Still forecasting we've passed the solar minimum

According to the latest data I have, the forecast is still that we have passed the solar minimum and have started climb to the next maximum. The start is slow at first but gathers pace. Of course you cannot be certain until after the event!

Certainly looking just at sunspot numbers, you could be forgiven for thinking we are right at sunspot minimum at the moment. The sun is still spotless.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

160m FT8 RX

Within 30 seconds I spotted more stations on 160m FT8 than all day on 10m FT8. At the moment, 45 stations spotted this evening on 160m FT8 with best DX 4K6FO (3964km).

UPDATE 1956z:  Now 106 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2204z: I think I have just spotted a pirate on 160m FT8. Strange that a station purporting to be Japanese is widely copied in Europe, but gets not a single spot from Japan!! Also, the idiot decides to operate on 1.84kHz which the Japanese are not allowed to TX on. So far this evening 233 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

It is true that I have mixed feelings about BREXIT, the UK's departure from the EU at the end of the month (maybe).

There is no doubt being in the EU is good for trade. Also, the EU exports more to the UK than we export to the EU. There is little doubt in my mind that the EU is bureaucratic. The EU will miss our money in the pot. There is a danger the EU will fall apart.

Nonetheless, I voted "remain" in the referendum. It was a close thing though. What appalled me was the information on both sides leading up to the referendum and the time it has taken to not reach an agreement that suits the EU and the UK.  Personally, I think the UK and the EU have made a right "dog's dinner"  of the negotiations.  The EU is scared of the UK being better off outside the club and the UK Prime Minister is afraid of fragmenting her party.

Personally I have little time for President Trump and I had little time for Mrs Thatcher, but I bet both would have given Mr Junker a run for his money.

The UK wants to leave the EU honourably.  It seems, to me at least, that the EU is running scared and wants to punish the UK for having the audacity to leave. What would have been far far better would have been for the UK to have had a loose link with the EU, but still be master of its own fate.

Anniversary - NOT amateur radio

My wife and I met 51 years ago at university. Men had still to land on the moon! This was 1968 and we wonder where the years have flown.

Milk every moment.

This was at an Italian restaurant in a nearby village that does an excellent fixed price menu. As always, the service was perfect.

See http://www.ilpiccolomondo.co.uk/

Solar report - still awaiting update

As mentioned yesterday (I think) I am awaiting the latest solar forecast updates with interest. The one below is usually updated within a couple of days of the start of a new month, so accurate February data should be available imminently.

When I last looked (March 1st 1115z) it had not been updated. It will be interesting to see what Jan makes of the solar minimum data.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Earth-electrode "antennas"

As you may know, I have had great success on VLF to beyond 160m with this structure. DK7FC has used such antennas down to ELF! A copy of my blog, which shows quite a bit about my experiments, is available as a .pdf. I think you have to join this Facebook group first, although the blog is also available here.

These experiments were at the old QTH, although I use this here too on 472kHz and 1.84MHz. At 137kHz it worked pretty well last year here. It has even been used on higher frequencies, although if my "loop" theory is correct it should be far less effective as the frequency is increased.

Sunspots - Friday March 1st 2019

Solar flux is 70 today and the SSN 0 still. A=26 and K=5.

10m FT8 RX

Not yet checked the solar conditions, but I am not expecting much on 10m today! Since breakfast time, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1122z: Absolutely no 10m FT8 RX spots here so far.

UPDATE 1435z: Just EA7KR (1804km) spotted today on 10m FT8 so far. Pretty dire!

UPDATE 1821z:  2E1RDX (139km) also spotted. Just 2 spots all day. 😕 Time to QSY to 1.84MHz.

SSTV on Oscar 100

Last night I got an e-mail from David G0LRD, who has been getting some good SSTV signals back from Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. I reproduce his letter and photos here. Thank you David.

"Hi Roger

Here are a few images I captured from the satellite (80cm dish, GPS-locked LNB, SDRPlay).

The two test cards were analogue SSTV, the other two were digital SSTV  (KG-STC software, Info here: http://www.g0hwc.com/kg-stv-english.html) 

Feel free to re-use if you wish.

73 David G0LRD "

Rally on Sunday

Sunday 3 MARCH : EXETER RADIO & ELECTRONICS RALLY

America Hall, De la Rue Way, Pinhoe, Exeter EX4 8PW. Doors open at 10.30am (10.15am for disabled visitors). Admission £2 (under 16s free). There will be trade stands, Bring & Buy (book in from 10.15am), and catering will be available. Details from Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198374 or g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk.

