Sunspots - Friday May 3rd 2019

Solar flux today is 69 and the SSN 0. A=13 and K=2.

/MM via Oscar 100

HS10KING/MM on 10.489.768.600 now. Just heard him working a Dutch station. Now working a UK station.

Carbon capture? - NOT amateur radio

There is no doubt that our burning of fossil fuels will change in the next 30 years. I expect the use of fossil fuels in vehicles will go down as electric cars get better and cheaper. However, we are still likely to burn fossil fuels, so carbon capture technology is important to reduce nett carbon emissions. There may be some progress.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47638586 .

OFCOM update

Apparently OFCOM has updated its Connected Nations  report.

Rallies

Sunday 5 MAY : THORPE CAMP HAMFEST

Open for traders who camp over to set up from 29th April. More information in the events page of thorpecamp.org or Sylvia or Ant on 0795 665 4481.


6 MAY 2019 (New Venue) : 35th DARTMOOR RADIO CLUB RALLY

The Butchers Hall, Pannier Market, Tavistock. Entrance to the rally will be from the square and doors open at 10am. Admission is £2. There will be traders, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. Refreshments will be available. Contact Roger, 2E0RPH on 07854 088 882, or by email to 2e0rph@gmail.com.

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

Before you ask, I have no idea where Thorpe Camp is. I shall have to click the link to find out. Well, I clicked the link - it is in Lincolnshire. Now you know!

Latest solar predictions

As you can see, this site is still predicting the minimum has been passed. If you access the blog via https you may not be able to see the image. In which case try here. 

Once we are definitely over the minimum the climb up the slope is quite rapid.

Our windmill - NOT amateur radio

Many times I have said we overlook a windmill. This was a photo taken yesterday "up the close" with buttercups in the foreground.

End of season on 472kHz?

Yet again, I was on 472kHz WSPR last evening and overnight. In all, 3 stations spotted me. I definitely get the feeling that many are leaving the band until the autumn. Last night fewer stations were copied than for many months. DX wise, I was still copying I and EA.

The table shows the 472kHz WSPR activity here last evening and overnight.

472kHz WSPR here overnight

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 since before breakfast, calling CQ initially (2.5W), no spots at all yet.

UPDATE 0900z: Just PA3BGQ (272km) spotted so far. This could be tropo or aircraft.

UPDATE 1037z: Now 4 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with best DX DJ1AA (660km).

UPDATE 1230z: Now 7 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with best DX LZ2II (2093km).

UPDATE 1740z: Now 72 EU stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. Presumably Es. No "real DX" here as yet on 10m today. I was half hoping we'd see some Es linking with F2 further south, meaning we might get some South American DX on 10m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Thursday May 2nd 2019

Still the pits!  Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number zero. A=10 and K=4.