10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Much to my surprise, I see I have had 4 unique 10m WSPR spots already this morning with my best DX report being from IK1NET (981km). So, yet again, there is good, early Es on 10m.

UPDATE 2110z: 6 unique spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon in the last day. Soon be time to go QRT.

Sunspots - Thursday August 17th 2017

Solar flux is 76 today and the sunspot number 30. A=6 and K=5.

Red-Legged Partridge - NOT amateur radio

Today, we had no less than 4 (a record) red-legged partridge in our garden. These are introduced birds from Spain and France, now well established here. We see some most days.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/r/redleggedpartridge/

Trump - NOT amateur radio

Well, yet again he seems to have put his foot in it. This time the issue is neo-Nazis and white supremacists in the USA. If he simply condemned violent and provocative acts, surely he would have better chances. Even some fellow Republicans are against him.

I don't live in the USA, but I do struggle to see how a rich billionaire can really represent "the common man". OK, he was voted in. The trouble is "you reap what you sow".

UPDATE 2148z: Now both Bush ex-presidents have said, according to the BBC, that Trump should  "reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms".  I agree.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40946386

10m WSPR TX

Yet again I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW). The only spot so far is by DK6UG (633km) before breakfast.

UPDATE 1622z: Six unique 10m WSPR spots received today. Best DX spot is from DK8FT (898km).

UPDATE 2200z: With no new spots since early afternoon, time to go QRT I think. Interesting how few 10m WSPR spots I got compared with the loads of spots I gave on 6m FT8. Either my 10m antenna is rubbish compared with the 6m one or, more probably, there are a lot more FT8 users than WSPR these days. 6m rather proved the Es was good today.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 16th 2017

Solar flux is 74 and the sunspot number 21. A=4 and K=2.

6m FT8 QSO with Spain

Earlier this morning, I worked EA5WU (1381km) on 6m FT8. I have worked a few stations before using this mode, but mostly I am RX only. On 6m my ERP is about 1W.

UPDATE 0910z: 8 countries spotted so far on 6m FT8 RX. Es good today.

6m FT8 RX spots today

UPDATE 1620z: 14 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX so far today.

UPDATE 1856z: With 24 countries spotted here on 6m FT8 RX today, this is a personal record. This mode certainly has "taken off". Good 6m Es again today.

PSK Reporter Maps - working again?

When I tried PSK Reporter Maps, it was working again. All my 6m MSK144 and FT8 RX spots for the last day appeared. I hope they have fixed it.

UPDATE 2004z:  These are the FT8 RX spots on 6m today as reported by PSK Reporter Maps. It seems it is fixed.

Sign of the times? - NOT amateur radio

Apart from getting cash from a machine, we rarely use our local bank these days. Not surprisingly, it is closing on November 10th.

There is a Post Office just across the road where you can pay bills to any bank, get foreign exchange and cash.

To be honest, I am surprised the only bank in the village has lasted as long as it has. We've been in the village since 1975 and the bank has been here all that time. I expect they will build yet more posh houses on the plot!

72 Group (QRP)

In the last hour I received an invitation to join the 72 group.

See https://groups.io/g/72/topics