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

Still on 2m FT8 RX

Overnight and this morning, I am still on 2m FT8 RX with the best DX this morning being DG2BCP (597km) on RX. So far today, 19 stations in 7 countries already spotted on 2m FT8 with the big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE 1800z: 47 stations spotted today on 2m with best DX DK1FG (815km).

Sunspots - Thursday February 28th 2019

Unless I am mistaken, this was a spotless month. Solar flux is 70 and the SSN still zero. A=10 and K=2.

I shall be interested to see the latest predictions for solar minimum. To me, it looks like we are just bouncing along the minimum, so it will be interesting to read what the experts think.

Return to 2m FT8

A brief CQ (2.5W to the big wheel omni) on 2m FT8 got 7 spots with best being by G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall and I have spotted 13 stations already with best DX DL6BF (479km). 2m FT8 really is amazing. Every time I try this I get spotted a long way away and I spot amazing DX. Much of this is tropo and not aircraft.

New QRP mag online

The latest edition of Vestnik is now available as a .pdf download.

See http://club72.su/vestnik/qv19.pdf

472kHz JT9 and FT8 frequencies?

Ok, so I am asking for some advice.

On 472kHz I mainly use WSPR, but wonder if there is a better mode now more widely used? If so, what dial frequency should I set?

UPDATE 1657z: In the absence of data I am currently calling CQ about 500Hz below the WSPR sub-band on 472kHz FT8. Nothing spotted yet.

UPDATE 1725z: As I have not heard about FT8 and JT9 frequencies, I have returned to 472kHz WSPR. G1GKN (99km) is a good signal, as always.

Oscar 100 amateur TV signals

Although I check the narrowband webSDR from time to time, I have not seen examples of amateur TV through the satellite. There is an HB9 site on the BATC streaming service, but I have not yet seen any pictures. By now, I would have expected to see someone posting videos or even still images. If you know where I can find some amateur TV images, please let me know.

UPDATE 1927z: Just found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfb9_CHKDoQ

Is Trump in trouble? - NOT amateur radio

President Trump's former lawyer Mr Cohen is giving testimony to the US congress. It is quite damning.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-47390300/trump-s-former-lawyer-talks-to-congress

Cambridge Proctors - NOT amateur radio

Cambridge colleges are "policed" by proctors, These men usually wear bowler hats. The  photo shows a few of these outside Trinity College earlier today.

See https://www.proctors.cam.ac.uk/

472kHz disappointment overnight

Last night, 472kHz WSPR was disappointing here. Just 6 stations spotted me with best spot one from DL3GAK (823km) and only 8 spots of others by me with best DX spotted here being IW4DXW (1190km). Maybe it is just me, but I get the feeling interest in the band is waning. Perhaps many have changed to a different mode?

Sunspots - Wednesday February 27th 2019

Solar flux is again 70 and the sunspot number 0. A=2 and K=0.  At the moment it looks like this month is spotless.

Ickworth today - NOT amateur radio

This was a view at Ickworth, near Bury St Edmunds this afternoon. Although there were a few daffodils out, most were not. There were no lambs.

472kHz WSPR

About 15 minutes ago, I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR (20% TX, 10mW ERP). So far, 2 spots of my QRPP signal even though things have not yet settled.

UPDATE 2320z: So far this evening, 5 different stations have spotted me with best DX being a spot by DL3GAK (823km).

10m FT8 since breakfast

Following my usual pattern, I am on 10m FT8, mainly RX, although I  did put out a brief CQ call (2.5W) when I first came on 10m. No spots so far today.

UPDATE 1123z: Just one spot so far today on 10m FT8 RX of G0OXY (56km). Dire!

UPDATE 1352z: GI4SNA (491km) spotted. Aircraft?

160m FT8 overnight

Quite disappointing overnight with 6 North Americans and 1 Caribbean spotted on 160m FT8 RX and best DX V31YN (8346km). Only 348 stations spotted in the last day on 160m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 26th 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number 0. A=2 and K=0.

160m FT8

At about 1725z, I QSYed to 160m FT8. My CQ (2.5W) was spotted in Belgium, but no QSOs resulted. Since then, I have been RX only. So far, 29 stations spotted with best DX LA9VFA (2460km) on the northern tip of Norway.

