10m JT65

With the risk of storms low all day, I turned things back on at breakfast, but nothing on 10m JT65 as yet.

I had trouble with my shack PC initially: it refused to connect to the wi-fi and said it was not set up to automatically connect. I have never had a problem before and in the past it did! Another Windows 10 update? Anyway it is set to connect automatically again and all seems well. I checked internet time sync too.

UPDATE 0916z: I see that I was spotted in Italy on 10m JT65 by IZ0AIS (1506km) about 18 minutes ago. I assume this is Es. He spotted me again later. JT65 is a good mode, especially for me with my very poor voice. As well as beaconing, it also allows QRP QSOs. It is some 10dB better than CW, so ideal for QRP.

UPDATE 1850z:  Just a little Es today on 10m JT65 - a couple of Italians spotted me and I spotted one station in northern Spain. In addition to these, G0LRD - a local - spotted me. As there is a thunder risk tomorrow I shall go QRT tonight and disconnect everything.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday August 26th 2016

Solar flux is 80 today, little changed from yesterday. Sunspot number is 39. K=2.  The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains (yes you guessed) "poor". As yet, I have seen no Es here.

Low storm risk

According to my maps, the nearest lightning is off the coast of Yorkshire and in the Bay of Biscay, so no risk hereabouts at present. I'll stay on 10m JT65 for now but keep an eye on the storm map, ready to disconnect things if the need should arise.

UPDATE 2204z: The lightning maps show storms coming in our general direction, but still some way off. They may miss us, but I shall disconnect everything just in case.

UPDATE 2212z:  Everything is now off and disconnected, but I found the PC mains was not on so the PC went to sleep and had turned itseld and the WSJT-X software off! So the lack of Es may have been me, due to the PC not being on! Doh! Sometimes me thinks I have a very small brain. Anyway, assuming there is no storm risk tomorrow, I shall be on 10m JT65 at breakfast time.

Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It is now several weeks since I last saw (and heard) swifts overhead. I guess they have started their journeys south to warmer climes. For a few months they are an English summer. Then one day you realise they have gone. I miss them and look forward to their return next May.

I think I mentioned before that I had the rare privilege of holding a swift many years ago when one landed accidentally in the road. We kept it in a box overnight and fed it insects. The next day it just flew away. They really are lovely birds.

Farewell and safe journeying over land and sea. See you next year.

Rotten apple - NOT amateur radio

Rotten Apple

Our neighbour has a large garden with an orchard of apples and plums. This rotten apple was on the ground under one of his apple trees.

Windmill next door - NOT amateur radio

"Our" windmill

We are very lucky to have a restored windmill next door. We can see this whilst we eat breakfast and out of the lounge window. Not many have a view of a windmill. This is the view from our neighbour's garden.

Grandchildren

All being well, our "London" grandchildren are here next week. We love seeing all our grandchildren, but I shall be very exhausted by next Friday.

It means amateur radio takes a back seat for the duration, although I shall still be able to use JT65 or WSPR during the day-time. I'll probably be on 10m JT65 day-times.

Back on 10m JT65 shortly

The danger from storms seems to have gone for now, so I intend to return to 10m JT65 shortly, although I shall watch and go QRT if the danger returns.

Last night the storms were very near but they seem to have moved away to the North Sea, for now.

UPDATE 0905z: The PC, antenna and rig went back on the air at about 0900z on 10m JT65. There is Es about as Italy and Belarus have already been seen on 10m JT65. This is early, so a good sign.

UPDATE 0912z:  DO2MPS (912km) has spotted me in southern Germany, in JN58 square, already.

UPDATE 1020z:  No further Es spots on PSKreporter map as yet apart from this German. We are definitely at the back end of the Es season. There are still openings. but not on the scale of the peak months.

UPDATE 1306z: Not a single Es spot seen on PSKreporter on 10m JT65 since that German when I first switched on. My PC had gone to sleep! I am unsure if I was uploading spots or indeed if I was actually on JT65 at all! I have now "woken it up" and checked internet time is spot on. Let's see if I get any Es spots now on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1344z: Well certainly no spots since I checked sync and that the PC was awake, so I guess the 10m Es is "marginal" today.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday August 25th 2016

Solar flux is 78 today (quite low). Sunspot number is 43. K=1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is again "poor".

Thunder, so QRT

With thunder clearly audible and now rain, I have decided to go QRT and disconnect all antennas, rigs and PC including unplugging the power plugs. I shall stay off the air until all danger has passed. I do not like storms! Thankfully we do not get many.

