New patio - NOT amateur radio

Our new patio has just been completed. Hopefully we will be able to use it this weekend if the weather is dry. It is about twice as big as the old one so should be far less cramped when the patio table and chairs are in place.

Back on 10m and 6m WSPR

This morning I have returned to 10m WSPR (100% TX, 500mW) and 6m WSPR (1W ERP 20% TX, 80% RX) hoping to see some Es.  Late last night I realised I was on the wrong 6m frequency, so I would have missed any activity. This morning, all is correct! As yet, no WSPR spots here on 10m or 6m.

UPDATE 1655z: No spots here on 10m or 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1905z: Now QRT on all bands. No WSPR spots all day! Might try again tomorrow.

More stroke news - NOT amateur radio

No-one, and I really do mean no-one, seems to understand how I am inside. Most of the time when on my feet I feel giddy and exhausted, but outwardly I look well. I cannot begin to explain how hard this is.

Anything mental or physical taking over 15-20 minutes and I am done in - totally exhausted.  Until my stroke I had no idea what total exhaustion was. After a rest I am back to "normal".

My short-term memory is also poorer.  It is now over 3.5 years since my cerebellum brain bleed, but I think there has been little improvement over the last year or so.  Walking on pavements with traffic is very hard.

In many ways my symptoms mirror those of M.E. in that I feel profoundly tired at times, a tiredness like nothing I have ever had to deal with before my stroke. What is so disappointing is there is little sign of any improvement. I struggle on, but it is very tough.

ESEO satellite

Southgate News reports on testing of the ground control for this upcoming satellite. It has an FM transponder planned for 23cms to 2m.

See https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/communications/eseo/ for more about the satellite.

East Anglia - NOT amateur radio

We have well over 1000 medieval churches in our part of the world. Some are real gems. With aging and falling congregations it is far from clear how these will be maintained in future years. At the moment most are looked after and many are open.

Whatever you are a Christian believer (or not), these are well worth a visit. We are lucky as most are less than 90 minutes drive away. We try to visit many of these and those we do I record in another blog. See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Alibris - NOT amateur radio

Yet again, I am getting "never to be missed" discounts every week it seems. Do they really take us all for morons? As a marketing ploy, I am tired. Just reduce your prices and put us out of our misery.

If you ever buy books from this lot do wait for an offer. These come around so often that it is never worth buying without using an offer.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday April 26th 2017

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot number 36. A=12 and K=2.

10m? Maybe some Es and a chance of some N-S F2 propagation.

WSPR today

At the moment I am on 10m WSPR (100% TX, 500mW) and 6m WSPR (20% TX, 1W ERP, 80% RX). As yet, no spots in either band. Assuming their will be some Es today, it is likely to be patchy.

UPDATE 1010z:  Still no WSPR spots here on either 10m or 6m. We may get lucky and see some Es - who knows?

UPDATE 1440z:  Still no spots here.

UPDATE 1654z: Still nothing.  There are lightning strikes near St Neots. OK for now, but I may have to go QRT later.

UPDATE 1900z:  Unless things change soon, this looks like another day with no WSPR spots here on either 10m or 6m. Disappointing. As all seems quiet on the storm front, I shall leave things running on 10m and 6m WSPR until bedtime.

UPDATE 2240z:  With no spots all day. it is time to go QRT.

Lightning risk?

For the first time this year we are threatened with lightning. If you want to check where the storms are in the UK check out this map.  If the storms get close, I shall disconnect rigs and antennas as a precaution.

Garden Colour - NOT amateur radio

This garden in our village is always filled with colour in spring and summer. The couple who live in this cottage work hard on it. Sadly, they are getting older, so I am not sure how much longer they can maintain it. At the moment it is a sea of colour.