Rally this weekend

32nd CANVEY RADIO AND ELECTRONICS RALLY, Feb 5th (Sunday)

The Paddocks Community Centre, Long Road, Canvey Island, SS8 0JA.

Doors open at 8.30am for traders and 10.30am for the public. There is free parking and the venue has disabled facilities including space outside main doors for disabled visitors. There will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Refreshments, including Mark's famous bacon baguettes on site. Details from Vic Rogers, G6BHE, 0795 746 1694 or Dave Speechley, G4UVJ, 01268 697 978, g4uvj@btinternet.com.

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

HF conditions - use the higher bands

For about a day, I went on 20m JT65. It was too easy, with spots all across Europe and the USA even with 2W and a poor antenna on 20m.

HF conditions are not as good as at the sunspot peak, but they are often better than people realise: of late the sunspot number has been in the 40s or higher and the solar flux has been above 80. Even 10m is capable of supporting DX, although few realise as they leave the higher bands and go for easy pickings on 20m or lower.

My strong recommendation is try digital modes on 10m. OK, it is not as easy as a few years ago, but DX still pops up. 10m remains "open" far more often than is realised, even in the quiet solar years What is needed is activity!

Amateur radio is about self training and exploring the boundaries. If you just want to speak across the planet you can video conference for free with Skype on the internet. 10m with digital modes and QRP is much more fun.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday February 3rd 2017

Solar flux is 75 today. Sunspot number is 40.  A=21 and K=4 .

Great night on 472kHz WSPR

472kHz WSPR TX last night - a great night!

Last night was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best night so far this season. My 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was copied by 4 different stations in Norway with LA2XPA (1310km) in Kristiansund copying me 23 times - amazing. My best TX DX was a spot by LA9IY (1393km) in Trondheim. In all, 13 unique spots on TX.

I had to pinch myself this morning!

Trinity St, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Cambridge is famous for its Backs and Colleges. This is a view along Trinity Street. Lots of bikes!  Kings is about 400m further along on the right.

Back on 472kHz WSPR

At 1418z I closed down on 14MHz JT65 (2W) and started up on 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna"). It usually takes about 10-15 minutes for the transverter crystal to settle before I get reports.

Initial 472kHz WSPR spots today

UPDATE 1810z: LA1TN (1269km) was copied in the last hour on RX. This is the best DX this season on the band. LA8AV has also been received.

UPDATE 1905z: LA2XPA (1310km) spotted me an hour ago. This is my best TX DX this season by some way! At last my 5mW ERP has blasted through the 1000km barrier at last.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday February 2nd 2017

Solar flux is 76 today and sunspot number 28. A=29 and K=4.

20m JT65 still

Being lazy, I left the rig and PC on 20m JT65 overnight and it is still on as I write. My own signal is being widely spotted around Europe.  Oregon, USA and Brazil are currently the best DX on RX. Personally, I find 20m no real challenge.

Swans - NOT amateur radio

A few days ago we went for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey and saw these mute swans near the water mill.  They are always there.  In the summer the flowers are out in the herbaceous border, although at this time of  year they look dead.

As mentioned before, things are much later this year.

Moved to 10m, then 20m JT65

First I moved to 10m JT65. Then I moved to 20m JT65. I called a couple of stations calling CQ but without success. Of late, I have been beaconing to see where I am getting - all over the place! 20m really is too easy! I only use a low end fed antenna.

20m initial spots on JT65

UPDATE 1446z: At the moment, the best DX on 20m JT65 RX is Cuba, but on 20m JT65 TX I am being widely copied in the Eastern USA as well as right across Europe and Russia.

UPDATE 2108z: Lots on 20m JT65, which is still running in beacon mode. Too easy! I'll probably stay on 20m until tomorrow now.