Sunspots at last! - sunspots and 10m Wednesday March 22nd 2017

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot count is 11. A=26 and K=3. This is the first day with sunspots in several weeks.

IC7300 - price drop time?

To my thinking, the IC7300 is still way over-priced.  It uses a much simpler architecture than the FT991A and the true price, even with the dealers taking a decent margin, should be well below £1000 especially with the retail price of the FT891 being what it is. Yes, I know they are different radios, but I want to see the IC7300 at a fair price. Dealers are clearly trying to make handsome profits whilst they can.

2m WSPR webpage

Based on my experiences with 2m WSPR, I have written a short webpage on my main site at www.g3xbm.co.uk . This is not a mode well suited to 2m and I recommend other modes.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2mwspr .

Triggering Article 50 and leaving the EU - NOT amateur radio

On March 29th the UK government will trigger Article 50, which signals the start of the process to leave the EU.

Although it is in the interests of both the UK and the EU to come to a decent deal, the outcome is not known. I am sure that the people of the UK would have stayed in the EU if the EU had been prepared to "think outside of the box".

I am sure most in Europe want free trade but are nervous about uncontrolled free movement. The UK has a proud history of helping refugees fleeing from conflict. I am sure the EU is worried about other member countries leaving "the club". To me, this is old-fashioned thinking.

If the EU supported free trade and not free movement or political union, then the EU would have a rosy future. As it is, I think the EU faces a difficult future.

Rare sunny day - NOT amateur radio

We live in the last bungalow on the left overlooking the restored windmill. The windmill is nearly 200 years old. Today we have had a rare sunny day, although the rest of the week looks rainy. We are lucky to have a nice spot.

The museum, of which the windmill is a just a small part, goes on and on. It must be one of the very best local museums in the whole country. It is open from Easter to late October on Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. If you visit, you may be surprised by what is there.

See http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday March 21st 2017

Solar flux is 72 and the sun remains spotless yet again. Dire! A=2 and K=4.

Back on 6m MSK144 RX

So far this morning 3 stations in 3 countries spotted on 6m MSK144 RX. Best DX is DK8NE (704km). I think all these were aircraft reflections?

UPDATE 1715z: 5 stations in 5 countries on 6m MSK144 RX so far.

Martin McGuinness Dead

Martin McGuinness has died of a rare heart condition at the age of 66. In his younger days he was a key member of the IRA and wedded to violence.

In later years he was deputy first minister in Northern Ireland working with Ian Paisley and was one of the "chuckle brothers", showing that mutual respect between two very different people is possible.

I am sure to the end he was very much in favour of a united Ireland, but he came to realise votes not bullets would bring this about.  He changed, as did Ian Paisley.

My hope and prayer is that those that follow will walk in the path of peace. Jaw, jaw is always better than war, war. This applies whatever your political beliefs.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39185899 .

New page on my main website

As regular readers of this blog know, I have been very impressed with 6m MSK144 RX. Because of this, I have created a new page on my main website.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/6m_msk144

New Country on 6m MSK144 RX

OK1DNT (956km) is another new country spotted on this mode on 6m. If memory serves me correctly, this is the 16th country spotted via this mode.

I went QRT on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) at about 2000z. No spots (at all) on 10m today.