UPDATE 1842z:  Now 77 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2210z: After a brief session looking on 1.908MHz for JAs, I have returned to 1.84MHz FT8. So far, 160 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX. The first North American this evening was WU1ITU (4831km).

Global warming? - NOT amateur radio

Temperatures reached 20.3deg C in Wales today. This is the highest ever winter temperature in the UK.

It is beyond doubt that our world is warming, despite what rubbish President Trump may spout in support, allegedly, of his coal and oil lobbyists about global warming being a Chinese hoax.

Nor sure what evidence he has, but his views seem at odds with most scientific evidence. I trust science. Sorry, but I don't support the views of a billionaire president.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47360952

Lopped trees - NOT amateur radio

A very similar picture was posted here yesterday. This is another view of the back garden showing the two trees that were lopped last month. In a few months they should be in leaf.

Bolt Tail - NOT amateur radio

Another photo of where I came from in South Devon. Quite splendid. 

I have already said in earlier posts that we know for certain we were hereabouts in 1427, so there is every chance my distant ancestors fished and farmed here millennia ago and the iron age fort in the far distance on Bolt Tail was partly manned by my ancestors. 

And we are just a speck in history. Quite humbling.

Already bored?

Although Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite, has been operational for a few weeks now, the narrowband transponder still seems quite quiet. A few moments ago there were just 2 QSOs on SSB, whereas I was expecting the band to be quite full.

As I mentioned yesterday, it may take a few weeks or months before people "trust it". Even so, I was expecting more activity than we are seeing so far. As yet, I have seen activity from Brazil and Qatar, but not India or further east. Most stations are from Europe.

Solar minimum

The solar numbers for February 2019 do not look very good. Although some are still predicting the minimum is over, I have my doubts. Certainly 10m FT8 is very quiet here most days with just G spots. I hope I am proved wrong.

10m FT8

Since about 0920z this morning, I have been on 10m FT8. After a brief 2.5W CQ call, I am now RX only. No spots yet.

UPDATE 16565z: Just 3 spots today on 10m FT8 RX with best DX HA7ME (1535km). Soon be time to QSY to 160m FT8 I think. Still bright and sunny here.

The end of life - NOT amateur radio

My son's parents-in-law lost their only son in 2017 due to a freak accident involving a driver ploughing though a red light. The driver was texting. There is a chance one of their two young daughters could die from cancer leaving a husband and 2 young children. The family, my son included, is very afraid. So are we.

At times life seems very random and very cruel. All world religions try to make sense of death. Perhaps the flame just goes out and that is it. However, there is so much we do not understand. Perhaps our brains simply cannot ever hope to understand. It is a brave person indeed who says he or she really understands. At the same time it takes some faith to believe in a just and loving God when things seem so cruel.

As death approaches us all, perhaps it is right that we think about it.

Sunspots - Monday February 25th 2019

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 0. A=3 and K=1.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Overnight I was spotted by 7 stations with best DX spot of my 10mW ERP being by GM4AOS (653km).  In total, 9 stations were spotted here with best DX spotted LA2XPA (1310km).

Grass cutting - NOT amateur radio

As yesterday was so warm, I gave our lawns a bit of a haircut. The blades were set higher than in the summer. We also managed a cup of tea in the garden in shirt sleeves! And this is February!

472kHz WSPR (10mW ERP)

As it is now getting dark here, I have QSYed to 472kHz WSPR using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. On the first transmission I was copied by G6AVK (78km) and G8LCO (58km) even though the transverter crystal is still drifting a few Hertz. Normally, it takes about 20 minutes, then the drift is very low.

UPDATE 2225z: Now spots of my 10mW ERP have been received by 4 stations and I have spotted 8 stations so far today on 472kHz WSPR.

My other blogs - NOT amateur radio

I maintain several blogs. Among these is my Miscellaneous Musings blog. This is updated every few days. It is not amateur radio oriented.

Blossom - NOT amateur radio

As a result of the mild weather, the tree opposite our village Post Office is laden with blossom. A few strong winds and a few weeks and this will all be gone.

Grass cutting - NOT amateur radio

In shirt sleeves, I cut my front lawn earlier. After lunch, I expect to cut the rear lawn. For February, it is extremely mild. It feels like a late spring day! These are the first cuts this year.