Sibling reunion - NOT amateur radio

Since 2002, my wife has got together with her two brothers. We take it in turns to act as hosts. Long may it continue. It is good to meet up on a happy occasion. We always enjoy a nice meal, treating the hosts.

Sunspots - Thursday June 7th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number remains zero. A=6 and K=2.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 6th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 11. A=10 and K=2.

OFCOM updates

Every month OFCOM publishes its "Communications Monthly" as an update on their work. Gosh, this is a real page turner. Every page is more exciting than the last. Forget thrillers and crime fiction! Said with a lot of sarcasm. One day, maybe when I am pushing up daisies, they will get back to real work. Say 2080?

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/DA889B534ABC6DEF2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Hungary gets WRC 60m allocation

According to Southgate News, Hungarian amateurs have been allocated the WRC 5MHz band. Previously (to late last year) they had a 100kHz wide allocation.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/june/hungary-back-on-60m.htm#.Wxb5ffZFzIU .

Funerals - NOT amateur radio

At one time we went to weddings and christenings. Already this year we have gone to 4 funerals!  I guess this is part of getting older. Sadly, as you get older more and more people around our own age are dying.

Still, at least the suit gets an outing. Otherwise it would still be in the wardrobe. 😊

President Trump's UK visit - NOT amateur radio

Apparently the visit to the UK by the US president is due to happen later this summer. Especially with his tariffs on steel and aluminium he may not get the warmest of welcomes. No doubt some will welcome him, whereas others would prefer it if he stayed at home.

Special relationship??

Pirates

It is getting harder to know if stations received are genuine nowadays. With remote operation, you can be in Timbuktu yet remotely operating gear in Europe.

Also, some people run pirate stations, so one has to be very careful. Caveat emptor.

Drawing - NOT amateur radio

Not sure if this photo was on the blog recently. If it has been on before, my apologies.

It shows our younger granddaughter drawing in the garden in the May sunshine.

Sunspots - Tuesday June 5th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 11. A=5 and K=2

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

So far today, 10 different stations have spotted my little 10m WSPR TX beacon (100% TX, 500mW, random frequency).  Best DX is EA8BFK (2880km).

6m: 4 continents and 56 countries spotted in last day

6m FT8 is "humming". Yesterday alone was amazing with 56 countries spotted and some real DX to the Caribbean and South America. There is good EU Es on 6m FT8 this morning as well.

UPDATE 0845z: Amazing DX! K6CWQ (8557km) in California just spotted on 6m FT8! This cannot be multi hop Es: I am more convinced than ever this is some other E layer propagation. This station was widely spotted across Europe. As Steve (see below) points out, this could be a European pirate, sadly. If there were some USA spots, it might be more believable.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent.

Sunspots - Monday June 4th 2018

Solar flux is 73 and the sunspot number 20 today. A=10 and K=2.

Fun - NOT amateur radio

Our granddaughter put this on my wife's head and laughed!  Funny how certain things appeal to the humour of a very young child.

They grow up all too soon.

10m WSPR TX

Since early this morning I have been on 10m WSPR TX again (500mW, 100% TX, randomised frequencies).

UPDATE 1232z: So far, 20 different stations spotting me from all over Europe and North Africa. Best DX so far today on 10m WSPR is a spot by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Isles.

UPDATE 1812z: Now 36 different stations spotting my little 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today.

6m FT8

There is a lot of Es evident on 6m FT8 today. After a very brief TX session (4 G spots at 2.5W) lots of EUs spotted. So far (1111z) well over 120 different stations spotted in 26 countries. Amazing Es. Best DX A92AA (5069km) in Bahrain.

UPDATE 1645z: Best 6m FT8 RX DX is now WP4G (6803km) in Puerto Rico at 1528z. This is my first spotting of 6m FT8 from the Americas. Es today has been superb on 6m and 10m.

UPDATE 1859z: My first South American on 6m FT8 RX! YV5LI (7559km) in Brazil is now the best DX on 6m this season.

UPDATE 2120z: Haiti and The Dominican Republic now spotted. But will I spot the USA on 6m this season?

UPDATE 2008z: Best DX today on 6m FT8 RX is PV8DX (7832km).

Sunspots - Sunday June 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number 20. A=17 and K=3.

Battery Technology

Since I retired 10 years ago, I have rather lost touch with advances in battery technology.

There is no doubt that if electric cars are to really take off, then ranges have to be increase significantly (300 miles on a single charge), batteries have to get much cheaper, materials have to be commonplace and charge times have to be fast. I have not heard any real news to confirm these are progressing.

There is no doubt that a lot of research must be going on in this area for PCs, mobile phones and electric cars.

6m FT8 RX

Although there was Es quite late yesterday, nothing spotted yet on 6m FT8 today. A brief TX period (2.5W) resulted in spots from 2 local Gs. Strange that nothing received today on 6m FT8 so far, not even Gs.

UPDATE 0912z: One spot so far of IZ7TLV (1660km).

UPDATE 1435z: Apparently in the last 24 hours I have spotted stations in 43 countries on 6m FT8. Today so far, 58 stations in 18 countries.

Sunspots - Saturday June 2nd 2018

Solar flux is 74 today and the sunspot number is 22. A=26 and K=4.

Trump-Kim summit back on - NOT amateur radio

"Mr Trump said it was "a very interesting letter and at some point it may be appropriate" to share it. He later said he had not yet read it."

