Sunspots - Friday October 6th 2017

Solar flux is 85 today and the sunspot number is 26.  A=7 and K=3.

A good MF night

Last night I was on 630m WSPR RX. After some mysteries with the charger on my PC, I was on through the night with the PC running on its internal battery. This lasted until after 0500z, so most of the session. I am now on 10m FT8 RX with the PC battery charging. Noise does not seem to be an issue on 10m.

In all. 13 unique MF spots with a couple of stations new for this season.

QSY to MF WSPR RX

At about 2025z I switched to 630m WSPR RX from 10m FT8 RX. The rig and PC will be monitoring through the night once again. If previous nights are typical, I can expect to spot the same stations again! Every morning, I hope to see some new ones, but I am always disappointed.

UPDATE 2105:  No spots yet received on MF. I suspected my rig and PC settings, but all looks fine. By now, I was expecting several Europeans to be coming through. Another check is in order. Or are more giving up on MF WSPR?

UPDATE 2128z: Well, I do not understand it. Turning off the PC's charger resulted in spots, yet I have been getting plenty of spots with this on on previous nights. The noise floor drops about 4 S points with the charger off and the noise floor did seem a bit higher than previous nights. It is almost as if there is a threshold above which decodes do not occur. Puzzling. Anyway, I am monitoring with the PC on its internal battery. This should be OK until breakfast or just before. I have seen one new one this season PA0MLC (394km).

UK pound against major currencies - NOT amateur radio

Today, the UK pound has lost value against all the major world currencies. This may be because of the Prime Minister's speech yesterday and the feeling that we are a bit rudderless. It looks like we are due for a leadership contest in the governing Conservative Party or even another General Election.

10m dead?

So far today, these are what I have spotted here on 10m FT8 with my indifferent antenna. Hardly a dead band! I think much is TEP.

UPDATE 2018z: LU2XP (13308km) was the best DX spotted here today on 10m FT8 along with several other South Americans.

Toadflax - NOT amateur radio

This was growing wild just a few metres from our bungalow. It must have flowered very recently as I'd not seen it before today.

See https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/10295/Linaria-vulgaris/Details

630m WSPR overnight

9 unique spots on 630m WSPR, but yet again, the same stations spotted with best DX Italy at 1190km.

Sunspots - Thursday October 5th 2017

Solar flux is 85 today and the sunspot number 27. A=5 and K=1.

10m FT8 RX

For a change, I am on 10m FT8 RX this morning and not on 10m WSPR TX and 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 0950z: G4CJC (73km) in N. London spotted. I must be looking on the right frequency then!

UPDATE 1200z: Lots of stations from all over Europe plus a couple in Israel and ZS6C (9123km). All 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1218z: Now 2 South Africans in the Johannesburg area spotted on 10m FT8. Now 13 countries in 3 continents spotted on 10m FT8 today!

UPDATE 1615z: Now Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil being spotted on 10m FT8.

630m WSPR RX

Yet again I am monitoring 630m WSPR RX. Best DX is LA8AV (1035km). Yet again, I am spotting the same stations.

Unless things change, I am going to try other bands and modes. Tomorrow I may give 10m FT8 a try during the day. On MF I am not sure what to try.

6m FT8 RX and 10m WSPR TX

Following my usual daytime pattern, I am active on these bands. As yet, no spots, although it is only 0850z.

UPDATE 2018z: On 10m WSPR I was spotted very frequently by EA8BFK (2880km) and in Germany and Denmark. On 6m FT8 I spotted a couple of Gs as well as S51AT (1250km).

630m WSPR overnight

A disappointing night on MF with just 5 unique spots. What is more disappointing is I am spotting the same stations. Again, the best DX was IW4DXW (1190km).

Sunspots - Wednesday October 4th 2017

Solar flux is 86 today and the sunspot number 25. A=8 and K=3.

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

Whilst at Anglesey Abbey earlier, we saw this butterfly. I am not sure of the type. Perhaps someone else in the UK can help ID it? It was smaller than a cabbage white (about 60%).

UPDATE 2145z: Apparently it is a speckled wood, which is quite common.

630m WSPR RX

Since the 2m UKAC, I have been on 630m WSPR RX using the coax to my big-wheel 2m antenna as my 630m antenna. So far, just the same stations copied with LA8AV (1035km) as the best DX.

