Sunspots - Saturday December 14th 2019

Solar flux is 69 (i.e. less than 70) and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

Wallet - NOT amateur radio

It's funny what we have in our wallets The photo shows what was in my wallet this morning. All the usual stuff is there including a couple of credit cards.

2m FT8

At the moment I am still on 2m FT8, mainly RX. So far today, 3 stations spotted with best DX on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel antenna DJ9IE (515km).

UPDATE 1100z: A recent 2.5W FT8 CQ was copied by 1 G only. On RX 6 stations in 3 countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 2115z: Now 31 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UK General Election - NOT amateur radio

So the Conservative party has decisively won the UK General Election. I cannot deny they won a big majority although I feel this is as much about stopping the paralysis over BREXIT as anything else. I now expect the leader of the opposition to leave soon. His left wing policies were not liked.

Sunspots - Friday December 13th 2019

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=2.

4m website

Although I have not been on 4m for some years there are more and more rigs with 4m coverage and more countries than ever with 4m access. 

One place with lots of data is the 4m website. Assuming the price is sensible I expect to buy an IC-705.  In Europe, this rig covers 4m.  4m should be a useful band for inter-G contacts and Es in to Europe. On FT8 I would expect most of the UK to be within range at any time irrespective of conditions.

Solar doldrums

It is now some while since we saw sunspots, with none even with the more active region of the Sun swinging in to view. The solar flux has been in the low 70s, as far as I remember, for some weeks and it has not dipped in to the 60s for some time. This, at least, is slightly encouraging.

It very much looks to me as if we are right at the bottom of the solar minimum. Only time will tell. If we are at the bottom, we can expect improving conditions for the next few years. Let's hope so!

2m FT8

A few moments ago I QSYed to 2m FT8 calling CQ (2.5W) initially. Nothing yet copied on RX, but 3 spots on TX with the best being M0NPT (125km) in Nottingham. I am using the big-wheel omni antenna. It is a truly miserable day with rain.

UPDATE 1243z: 6 stations in 3 countries so far this morning on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2142z: In the last day 69 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

160m FT8 RX last night

160m FT8 spots overnight with the
earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Another amazing evening and overnight on 160m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with 496 stations in 5 continents spotted with best DX ZS1LS (9738km).

UPDATE 1102z: KV4FZ (6764km) spotted at 0922z. This looks classic greyline with the Caribbean in darkness. A VY2 was also copied on 160m FT8 RX this morning, but this did not reach PSKreporter for some reason.

Quakers - NOT amateur radio

Although I cannot confess to having a faith these days, I admit to being an agnostic, I have a great deal of time for the Quakers in the UK. They seem to be the one group working for equality and peace. Unlike some religious groups they believe in faith in action and think there is "something of God in everyone". Most (all?) believe in simple living. Their business ethics are based on honesty and justice, something we are lacking in the UK and many countries currently.

See https://www.quaker.org.uk/