This was on the BBC website. I assume it is correct. It looks like the USA - North Korea summit on June 12th in Singapore is back on again.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44339003

MLS weekend deals

Yet again, MLS has some deals for the weekend.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/

2 years to next minimum

Recent relatively high sunspot numbers may lead hopeful souls to think cycle 24 has ended and we are starting cycle 25. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but it looks like we have another 2 years until the next minimum according to http://www.solen.info/solar/. It looks like the recent improvement is temporary.  No, I think 2019 and 2020 will pass before we see any real signs of things getting better. All the forecasts suggest cycle 25 will be quite poor.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/images/comparison_recent_cycles.png .

Visa hiccups - NOT amateur radio

They tell us that Visa payments failed throughout Europe today because of "network issues". Well, I hope this is true and not an elaborate hacking attempt. There are certain countries that would like to cause chaos by disrupting computer networks by cyber terrorism.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44335804

Which planet? - NOT amateur radio

Does the US president live on a different planet? In the 21st century the world is very interconnected. Oh, by the way, it is round.

It is pretty obvious his major allies will put tariffs on US goods, unless he changes his mind. Free trade? What the USA is doing is attempting pure protectionism.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44324565

10m WSPR TX

Although I have been on 10m WSPR TX (500mW, 100% TX, randomised frequencies) all morning, not a single spot ! There is Es on 6m, so this is probably down to less activity on 10m WSPR than 6m FT8 or that my antenna is not very good.

UPDATE 1350z: No spots received all day today on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1638z: Several spots of my 10m WSPR beacon by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Isles.

UPDATE 1848z: 8 unique stations have spotted my 10m WSPR beacon today so far.

UPDATE 1927z: 63 spots today on 10m WSPR.

Collecting painted pebbles and rocks - NOT amateur radio

This seems to be a nationwide craze, especially with young people. Yesterday we were visiting friends with young children and they had loads to re-hide. I saw one in Devon a few weeks ago. You find yourself looking all the time!

Another UK rally

3 JUNE 2018 : SPALDING DARS ANNUAL RALLY

New venue for 2018: Holbeach Community Sports Academy, Pennyhill Lane, Holbeach PE12 7PR. Easy access off A17, large area for boot traders, modern hall for indoor traders. Doors open 9.30am, admittance £2.50. Car boot sale, catering, flea market, RSGB book stall, special interest groups, trade stands, prize draw/raffle. Contact Graham, G8NWC, 0775 461 9701, rallysecretary@sdars.org.uk.

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

6m FT8

After a brief period calling CQ with 2.5W (2 G spots), I have been RX only since. As yet, just a few G spots and no Es here on 6m FT8.

Quite a lot of stations are active on 6m FT8. When there is Es, I spot all over on this mode.

UPDATE 1356z: So far, 21 stations in 6 countries on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1648z: Now 79 stations in 12 countries today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1842z: At least 120 unique stations in 35 countries so far on 6m FT8 today. All EU and North Africa. No "real" DX.

Sunspots - Friday June 1st 2018

Solar flux is 75 and the sunspot number 21. A=12 and K=3. For this part of the solar cycle, this is quite good still.

Missed again

It looks like the heavy storms of thunder and lightning have missed us again. At the moment the worst storms are tracking westwards and well to the south of us. I can't say I am sorry.

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

Red kite - NOT amateur radio

A sight I thought I would never see - a red kite (bird) flying over our home in East Anglia. At one time this would have been extremely rare, but in the last few months I have seen a little egret and a red kite overhead. 

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

Flowers - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday an old friend was 70. When we called, we had to take a photo of the clematis and roses by her front door. They always have great roses in their front garden.

Solar cycle 25

All the predictions that I have seen point to a peak not better than the last one, and possibly lower. In recent weeks we have seen a slight improvement in solar flux and sunspot numbers. However, do not get your hopes up. The minimum is probably 2019 or 2020 and this may just be a small "blip". On average, expect things to get worse for a few years yet. Of course, the 11 years for a solar cycle is just an average, so we might start the next solar cycle sooner or later.

10m WSPR TX

Since just before breakfast, my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been on (100% TX, randomised frequencies). Already several spots by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Is.. My current 10m antenna is not brilliant. EA6GF (1428km) spotted me this afternoon.

Sunspots - Thursday May 31st 2018

Solar flux is 74 and the sunspot number 18. A=4 and K=2.

Early 6m success

D41CV (4518km) in the Cape Verde Islands and lots of others have already been spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX. It is only 0858z!   Could this be the day I spot some transatlantic DX on 6m?

A very early brief CQ call was spotted by 3 Gs. This was before breakfast.

Already 24 stations in 6 countries spotted on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1732z: So far today on 6m FT8 RX, 88 stations in 16 countries.

82Hz (yes Hertz!) signal received in Tasmania

Edgar, in Moonah, Tasmania, Australia has received the Russian station, located on the Kola Peninsula on 82Hz. I believe this station sends coded messages to submerged Russian nuclear subs. It is a very long way. Mind you, Edgar is not lurking on the sea bed!

Building kit

Only this lunchtime my XYL asked when I was going to build something in my shack. Since my 2013 stroke, I managed to build a Chinese Pixie kit (worked first time) and repair my 472kHz transverter (changed the MOSFET), although things are much harder for me these days.

Actually, I think I need to try to build more: it is good therapy and probably will help me. I have to come to terms with how I am now, but still battle to make the best of things.

I fancy trying a mcHF or uBITX kit, but will this be beyond me now?

Any suggestions for what I should try?

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/stroke

Friedrichshafen reminder

1-3 JUNE 2018 : HAM RADIO SHOW, FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

Messe, Friedrichshafen, Germany. Trade stands, special interest groups and IARU Member Societies all have stands in the main hall. Large flea market. Lectures take place each day, some in English. There will be a large RSGB book stall. www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de.

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