Late, late swifts - NOT amateur radio

Quite unexpectedly, a couple of swifts were seen in the sky above us as we ate tea in the garden this evening. Also, some young swallows were seen, but usually these are around for few more weeks, whereas most swifts have already gone south.

It would not (now) entirely surprise me to see swifts in early September. A few weeks ago I'd have said impossible.

Late summer day - NOT amateur radio

Today was a lovely, warm, late summer day. We had lunch in the garden and did a few gardening jobs later.

I like the seasons: they all have something good about them. The summer flowers are past their best, but soon we'll have the glorious colours of autumn.

This year our crab apple tree is filled with crab apples. Usually a friend of my wife turns them in to delicious crab apple jelly.

House Martins - NOT amateur radio

This year, we seem to have had plenty of swifts (now gone south) but fewer swallows and house martins. Mind you, we saw lots of house martins (100+ ?) at Castle Acre yesterday. A few more weeks and these will be off too.

The house martins were in the air and resting on the roof on the left. I hope you can make them out in the photo. You may have to click the photo.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/h/housemartin/

Sunspots - Saturday August 26th 2017

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot number 39. A=5 and K=1.

Rally on Bank Holiday Monday

28 AUGUST 2017 : HUNTINGDONSHIRE ARS RALLY
Ernulf Academy, Barford Road, St Neots PE19 2SH. Doors open at 7am for traders and 9am for the public. Admission is £3 with free parking. Catering including hot meals and drinks are available on site. There will be an RSGB bookstall. More from Malcolm, M0OLG on 01480 214 282 or by email to events@hunts-hams.co.uk

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

6m FT8 RX

After a rather disappointing evening on 472kHz WSPR with just PA3ABK/2 (306km) spotted, I have returned to 6m FT8 RX. So far, 3 stations spotted - a couple of Gs and one station in northern France. The latter could well have been aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2125z: Quite a good Es day as the photo shows. Surprisingly good really.

Back on 472kHz WSPR RX

I have moved to 472kHz WSPR RX having been on 50.280MHz MSK144 RX most of the day. Last evening results were far better than I expected on MF with my compromise antenna.

UPDATE 2015z: Just PA3ABK/2 (306km) spotted so far.

Rally this Sunday

27 AUGUST 2017 : MILTON KEYNES ARS RALLY.
The Irish Centre, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley MK2 2HX (opposite Dobbies) Doors open at 10am. Contact is Tim Cowell, G6GEI on 07976 262 497 or email renegade62@hotmail.co.uk

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk - NOT amateur radio

Castle Acre is a jewel. It is an oasis of calm. The priory there dates back to Norman times, but was sacked in the reign of King Henry VIII.

Sadly, many of the world's treasures have been lost forever by the people of today thinking they know best. However much we may hate some things, we have no right to destroy them. They should remain so that future generations can make up their minds, not have them decided for them.

Last evening on 630m WSPR RX

Well, I was amazed. My antenna was just the feeder to my 2m big-wheel with a mains earth. In all 7  unique stations were spotted with the best DX EA5DOM (1525km). And this was despite my S8 noise floor!

Sunspots - Friday August 25th 2017

Solar flux is 80 today and the sunspot number 43. A=11 and K=1.

6m MSK144 (50.280MHz)

As the Es season is drawing to a close, I am monitoring 6m MSK144. So far this morning, just EA1YV (1320km) spotted.

First steps again on 630m WSPR RX

As the autumn and winter are approaching, I've made my first tentative steps back on to 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX.

What I had forgotten was the high noise level on RX from my PC's charger. In addition to this, I seem to have a very high external noise level too now.

For now, the PC is on battery power and I have loaded up my coax to my 2m big-wheel. This is far from ideal. We'll see if this gets any spots this evening.

UPDATE 1930z: M0FMT (51km) is my first 630m WSPR spot this autumn. Despite all the noise, it works! Currently, my 630m noise is reading S8.

UPDATE 2034z: GM3YXM (425km) just copied on 630m WSPR.

UPDATE 2112z: So far, with a very indifferent set-up, 4 unique spots this evening so far on 630m WSPR.

No Es today?

As far as I am aware, today is the first day in many months in which no Es has been spotted here on 10m and 6m. OK there is still time for an opening, but at the moment it seems unlikely. This points to the end of what has been a good Es season.

As I have said many times, we will still get Es openings, but far less often. Also, people hungry for easy QSOs, will go lower down the spectrum. Even I expect to start on 630m shortly.

Sadly, I think we have seen the best of Es until next spring. There is a smaller peak around New Year and there will be the occasional openings at other times too.

