Useless Weather Forecasts - NOT amateur radio

At 0830z the Met Office weather forecast for our village said full sun all morning from 0900z. Very very briefly we saw the sun at 1140z. Really, the Met Office weather forecasts are useless. Yes I know weather forecasts in the UK are hard and complex, but surely 30 minutes ahead they can get it better?

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday January 21st 2017

Solar flux is 83 today and the sunspot number 61. A=11 and K=2.

Amaryllis progress - NOT amateur radio

Every winter we grow an amaryllis in the lounge. It has really shot up in the last week, with what looks like 2 flowers coming, barring any disasters.

Last year we supported it with a cane and elastic band.

At the moment, it is 19cms tall.

6m JT65

I have returned to 6m JT65, although I have an S7 noise floor on the band this morning. Even with the PC on battery power it is still there, so I think it is coming from outside the house. Maybe on JT65 TX (2W) someone might spot me? In the past I have not had a noise problem on this band. I suspect 10m JT65 might be even worse?

472kHz (630m) and 28MHz (10m) WSPR yesterday and overnight

10m was dead on WSPR with not a single spot received.

630m was better even with my 5mW ERP but no spots received further than Holland on MF. I copied DL, LA, ON and F stations on 630m RX.

UPDATE 1042z: I have yet to decide on today, but probably 6m JT65 during the day for a change.

Cold, bright days - NOT amateur radio

For the last few days it has been cold, frosty and bright - perfect winter days. This is a picture of where we live (RHS), taken in the frost this morning.

472kHz (630m) WSPR to Norway

LA8AV (1035km) has been spotted here many times this afternoon on 472kHz WSPR.

Last night Jan, LA3EQ (769km) spotted me - thank you Jan - and he kindly sent a link to a screen shot of my signal with him which I have attached here. To spot me, I reckon Jan must have good gear and a quiet noise floor.

On 10m WSPR TX, no spots at all.

On 630m WSPR I have now got the PC on the SMPSU, so my RX noise floor will be too high now to spot any but very strong signals.

Church Blog Updated - NOT amateur radio

After a long break I have updated our church blog to include Grantchester.

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

Sunspots and 10m - Friday January 20th 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 26. A=11 and K=2.

630m and 10m WSPR

For a change today, I am staying on 630m (472kHz) WSPR all day (5mW ERP) on battery PC power so the noise floor on RX is low and I am on 10m WSPR (500mW, 100% TX) rather than JT65. PA0RDT (243km) was copying me on 630 WSPR in daylight. Overnight (actually yesterday evening) the best DX on 630m WSPR was LA3EQ/MW (769km) in Norway.