UPDATE 2152z:  Storm has passed through, but remaining off-air overnight. The rain will do the garden some good!

No South America again on 10m JT65

There was quite reasonable Es on 10m JT65 with my QRP signal being spotted widely in central and eastern Europe. Sadly, no South American spots again today. If this path on 10m at this time of year depends on Es and F layer I guess the Es was too far east?

FTSE 250 - NOT amateur radio

Many think the FTSE 250 share index is a good guide to the health of the UK economy. Well, it is up again to 18,016.59, which is a gain of 0.19% today thus far. I am not a gambler, but it has certainly not collapsed since the BREXIT vote to leave the EU in June.

Our future is not certain, but I have the feeling the UK will be OK. As for the EU I am less sure. By the way, I voted "remain"! No, in the medium term I think the outlook for the EU is far from certain. It would not surprise me if it all fell apart within 5 years.

10m JT65

As mentioned yesterday, not everyone uploads spots to PSKreporter. Last night, quite late, there was a TF (Iceland) calling CQ, but station he was not shown on the PSKreporter map. I could only see this by looking at my PC screen.

UPDATE 1015z: Belarus and Italy spotted on 10m JT65 this morning, but neither station appear on PSKreporter. Maybe I lost internet connection at these times and they did not get uploaded? There is clearly some early Es around on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1232z: Several Es spots of my QRP JT65 now turning up on PSKreporter. We are late in the Es season, but there are still openings on 10m.

Thunderstorms?

Although we are having a spell of warm, dry, days (31deg C yesterday) and the grass is starting to turn brown in places, we have thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow.  A radio silence with rigs, antennas and PC disconnected will be needed. I do not like storms nearby. Once the danger has passed, I shall be active again.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en .

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday August 24th 2016

Solar flux is 87 today. Sunspot number is a respectable 47. K=3. The  forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".  At the moment, I have seen no sign of 10m Es.

No South America today on 10m JT65

Although there was some Es today on 10m (not much) I was not spotted in South America today. My theory is/was that I needed Es for the first hop or two, then F layer deep into South America.  I wonder what 10m conditions will be like tomorrow? It is now late in the summer so Es will get far less frequent but as we approach the equinox F layer propagation should improve. At the same time solar conditions are now declining.

Solar forecasts

It is some time since I looked in detail at the expert predictions for the rest of this solar cycle and cycle 25. The last time I looked the outlook was grim with a very small peak expected for cycle 25. I shall probably be around for the next maximum, although I doubt I shall see 10m really "humming" again in my lifetime. Of course, experts are often wrong!

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

I am no expert on climate change, man-made or natural. But, if the sunspot count is low, I think this is likely to mitigate any increase in global temperatures. It maybe the break the world needs.

HA QSO on 10m JT65

JT65 is a nice mode when one's voice is poor, like mine.  Just a few watts on 10m JT65 and a nice solid QSO with a station in Hungary, presumably via Es.  I am still hopeful that my 10m JT65 signal will reach deep into South America later.  We will see.

I have returned to beaconing mode on 10m JT65 sending "B G3XBM JO02" as this shows on PSKreporter maps.

10m Es

There has been some early Es on 10m JT65 this morning with spots of my QRP JT65 signal from Spain and Italy. It will be interesting to see how this develops and if I get copied in South America later. My theory is that my South American spots involve Es for the first hop(s) with F layer over the equator.

UPDATE 1125z: The 10m Es seems to be moving towards eastern Europe and Scandinavia now with my signal being spotted in Hungary and Finland and I have copied Ukraine.

UPDATE 1306z: It pays to check the PC as not everyone uploads to PSKreporter maps. Yesterday I copied EA6 and today I was spotted in Norway but neither showed up on PSKreporter.

Not after a sympathy vote - NOT amateur radio

Outwardly I look fine. Just about everyone who sees me says, "you do look well". Looks can be deceptive as I find speaking hard work, drinking difficult and I have felt giddy and sick for over 2.5 years. Outwardly I look fully recovered. On the inside I feel unwell. I remember how I was, which makes it worse. No, sadly I can do little of what I could before my stroke.

If you see someone who looks well, think how they might really be. Often disabilities can be deceptive: some you can see whereas others you cannot. Mine is the latter kind.

I am not after sympathy: it is a fact of life that I have to deal with. All I am asking is think and do not judge others prematurely.

Sunspots and 10m -Tuesday August 23rd 2016

Solar flux is 81 today and sunspot number 33. K=2. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". We are all hoping for slightly better 10m conditions in the autumn, but don't hold your breath.