With F layer DX getting much rarer than a few years ago on 10m, we will have to seek other ways of DXing on the higher bands. FT8 seems a good mode and I have been impressed how much DX can be copied on 6m MSK144 via meteors at any part of the solar cycle. My 6m antenna is just a V2000 omni vertical fed via cheap CB coax. I think I have copied European DX on 6m every time I have tried 6m MSK144.

Migration - NOT amateur radio

Personally, I have no problem with the UK (or for that matter any country) deciding who can live, learn or work here. We are a tiny, overcrowded island. We will still want people to come here to study and work, but we should have the last word, not the EU.

By the way, I voted to "remain" in the EU in the referendum last year. Personally I think most "leave" voters were worried about this issue rather than anything else. Dare I say many who voted "leave" were rather simple minded and just wanted the UK of the 1950s back again? Sorry, this is NOT going to happen, ever.

According to official figures out today, net migration is lower but still way above government targets.

Blip? - NOT amateur radio

Against most currencies, the UK Pound has appreciated today so far. OK the UK Pound had fallen in recent days. It remains to be seen whether this is a blip.

10m WSPR TX

Yet again, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) although I have received no spots so far. I have been active since before breakfast. I shall keep plugging away.

UPDATE 1133z: Still no 10m WSPR spots so far.

UPDATE 1328z: Still no 10m WSPR spots here all day. Es mainly over?

6m FT8 today

So far, just M0AAX (94km) spotted on 6m FT8, with no signs of early Es. This could have been aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1135z: 3 G spots so far and no Es.

Sunspots - Thursday August 24th 2017

Solar flux is 85 today and the sunspot number 40. A=25 and K=3.

Definitely the end of the Es season

It comes and goes, but there is little doubt in my mind that the main Es season in the Northern Hemisphere has ended. Openings are still occurring, but Es is less common now than a few months ago.

QRT on all bands and thoughts of MF

At about 1930z I decided to go QRT on all bands.

It will soon be time to return to 472kHz WSPR. This autumn and winter I may concentrate on 472kHz RX and for this I need a better antenna. G3WCB, who moved to South Devon when he retired, has had good results with a small loop. Ideas!

Wrong? - NOT amateur radio

Many times I have said that I am most definitely not a financial expert.

My gut told me that the UK Pound would appreciate against the Euro. At the moment the exchange rate is worse than at any time in the last year. So, if you followed my advice you would be completely wrong! I am only going on gut feelings.

My gut still tells me that I will be right, but only time will tell.

Quiet Coffee - NOT amateur radio

Whilst my wife was busy spending, I opted for a coffee and sandwich in a Bury-St-Edmunds bookshop café reading one of the mags I'd just bought on a market stall.

Grumpy old man syndrome - NOT amateur radio

As I get older I seem to be less tolerant of stupid "jobs worth" people. I have several examples.

• The driver of a Cambridge Park and Ride bus who refused to take a £5 note which was legal tender, saying the note was no longer valid - he was wrong.
• A friend was refused service in a supermarket because his £20 note had a very small tear.
• British Gas, who rang me to set up an appointment for smart meters, yet no-one turned up.
• The bank cashier who could not read what was clearly stated on the cheque about which account the money should be paid in to.
• Having to wait ages to have an order taken in a restaurant, then waiting ages to get served. You had the feeling you were an inconvenience. In the USA I have always felt valued.

etc..

In my work days, such incompetence would have led to instant dismissal. Maybe I am getting grumpier, but surely it is not too much to expect decent service. All I am asking for is for people to treat their customers properly, not with total incompetence. These days, we seem to hit a wall of stupid people who are totally incompetent and unable to think. Surely, if people cannot do a job they should go and make way for people who can?

10m WSPR TX

Although I shall probably have to disconnect everything because of approaching storms, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW). No spots as yet and no Es seen here.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

UPDATE 1528z: It could be because I had just turned on and w
as drifting, but I noticed a  lot of drift on my Es spots on 10m this afternoon.

UPDATE 1900z: It looks like there will be just 4 unique spots on 10m WSPR today. Definitely near the end of the Es season.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 23rd 2017

Solar flux is 85 today and sunspot number is 48. A=22 and K=4.

6m FT8 RX

We seem to be coming to the end of the Es season. It is getting harder now, although there is still Es about.  I am again on 6m FT8 RX, ever hopeful! At the moment just G spots and one station in northern France that may have come in via aircraft reflection rather than Es.

UPDATE 1315z: Having returned from shopping, I have switched everything back on. Es spots from southern and eastern Europe on 6m FT8. There was a threat of storms, but that seems to have passed.

UPDATE 1902z: 10 stations in 6 countries today on 6m FT8. Most were by Es I think.

Optical NLOS work

One of my interests before my 2013 stroke was optical communications over the horizon - non line of sight (NLOS).

