BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

It is now a week since the UK voted to leave the EU. Although the pound has fallen the stock markets seem to have taken things OK. The UK seems to be on a self destruct route at the moment with the Labour party in civil war and the Conservatives thrown into confusion by Boris not standing for PM. It will be some time before the fog clears and we chart a new path.

Better and better on 6m

It just gets better and better on 6m JT65. Already today on 6m I have had more spots than yesterday by Es and tropo despite my low ERP and omni antenna (1W ERP). Spots are coming in thick and fast from all over Europe. Maybe next year I should replace my lossy RG58 coax with low loss coax?

Rally (N.Ireland)

Saturday 2 JULY : BANGOR & DISTRICT AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY RALLY
Donaghadee Community Centre, Manor Street, Donaghadee, Co. Down BT21 0HB.

The venue is just 100 metres from the harbour with car parking available. Doors open at 11.30am and admission is £3. There is a talk by Ian White, GM3SEK on Practical Outdoor Weatherproofing as well as trade stands, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. Special interest groups will be in attendance. A raffle will be held on the day. Details from Harry on 0289 142 2762 or by email to norman.newell@yahoo.com.

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

OFCOM

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/mobile-data-strategy/update-strategy-mobile-spectrum/.  OFCOM has published a paper on its mobile data strategy.

VLF SAQ 17.2kHz CW - a reminder

A reminder that SAQ will broadcast on July 3rd 2016.

See http://alexander.n.se/the-radio-station-saq-grimeton/saq-transmissions/?lang=en .

Early Es

Both on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65 I am being widely spotted as a result of Es. It surprises me just how good 6m JT65 is proving. See https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html .

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs June 30th 2016

Solar flux is 74 and yet again the sunspot number is zero (K=1).  The forecast for 10m propagation (F2) remains "poor", but there is Es on both 10m and 6m.

JT65 on 6m

Best DX spotted on 6m JT65 was CN8YZ (2233km) in IM63 square in North Africa. My own 1W ERP 6m JT65 signal has been spotted all over Europe once again with around 30 reports so far today. Every day I seem to spot, and be spotted, by loads of 6m stations. I am still awaiting some transatlantic 6m DX on JT65.  I also want to be spotted by 4X1RF on 6m JT65.

I continue to TX at the same time on 10m WSPR, but I am seriously thinking of stopping these transmissions until the end of the Es season. It is possible I may try 10m JT65 in the autumn.

UPDATE 1752z:  Spotted TA1BM (2499km) in Turkey on 6m JT65.

6m JT65 today

UPDATE 2200z:  Well it is time for bed, but 6m JT65 has looked more like 20m! The map below shows the spots in the last 12 hours when using 1W ERP.

Where I have been spotted in the last 12hrs on 6m JT65 (1W ERP)

Southgate News

Most days I take a look at Southgate News as they usually have things of interest. Sometimes the content takes news items from other sources, but usually I find something of interest.

More QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

I'm happy to inform about new Club 72 member -
UD0LBA Mrs. Yana Karachevskaya (XYL of Sergey RV3DSA)

Also remind about QRP Rendez-Vous in Thursday 9 UTC on 14060

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Sunspots and 10m - Wed June 29th 2016

Solar flux is 74 today. Sunspot number is again zero (K=1) and the 10m F2 propagation forecast is yet again "poor".

10m WSPR and 6m JT65

About 10 minutes ago I switched on my 10m WSPR beacon (500mW), which had been off overnight. I left the 6m JT65 (1W ERP) running through the night and this is still on.

UPDATE 0906z:  4 G spots so far on 6m JT65. Nothing yet on 10m WSPR.

Our son - NOT amateur radio

Our elder son came up from London to see us this afternoon. He is a professional jazz pianist so works odd hours. When he comes up he helps us in the garden. It is always good to see our boys.

6m JT65 success again

6m JT65 (1W ERP) so far today

It is hard not to be impressed with 6m JT65. Yet again, my 1W QRP from my omni vertical is being spotted all over Europe. I am also spotting others at similar ranges. If this was 6m WSPR I may not have had a single spot all day. For 6m, even though theoretically not as good as WSPR, I am having great success with JT65.

It would be good to spot, or be spotted, across the Atlantic on 6m JT65. I am sure I have a much higher chance than with WSPR.

See https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html .

UPDATE 2125z:  6m JT65 has been excellent all day. With around 30 spots of my 6m QRP signals from all over Europe I am convinced that JT65 is the mode on 6m for me.

6m JT65 spots of my QRP today so far

Hedgehog - NOT amateur radio

This morning, we found a hedgehog in the back garden. For those unfamiliar with these, they are about 15cms long, prickly, and cover about a mile on their, mainly nocturnal, walks. We used to see them often at our old house but this is the first seen here.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog.