2m activity contest tonight

As this is the first Tuesday of the month, tonight is the 2m UKAC contest organised by the RSGB. It starts at 1900z and finishes at 2130z. Because of my poor voice, I usually stay on for only 20-60 minutes. This is a very friendly "contest".  As I usually get less than 10 contacts with my 5W SSB and omni antenna, I transcribe my log and enter the 10W and lower section. I have always found people helpful and understanding of my voice disability. Activity levels are high.

UPDATE 2026z: 10 contacts with the best DX being IO82 square. In the end I managed 70 minutes. Best QSO was G1YBB/P at 229km near the Welsh border.

Sour grapes? - NOT amateur radio

At the moment the EU seems to want to play "hard ball" with the UK over Brexit. Personally, I think it is in the interest of most in the EU to reach a good settlement.

Many of us in the UK only wanted Brexit so we could keep control over our population: we are a small island with limited space and resources. Like many, I actually voted to remain in the EU, even though it was/is far from perfect.

No, personally, I think the hard EU line is because they are peeved we are leaving and will no longer contribute money to the project. EU nations need our trade. We will be free to trade with the world on our terms.

EU - get real!

World Wide Web? - NOT amateur radio

This beautiful spider's web was seen at Anglesey Abbey this morning. Some people have a totally irrational fear of spiders. Certainly here in the UK they are mostly harmless. Like daddy longlegs, I think they are fun. We have quite a few in the bath at this time of year and we had one in the lounge a few days ago about 5cm (2 inches) long, if you include legs. These all get put out of the window.

Surrey ARC newsletter

When I first saw this on Southgate News I assumed this was Surrey, UK. Actually it is Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

See https://goo.gl/iBHyhE

Overnight on 630m WSPR RX

Not a bad night on MF, with a new station this autumn. ON7ZO (355km) is new I think. Best DX was IW4DXW (1190km).

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Well, since before breakfast I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. EA8BFK (2880km) has been spotting me now for over an hour, but nothing else. I suspect the path to the Canary Is is F2 propagation and that Es will be much rarer now at this time of year.

UPDATE 1738z: EA8BFK (2880km) was spotting me again from 1728z. The reports are getting progressively stronger. This must be F2.

6m MSK144 RX

As I was told most European activity was still around 50.280MHz this is where I looked this morning. When I checked it said, "WSJT-X.exe has stopped working", so I'm not sure if my software has stopped or just that there were few stations! Anyway, I reset the software and have swapped to FT8 RX on 6m now.

OFCOM

OFCOM has just provided an update.

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/CB0BC07AFD24C6FF2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Sunspots - Tuesday October 3rd 2017

Solar flux is 86 today. Sunspot number is 25. A=7 and K=3.

10m and 6m until this evening, then 630m WSPR RX

Even though both 10m and 6m have been poor here today, I'll probably stay on both until 1900z. At that time I join the East Cambs net on 144.575MHz FM. 10m WSPR uses a different antenna and rig, so could remain on longer.

At about 1930z, I shall probably switch from 6m FT8 RX to 630m WSPR RX.

There have been 12 unique 630m WSPR spots here in the last week.

UPDATE 1610z: Well unless things dramatically change in the next few hours, this is probably my worst day on 10m and 6m for some time. One station spotted all day and that was a G in SE London on 6m FT8. Absolutely no spots of my 10m WSPR 500mW beacon.

UPDATE 1800z: Lots of spots of my little beacon again by EA8BFK (2880km) at teatime. I think this is F2 as it seems to happen at the same time most evenings. At times, signals were very strong. Signals are still being spotted, but getting weaker in the Canary Is.. At the moment this opening has lasted over 2 hours. At 1810z I was still getting reports from EA8BFK.

UPDATE 2015z: The last spot of my 500mW WSPR beacon in the Canary Is. on 10m was at 1844z, so the opening was about 3 hours long! Since about 1900z I have been on 630m WSPR RX where the best DX is (again) LA8AV (1035km). So far this evening, no new stations on MF.

Hollyhocks - NOT amateur radio

Today I dug out our impatiens (busy Lizzy) in readiness to plant primroses there over the winter. Most of the impatiens were well past their best. Once the frosts come, that will be it. Primroses give colour all winter and need little attention.

Our hollyhocks did well this year and they are still flowering, so these will not be cut back just yet. Our tomatoes have done well too. Our sweet peas were disappointing.