Although I briefly tried a few years ago, I was still too wobbly, so had to give up. Sadly, I still feel giddy when on my feet, so further optical experiments are on hold for the time being. Others have continued the work and one thing worth trying is using infra-red, which many say is better for NLOS than red LEDs.

At some point I do hope my health improves so that I can resume these tests. Test gear is simple (easier than microwaves) and this really pushes the boundaries - true experimentation.

East Cambs 2m FM net

A reminder that at 8pm (clock time) on Mondays we hold an East Cambs net on 144.575MHz FM (One four four point five seven five megahertz).  If there is QRM we moved down around 25 or 50kHz.

Usually there are 2 or 3 on but everyone is welcome. We usually finish around 8.30pm. This is not a highly technical net and conversations vary from what we did the week before (ATV, WSPR, JT65, FT8, etc.) to gardens, model boats, trains - well anything!

Stations are in the Cambridge and East Cambridgeshire areas with vertical polarisation.

Put it in your diary.

6m FT8

Yesterday was disappointing with very little Es. Since breakfast time I have been on 6m FT8 hoping today will be better. As we are now at the end of the Es season, openings are likely to be less frequent. As yet (0842z) no spots.

UPDATE 1102z: Just Gs spotted so far with no Es as yet.

UPDATE 1226z: EA1YV (1320km) in Galicia, N.Spain was the first Es spot on 6m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1546z: So far, 5 countries spotted on 6m FT8 today: England, France, Germany, Finland and Spain. Mostly Es.

UPDATE 2110z: In the end 7 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Yesterday was very disappointing with very little Es on the band here. I am back on 10m WSPR TX again, hoping for better results today. So far, no spots.

On Monday I was even hopeful of some F2 DX, but no-one spotted me outside of Europe on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1102z:  With 9 unique 10m WSPR spots so far, today is proving quite a good Es day. Spots are from all over including, Italy, Germany, Poland and Belarus. This late in the season, Es seems to be better on the lower frequencies; as yet it has not reached 6m here.

UPDATE 1602z: Now 13 unique 10m WSPR spots today. OY1OF (1164km) has spotted me many times at up to +6dB S/N i.e. very strong.

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

We live right next door to a restored windmill. Here it was earlier this month with a stormy sky. Our grandchildren think the front of the windmill grounds are part of our garden.

Sunspots - Tuesday August 22nd 2017

Solar flux is 91 today (good) and the sunspot number 43 (pretty good). A=10 and K=5.

Eastern European Storms - NOT amateur radio

The last time I checked most of the severe storms were over eastern Europe and Scandinavia. There was nothing over the UK.

Ever since a work colleague suffered a direct strike many years ago I have always been wary of electrical storms. His was a very ordinary house in a very ordinary estate. He certainly was not isolated and on a hill. OK, the chances are low, but I try to minimise my risks.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

2017: where did it go? - NOT amateur radio

They say as you get older, time appears to go faster. Indeed! It is already well into August and this year seems to have sped by. It is already over 2 months since the longest day and already the nights are drawing in. We'll blink and it will be the shortest day.

I try to enjoy every season, as there is something good about each, although my favourite time is the spring with the promise of longer and warmer days ahead. Still, enjoy the now.

VE7SL

When others are "into" many things, I sit up. One good example is Steve, VE7SL in western Canada. He seems to be keen on many things and reading about what he gets up to is always interesting. He has a keen interest in 630m and lightwaves, both close to my heart. He is "into" lots besides, which is why his blogs are so interesting.

See http://ve7sl.blogspot.co.uk/

End of the Es season?

Today has been much quieter on 10m and 6m, so I think the Es season in the northern hemisphere is coming to its end. There will still be Es openings, but these will be a lot less often. For example, yesterday on 6m FT8 I spotted loads of countries, but today has been quite quiet. On 10m WSPR just a couple of Es spots from Spain.

A photo a day - NOT amateur radio

For several years now I have taken a photo every day as a kind of visual diary. It is quite interesting to look back several years to the day and see what we were doing.

Usually I try to put things we were doing, unless I have gaps. It costs $19.99 a year if you want privacy and extra albums, but otherwise is totally free if you don't mind others looking. Most of my photos are not great artistic works and of little interest to others. Some use this platform as a way of creating great photographic art. I don't 😉 .

See http://365project.org/g3xbm/365

6m FT8 RX

This mode never stops amazing me. Again, after a brief transceive go before breakfast, I have been RX only ever since. Several southern EU stations spotted, presumably by Es plus several Gs.

UPDATE 1920z: Apart from a couple of stations in Sardinia nothing by way of Es on 6m FT8.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Although I have been active since about 0730z, no spots as yet.

UPDATE 1048z: a  couple of spots from northern Spain, EA1KV (1304km) received.