2m RSGB Contest - Sept 3/4th 2016

Not quite sure why, but I always seem to miss VHF contests apart from the UKAC sessions on Tuesdays!  I usually find out too late.

All being well I shall be on for some of this one, the weekend after this. At one time VHF NFD was the first week in September, but the RSGB did a change some years ago. This is just 2m now. It should be a good chance to work a few new squares.

Home? - NOT amateur radio

Soar Mill Cove, Devon

This is near where I come from in South Devon, UK. For several years my dad was running a job creation scheme maintaining the coastal path near here. He has 2 seats in his memory. This was probably his favorite spot on Earth.  It is a wonderful spot. I managed to see it again earlier this year.

There is a fabulous coastal walk from Hope Cove to Salcombe running through here. Cornwall is visible in the far distance beyond Rame Head.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report (August 15 to 21, 2016)
Visitors  of  the week: OH6NPV, US3EN, UR0ET, Z35M/p, UA1CEG, HB9DAX, ON6KZ,  G3XJS,  RV3GM,  TF/RA1M,  RU3NJC, LA8BCA/p, OK/DL2DXA, DF6ZX, EW1CY,  EA7EGU, UA9MLY, RV3UF, IT9IFI, R2FAE, G0IIR, GW0EVV/p, EA8YV, DK3WX, R8WC, UR5EFD, OK1KW, SP9XCJ, DM2BRF/p, EA5AHN/p, I5OWT, IZ5IOU, DL5ZP, US5ERQ, UA1CEX, R4NX, UA1ADF, F8BJK/p, YO9CB/p
Full lists of all Visitors and Frequenters at the Club 72 page.

DL2DXA,  RV3UF,  EA8YV became Honor Frequenters of "rendezvous" round
tables - Congrats!

Enjoy Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report including comments and pictures -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

5MHz allocations

Several administrations have now granted access to the WRC15 15kHz wide amateur allocation at 5MHz. Eventually this will be a worldwide allocation.

In CEPT countries, I really wish they would allocate a contiguous 100kHz wide band. 15kHz is very narrow and I for one am confused by the multiple narrow "channels". A 100kHz wide band would be so much better.

End of the Es Season

We are now seeing days with little or no Es (sporadic E) propagation on 10m and 6m. The "season" is all but over. As years go, this has not been great, but most days have seen openings to somewhere in Europe.

It never actually ends, but the number of openings declines dramatically and it is easy to miss the times when they do occur. This is where WSPR and JT modes would prove so useful as long as people stay on the bands and don't go to lower bands for more easy pickings. There is a small peak around New Year (I don't know why) but we'll have to wait until May 2017 for Es to really get going again. With 10m F2 in decline these Es openings will be the lifeblood of bands like 10m.

As I have said before, don't dismiss 10m for local contacts. A small vertical, a few watts, FM and you will reliably work 30km. On SSB,CW, or even better modes like JT65 or JT9-1 and you will work 100km or a lot more. In the quiet years 10m behaves more like a VHF band, but there are wide open spaces, so almost any mode is possible.

UPDATE 0815z: It is still very early for Es, but nothing seen here yet today on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1246z: Just one Es spot of me today, so far, from IZ0AIS (1506km). We are definitely seeing less Es than in the last few months.

UPDATE 1617z: With just a single Es spot all day today, so far on 10m, I think it unlikely I shall be spotted outside Europe on 10m JT65 today. I wonder what 10m will be like this autumn? Will there be much F2 propagation? It is a battle between declining solar conditions and improving HF conditions as we leave summer. I am pretty sure there will be far fewer USA openings on 10m this year than in the last few years. There will be the odd opening, but we cannot expect things to be "humming" exactly.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday August 22nd 2016

Solar flux is 76 today. Sunspot number is 11 (still falling). K= 1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

A picture of a brimstone (?) butterfly on the sweet peas. Taken a few weeks ago at Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust house a few miles to the east of Cambridge, UK.

Feeling Unwell - NOT amateur radio

Since my stroke, nearly 3 years ago now, I have felt giddy when on my feet. I tire easily but I am not sure if this is a separate issue or as a result of feeling giddy. To be honest, I have not felt well now for almost 3 years. My health has prevented me doing so much. Yes, compared with many, I know I have come off lightly. But, I know how I was and the frustration is so great.  All my field work is on hold and most antenna work is impossible without the help of others. I am very grateful for the help that has been so generously given, but I would prefer to be able to do this myself. Life can be cruel, but my energy is better focused on making the best of what I have and not hoping to be fully mended and as I once was.

