still to be replaced, but I am again on 40.680 MHz QRPP WSPR under ISM rules. My power is 10mW ERP.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

7 stations spotted my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR yesterday with the furthermost the north of Scotland.

Wells market last week - NOT amateur radio

 

This colourful display was in Wells market last week.

10m QRPP yesterday

 

People spotting my
500uW 10m WSPR yesterday 

Yesterday was a great day on 10m WSPR with 500uW (0.5mW) with some Es around. 

Based on these results, this tiny QRPP power should be copied across Europe when Es is good.

Map courtesy of Phil VK7JJ at WSPR Rocks!

Sunspots- Monday April 29th

 Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 119. A=6 and K=2.

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR (Sunday)

 

So far today my 500uW has been spotted by 2 stations (see table).

8m - more and more countries on TX

Yesterday a club station in Malawi was reported to be TXing on the 8m band. Several countries have issued experimental licences for the band. Some stations, where the licencing authority is rather poor, have come on the band illegally.

What is becoming clearer and clearer is that more and more countries are supportive of research at 8m. 

It seems odd to me that places like the USA and UK seem so backward on research at 8m. Just a 5kHz slot with limited power by NoV or equivalent, narrow digital only, with no interference created is surely not too much to ask?

Why the negativity?