Muntjac deer seem to have taken a fancy to our sunflowers as the tops have been eaten! See http://www.bds.org.uk/index.php/advice-education/species/muntjac-deer

Sunspots and 10m - Tues June 28th 2016

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number is zero yet again (K=2). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is again "poor". Luckily there is Es about on 10m.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
I'm glad to inform about new Club 72 member -
US5ERQ op. Sergey (Dnipro region, Ukraine), membership card # 87.
Remind  about "72 QRP" round table (Rendez-Vous) tomorrow at 9 UTC on
14060  +/-  QRM,  QRL,  keep  RIT  for  xtal  stn's.  See you also on
"rendezvous"  on  Thursday  and  Saturday.  Comments  and reports are
appreciated to "mr72" e-mail, please.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

6m JT65 and 10m WSPR today

Apart from a couple of G spots of my 1W ERP signal on 6m JT65, all is quiet on both bands here with no signs yet of Es.

UPDATE 0920z: I see there were a couple of EA stations spotted here on 6m JT65 around breakfast time, so there was Es on 6m earlier.

UPDATE 1628z:  EA8CNR (2929km) is best RX DX today on 6m JT65.

2m UK activity contests

Last week, the RSGB published the results of the UKAC 2m so far this year. Even though I have been only active of about 40% (or less) of the time in each session, I only use 5W QRP and an omni antenna, I am half way up the table (AL section) and I appear to be moving up too. Contests have never really been "my thing", but I enjoy these sessions until my voice gives in. Because of my stroke I usually manage less than an hour. Activity levels are usually good, although the last 70cm UKAC was dire here.

UPDATE 0922z: The next 2m UKAC is on the first Tuesday in July starting at 1900z (8pm UK clock time).

Slowly declining solar activity

We have had several days recently with a total absence of sunspots. There is now little doubt that we are now on the slow, downward slide to the next solar minimum. The slide on the downwards few years is usually slower than the rise to the next peak after the minimum. The next peak is expected to be very poor.

Next autumn could be very interesting, although conditions on 10m are very unlikely to be as good as the last few years.

In my lifetime it is very unlikely I shall ever see 10m F2 conditions really good again. This is quite a sobering thought. Es (multi-hop) may be the only real hope of E-W DX on 10m in some summer months. Such DX may also happen on 6m too. The only time I worked the USA on 6m (this was 2.5W CW QRP) was by Es in a quiet part of the solar cycle when F2 propagation was poor on the higher HF bands.

As always, this is the law of averages. There may be good days when 10m is "open" but such openings may be missed as people follow the activity ever lower in frequency.  In the minimum even 20m may be dead. This is a few years away.

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

Sunspots and 10m - Mon June 27th 2016

Solar flux is 76 today. Sunspot number is zero again (K=3) and the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".

OK, you win!

OK, I am truly convinced that JT65 is much better than WSPR as a guide to propagation on 6m. The map shows where I reached on 6m (1W ERP) today. If I had been on 6m WSPR, which is better at digging weak signals out of the noise, I would have been lucky to get a spot at all! On 10m, I am still using WSPR as the activity levels are higher on WSPR than on 6m.

See https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html .

UPDATE 1918z: This is the 6m log today. Not bad for 1W ERP and a simple vertical omni.

Click on log to see a clearer version.

Working in garden - NOT amateur radio

Back Garden

Yesterday, I was going to cut our lawns but it was too wet. Today, the weather was good so I managed to cut both the front and back lawns. My XYL did a bit of weeding and chopping back. It is amazing how everything seems to have grown in the short time we were away.

10m WSPR today

I am still using 500mW on 10m WSPR. There is widespread Es about with spots from Germany, Italy and Spain already.

6m JT65 today

So far today, my 6m JT65 beaconing (1W ERP) has only been spotted in the UK. Last night I spotted an Italian late evening on 6m JT65.

6m JT65 spots so far today (1W ERP)

UPDATE 1038z: One Croatian station has been spotted on 6m JT65 (Es) but all the spots of me on 6m so far have been by G stations. JT65 is far more productive on 6m than WSPR in my view. I think this is because there are far more stations active. I am still hopeful of transatlantic spots on 6m JT65 even at my QRP level.

UPDATE 1218z:  My 6m QRP JT65 was spotted in Finland 20 minutes ago. I assume this is Es.

UPDATE 1255z:  Several more 6m JT65 Es spots from listeners in Finland.

UPDATE 1700z:  More spots on 6m Es (see map).