Summer here in the UK started warm and dry. In later months it has been less great.

Slowly declining solar conditions

September was a bit of a surprise, with quite respectable solar flux and sunspots. Nonetheless, on average we are still very much on the downside of the solar cycle with some years before we hit the bottom.

It is some time since I last checked the predictions for the next peak, but they were disappointing, so we may not see much of a peak. Always remember these are averages and the odd day may be much better. The trouble is many desert the higher bands assuming they are no good, so DX gets missed.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .
See also http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-sten-odenwald/waiting-for-the-next-suns_b_11812282.html.

10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m FT8 RX

Although I have been active on these bands/modes since before breakfast, no spots on either band as yet.

UPDATE 1215z: Still no spots today.

UPDATE 1344z: Just 2E0CIT (94km) on 6m FT8 spotted today. Otherwise nothing.

Valves

Facebook regularly shows memories of years past. One popped up yesterday showing a CW valve TX that G6ALB build some years ago.

He did not feel confident on the key, so I operated.

On 15m this little 400mW rig got a response to the very first CQ call from a W. We nearly all fell off our seats.

I have to confess that I have never built a valve rig. Andrew G6ALB keeps trying to persuade me.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

Well, I am not sure where the time is going. Already we are getting strong winds and there is definitely a chill in the air as we enter autumn.

Leaves have started to gather on the lawns. Blink and the days will be getting lighter. In the meantime let us all enjoy the now. Every season brings its own beauty.

Sunspots - Monday October 2nd 2017

Solar flux is 84 today and the sunspot number 34. A=11 and K=4.

630m WSPR RX overnight

Not a bad night with 10 unique spots and best DX LA8AV (1035km).

QSYed to 630m WSPR RX

As of about 10 minutes ago I have gone QRT on 10m and 6m. I am now on 630m WSPR RX. It is quite early and no-one spotted as yet.

UPDATE 1956z: 4 spots so far with LA8AV (1035km) as the best DX so far tonight.

IARU Region 1 Conference

Southgate News reports on the IARU Region 1 Conference in Germany last month. Sadly, the link does not work, so I have added it here. A reminder that the next WRC meeting is in 2019, so lobby your national society now.

See https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/downloads/func-startdown/977/

Chesterfield - NOT amateur radio

On the train to Liverpool last week, we went through Chesterfield, Derbyshire with its crooked church spire. This is clearly visible from the train.  just on the south side of the station.

I think the timbers warped after it was erected.

It makes quite a talking point. I don't think any other UK church has such a spire.

10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m FT8 RX

Since before breakfast I have been on these bands/modes.

Nothing spotted yet on 6m, but I see my little 10m WSPR beacon (500mW) was copied by G4KPX (14km) and IU1DZZ (973km) earlier. This beacon is totally stand-alone (does not need a PC) and is smaller than a pack of cards. It has been copied on every continent including Antarctica and Australia. Amazing.

UPDATE 1050z: M0SSK (75km) was the first station spotted on 6m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1246z: G1IDZ (182km) was the second station spotted on 6m FT8 earlier today.

UPDATE 1628z: PA5WT (294km) is the best spot today on 6m FT8. No further 10m WSPR spots since early this morning.

Sunspots - Sunday October 1st 2017

Solar flux is 88 today and the sunspot number 39. A=16 and K=3.

630m WSPR RX overnight

Not a bad night with 7 unique stations spotted with best DX being LA8AV (1035km). DH5RAE (995km) was spotted for the first time this season, I think.

Chinese UHF handhelds

So, how do they do it? You can now buy a pair of UHF handhelds with free airmail shipping for £13.86 a pair. Somehow, a profit is made too.

How long have ICOM, Yaesu and the other Japanese manufacturers got? Just a few years and the Chinese will wipe them out. The best I can see is they design in Japan, but make in China. The more likely scenario is they decide there is no longer money in amateur radio products and they just stop being in this market altogether. I can see this happening within a few years.

At the moment ICOM seem to be most likely to survive. The future does not look good.

Catalonia vote - NOT amateur radio

Although I am unclear about all the facts, the fact Catalonians in Spain are voting about independence says a lot. What is more disturbing is the heavy-handedness of the police. The outlook does not look great for Spain if this is how they want to be seen in the world.