Back on 10m JT65 (2W)

Again, I have returned to 10m JT65 hoping to catch some DX later.

For several days the band has opened for real DX. Don't be fooled by low sunspot numbers. 10m often is open for N-S DX even in sunspot minimum years. Sadly, many just desert the band.

Listening to the CB band just below 10m is often busy when 10m seems flat and devoid of activity. CBers see empty space on 10m, so often illegally use our amateur band.

UPDATE 1154z:  As yet, no spots on 10m JT65, but I expect DX this afternoon.

UPDATE 1412z: PU2ORG (9501km) has been spotted on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1434z: Now PU2PSP (9584km) spotted. As yet, no spots of my own 10m JT65 (2W). Conditions do seem very similar to last autumn. The falling sunspot number have made very little difference so far compared with last autumn.

UPDATE 2235z:  In all, 5 different South Americans were copied on 10m JT65. Not all these were uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday February 27th 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 35 (rising). A=2 and K=2.

For several days 10m has been open for N-S DX. It is quite likely that today will also be quite decent on 10m. OK. not as easy as a few years ago but still worth a go.

QRP homebrew from Brazil

This is a great resource for QRPers worldwide with lots of ideas for simple, homebrew rigs. Many of the pages are available in English too. PY2OHH - a call to remember.

See http://py2ohh.w2c.com.br/ .

Simple Mobile Phones?

Both my wife and I use low cost Tesco Mobile "pay as you go" mobile phones, without contracts, for phone and texts. We find these do all we need. My wife's phone is now many years old and she needs a new one.  Any recommendations?

We rarely need data and rely on wi-fi connections for these most times.

472kHz WSPR RX

After a fair break, I am looking on 472kHz WSPR RX. For some reason, my TX antenna current reading is about a third of what it should be, so I am just RX for now until I can investigate further. The earth-electrode "antenna" is still being used.

Initial 472kHz WSPR spots

An asteroid strike. Should you worry? - NOT amateur radio

The chances of a big asteroid hitting us are small. It occurs about once in 40000 years. Even then, most of the globe is not highly populated. Should an asteroid impact on a big city then it could be deadly. I should not lose sleep.

See http://gizmodo.com/we-were-wrong-about-how-the-asteroid-apocalypse-will-go-1792727736 .

Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

At quite short notice, we had 2 of our grandchildren and their dad this weekend. The photo shows them in our lounge.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday February 26th 2017

Solar flux is 79 today and the sunspot number 25. A=7 and K=1. Conditions have supported DX (again) on 10m JT65.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (February 26, 2017 - full version on the
blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
9H3FC  became  Honor  Frequenter of the QRP Rendez-Vous round table -
Congrats!
Visitors  of  the  week:  SM7RYR, RV3GM, R1OA, UR5EFD, UR0ET, UA1AQC,
UA1CEG,  DK1HW,  OM6TC,  R1CAF,  RD6MZ,  EW1CY, RW3AA, G4HOM, HA7YUB,
UA1ADF, G4LJU, RA1OIM, UA9MLY, SM2FIJ, DL4EPM, UA4NU, UA1CEX, OH6NPV,
LX1RFJ,  DF1HK,  RX3DOR,  UC3C,  R2AJA,  G3UD, RZ6FW, RU3NJC, UW5EKR,
R2FAE,  SV2BBK,  OH5LP,  UR7VT,  9H3FC,  Z35M, DK2SY, OK1FAO, US7IJW,
RN6AN, IZ0AYM, HA9RF, US5ERQ
New Visitors of the Rendez-Vous: HA7YUB, G4LJU, RA1OIM, LX1RFJ, RZ6FW,
DK2SY,  US7IJW, HA9RF - friends you are welcome! Hopefully you become
Frequenters soon.
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists as well as Rendez-Vous details
on the Club 72 web page - www.club72.su
Note for New Visitors:
if  you'd like to get "72 Newsletter" bulletin regularly send request
by e-mail to address - "mr72 (at) club72.su"

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"


This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

Kenya on 10m JT65

Since mid-morning, I have been on 10m JT65 transceive (2W). Best DX so far is a spot of 5Z4/DL2RMC (6859km) in Kenya East Africa. Who said 10m is dead?