QSYed to 10m WSPR and 6m JT65

I have now moved to 6m JT65 (FT817 and PC) and gone onto 10m WSPR using the stand-alone W5OLF WSPR beacon on 10m.

UPDATE 0952z:  All quiet so far on both 10m and 6m here. No spots as yet on either band.

UPDATED 1212z: No Es seen here on either band so far today. A few G spots of me on 6m JT65 and I have spotted G0LFF in IO90 square on 6m JT65. If my theory about 10m propagation to South America is right (see yesterday) then it is unlikely I'll reach South America today on 10m JT65. I shall probably stop 10m WSPR in the next hour and QSY from 6m JT65 to 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1240z: I have now gone QRT on 6m and am transmitting and receiving 10m JT65 rather than WSPR. I noticed a few ONs and an LX calling CQ on 6m JT65 according to my PC, but these stations were not uploaded to PSKreporter - I probably briefly lost internet connectivity. These were probably received by aircraft reflections or tropo. Our internet connection is flaky today. It recently disappeared then reappeared.

UPDATE 1542z: Just G4CJC (73km) spotted on 10m JT65 so far since the EA6 much earlier.

UPDATE 1856z:  No Es today. No South America today either. OK, the sunspot number was much lower but I am sure that, at this time year, I need Es to link with F layer propagation further south to reach central or lower South America on 10m JT65.

10m Es

EA6FG (1415km) in the Balearic Is was spotted not long ago on 10m JT65. As there is early Es, I may QSY to 6m JT65 until mid-afternoon. As yet, no-one has seen my 10m JT65 although I am QRP.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday August 21st 2016

Solar flux is 78 today. Sunspot number is 12 (falling). K= 1. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

23cms the inexpensive way

A very very long time ago I went on 23cms RX with a homemade 4el yagi (tiny, indoors) and borrowed RX converter. This must have been about 1976 or 1977.

There is an relatively inexpensive way of getting on the band (transceive) if you have an FT817 or FT290 to drive it using an SG-LAB transverter. The transverter is about £140 and is made in Bulgaria. Output on TX is a useful 2W. This set-up could be ideal for portable use.

See http://gm1sxx.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/that-elusive-23cms-beacon-gb3csb.html .
See http://www.sg-lab.com/TR1300/tr1300.html .

Yaesu at the Tokyo Ham Fair

It looks like there are no nice surprises from Yaesu, sadly. I think all these radios are ones we have seen before.

South America (again) on 10m

With good Es in Europe I am beginning to think my 10m JT65 South American spots (I have just been spotted in Paraguay again and have spotted a station in Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a mix of Es and some variety of F layer propagation. I am no propagation expert but think equatorial spread-F may be a factor? It seems more than coincidental that all my South American JT65 spots on 10m have been on days with good European Es. I am thinking that Es is linking with some sort of F layer propagation nearer the equator.  Equatorial spread-F is meant to occur after sunset.

There are several papers on equatorial spread-F, so I suggest you Google these if you are interested.

UPDATE 1728z: No further South American spots this evening on 10m JT65, well not so far. No further Es either.

Beacons - some useful data

You may not have seen this comment, so I have reproduced it here:

Hi Roger,

GB3VHF (2m), GB3UHF (70cm), GB3BAA (6m) & GB3SEE (10GHz) are always good signals into the SUWS WEB SDR, so you can check their on-air status anytime.

http://websdr.suws.org.uk/

Many other UK and European beacons are also audible when conditions are good.
 
Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

SUWS is Southampton University, where I nearly did a PhD in 1971. This would have been with Dr Ryecroft in VLF space physics. Still, I did get to lunch with Josselyn Bell who first discovered pulsars. In the end I stayed in industry, but often wonder how life would have been had I done the PhD.

Dragonflies - NOT amateur radio

Black-tailed Skimmer?

This must be the season for dragonflies as we saw loads at Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge today. Most were flying, so hard to photograph. This one was very obliging! The dahlia garden there is now open.

10m Es today

The Belarus station EU7FBB (1931km) was spotted very early (and he spotted me) and there has been widespread Es on 10m JT65 already. This is encouraging.  Best DX on receive JT65 is a station in Finland and it is only 0908z!

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday August 20th 2016

Solar flux is 79 today. Sunspot number is 37 (K=2). The F2 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor" yet again.

ICOM IC7610

Although likely to be far too expensive for me, ICOM is expected to launch the IC7610 transceiver at this year's Tokyo Ham Fair. They may well have already done so. This is an SDR version like a IC7300 on steroids.