UPDATE 1755z:  Spots from right across Europe on 6m JT65 (1W ERP). Spots from 18 stations today.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
72 QRP Net (Rendez-Vous) weekly report (June 20 to 27, 2016)
Visitors  of  the week: RU3NJC, OH6NPV, DL6KBV, UR0ET, US3EN, UR5EFD, DK2SC, DM4DB,  UA1CEG,  DK3WX,  UA1CEX, SV8/GM0LVI/p, ON6KZ, SM7PXS,
UT8NR, HB9KNT, US5ERQ, OH1LFF, OH9XX, HA2PP
GM0LVI became "rendezvous" Frequenter - Congrats!
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists on the Club 72 page - www.club72.su
Enjoy a lot of "rendezvous" comments and pictures on the blog - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
See you All on the next week "round tables" - 72 QRP Net (rendezvous)
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"


Dear Club 72 members and friends,

OM3CUG op. Igor became a member, Club card # 86

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

Sunspots and 10m - Sun June 26th 2016

Solar flux is 76 today. Sunspot number remains zero (K=2) and 10m F2 propagation is again expected to be "poor". Luckily we are in the main Es season in the northern hemisphere and there is good Es on 10m and 6m.

Best 6m DX today

After the storm I have returned to 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR beaconing. Best report on 6m JT65 (so far) is UX4UA (2082km). I assume this is Es. It is still thundering, although the maps show the storms moving away NE.

Alibris deals again - NOT amateur radio

Yet again,  I have received several money saving offers from this crowd. Will they never learn? Each week I must get 2-3 offers from them.  If I miss one offer I am sure to get another within a few days. No-one in their right minds would pay full price.

Rain, hail, thunder - will we ever see the sun?

At the moment it is hailing here. I will probably disconnect all antennas, PC and rigs until the storm has passed over and moved away. We had a few settled days last week. Maybe that was our summer? We usually see thunder and lightning in late July and August. June is rare.

See www.lightningmaps.org .

UPDATE 1500z:  The storm seems to be moving away now, although I can still hear thunder. I shall wait until all danger is well gone before reconnecting antennas, rigs and PC.

More expensive UK amateur gear?

With the fall in the UK pound as a result of the UK vote to leave the EU it is possible that amateur radio gear (paid for in US dollars) will get more expensive. This is not certain and I hope the dealers will hold or reduce prices and their margins. Fuel will definitely be a bit more expensive.

Cut the grass! - NOT amateur radio

We were only away a few days but our grass is long and is in bad need of cutting!  Sadly we have had lots of showers, so the grass may be left uncut until tomorrow.

Time flies - NOT amateur radio

Maybe it is because I am getting older. Maybe it is an artifact of my stroke. Time seems to be faster these days. We have been home from Amsterdam less than half a day, but the next week will fly by! I have mentioned driving before: everything seems faster: when doing 50mph, it feels like 60mph. I am sure that my perception of time and speed has changed.

Return to 6m and 10m

I am beaconing on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65. Very early (around 0700z) I called G0VUH (157km in IO93) on 6m JT65 and since then have been spotted by a couple of Gs 6m JT65. G4KPX (14km) is the only station to spot me on 10m WSPR. As yet, no signs of Es on 10m or 6m as yet. It is now nearly 1000z.

UPDATE 1010z:  Although no-one outside of the UK has spotted me yet, I have spotted a station in Germany and in Italy on 6m JT65. There is Es about.

Rallies

24-26 JUNE : HAMTRONIC SHOW, FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Messe, Friedrichshafen, Germany Trade stands, special interest groups and IARU Member Socities 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.

This rally is a big international one.  It is a bit like a European version of Dayton, although I've not been to either.

Sunday 26 JUNE : WEST OF ENGLAND RADIO RALLY
Cheese & Grain, Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. The venue has car parking available and disabled facilities. Doors are open from 10am to 2pm and admission is £3 with under 14s free. There will be trade stands and an RSGB bookstall, There is catering on site. More details from Shaun, G8VPG on 01225 873 098 or by email to rallymanager@westrally.org.uk. www.westrally.org.uk.
  
A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/
 

Sunspots and 10m - Sat June 25th 2016

Solar flux is little changed at 76. Sunspot number is again zero (K=2) and the forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". Hopefully Es will liven up both 10m and 6m again today.

Amsterdam - NOT amateur radio

The last few days we were in Amsterdam, Holland. We traveled there by train, through the Channel Tunnel on Eurostar. Our journey took us through France, Belgium (Brussels) and Holland. My wife and I have "divisions" in cities, with Amsterdam in our top division - we have been there 6 times now. Having had a stroke nearly 3 years ago, I found negotiating the cobbled streets and bikes made me very dizzy. Despite this we had a great few days. Now that I'm back you can expect blog updates most days.

BREXIT the reality - NOT amateur radio

So the referendum has taken place and the UK people have chosen to leave the EU. All of my close family voted to remain IN. The future of the UK is unknown. Indeed, the future of the EU may now be very different. All I hope is that we remain friends with our neighbours in Europe. We have always wanted the EU trade, but we have never sought closer political ties.  The future is ours to forge and we must chose a good future that unites its people not divides them.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri June 24th 2016

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number is zero (K=2) and the forecast for 10m propagation is "poor".  As there is thunder about I shall return to 10m WSPR and 6m JT65 tomorrow.

Been away

As you will have noticed, I was away for a few days so there were no blog entries for the last few days. I have now returned home, so normal service should be resumed. We all need breaks!