472kHz WSPR

I decided to return to 472kHz (630m) WSPR at 1756z. The transverter is still settling, so it may be a few minutes before I start getting spots.

UPDATE 1804z: G0VQH (15km) spotted me, even though I am still drifting.

Snapes Point (Near Salcombe) - NOT amateur radio

Our latest National Trust (2017) Handbook has just arrived. We were amazed to see Snapes Point near Salcombe is not shown on the map of Devon and not listed. It is about a 2km walk with some of the best views in Devon! Every time we go back to Devon we do this walk.

See https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/east-soar/features/snapes-point .

Chinese satellite

There is probably an English version of this page. Perhaps someone will point me to it?  There is a fairly new Chinese amateur satellite BY70-1. It has been in orbit for a few weeks.

See http://lilacsat.hit.edu.cn/ .

Snow? - NOT amateur radio

Usually when the Met Office predicts snow here we get rain. We may get snow here tonight or tomorrow, but I'll believe it when I see it!

Last winter we had just one day of snow and our "London" grandchildren made a tiny snowman. I think this was the first time they had seen snow on the ground. Years ago we had several days of snow each winter, but things have changed. The climate is, on average, getting milder and wetter here. Mind you, we have had more frosts this winter than last season, so who knows?

New Zealand blog - NOT amateur radio

My wife was cleaning a shelf and came across a photo album of our 2009 trip to New Zealand. In those days I was fit! Now, I seem to be tired a lot of the time.

It is amazing what you forget. Luckily, I did a blog and we can look back and recall the visit.  It is a magical place, although I doubt we'll ever get back there.

If you get a chance, do go. At every turn it is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming. It is NOT like the UK. Yes, the people speak English and lots of the birds in towns are English ones, but the wild places are different with wild tree ferns and many trees quite different. 4 million people instead of more than 60 million helps!

See http://roglap.blogspot.co.uk/

10m JT65

For about 25 minutes now I have been on 10m JT65 rather than 40m WSPR. So far, no spots.

UPDATE 1802z: Although I have now gone QRT on 10m, I see I spotted EU7FBB (1931km) in Belerus this afternoon several times.

40m WSPR overnight

As mentioned in an earlier blog post, I was on 40m WSPR all last evening and overnight. Nothing outside Europe spotted or spotting me.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday January 12th 2017

Solar flux is 73 today. Sunspot number is again zero. A=8 and K=0. Will 10m be any good? Who can tell?

Other bands WSPR or JT65?

As I am unlikely to be able to erect a better MF antenna before next autumn, I wonder what band I should use overnight on WSPR or JT65? 5MHz (60m) I can manage as I've resonated the antenna before. My noise floor is bad on 5MHz, but I should be able to TX (beacon) with either WSPR or JT65. I know 40m or 30m are possible (but little challenge), but in "quiet sun" years 5MHz (60m) is likely to be "open" more.

I may give 5MHz a go tonight. I have still to decide WSPR or JT65. As usual, I'd use 2W.

UPDATE 2008z:  I could not load my antenna up on 60m, so  have gone on 40m WSPR this evening and overnight.

40m WSPR spots this evening

UPDATE 2230z: Most spots of my 40m WSPR (2W) are from Germany. Best DX on TX was SA6BSS/RX (1059km). My antenna is far from ideal on 40m. It is very low.

10m JT65

Since just before breakfast I have been on 10m JT65 (2W), but no spots given or received as yet. Although the chances of catching N-S F layer DX is not great (but possible) there is still a chance of winter Es around Europe.

UPDATE 1415z:  Another quiet day with just G4CJC (73km) spotted on 10m JT65.