CQWW SSB contest - this weekend

 This is the BIG contest of the year and a chance to work some rare countries or US states. 

In the past I have worked the USA with just 2.5W with a handheld rig indoors on the bed with just a whip on the rig! 

In recent years with my poor voice I have often forgotten about it!

160m FT8 RX overnight

Last evening and overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 0627z:  213 stations spotted mostly around Europe

US dollar and bonds

It seems to me that the USA is heading for trouble. 

It has huge debts that are currently sold to places like China and Japan but the interest rates are now very high. In Japan you can get competitive rates within Japan so there’s no good reason to buy US debt. Also China is reducing its holdings of US debt. 

The danger is this leads to a fall in the value of the dollar and people deciding to trade in a new reserve currency instead. This could take years but the signs are there.

Caveat Emptor.

Sunspots - Friday October 23rd

 Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 49. A=20 and K=1.

160m FT8 RX (Thursday)

Once again I am on 160m FT8 RX with my IC-705 and earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I intend to leave it running overnight.

 UPDATE 2209x:  So far, 158 stations spotted.

Our Close

As mentioned in an earlier post today autumn was a bit late coming, but is definitely here now!  

The trees on the green in our close are changing colour and losing leaves.

Mizuho rigs

These were Japanese rigs. I still have an MX-2 2m QRP SSB portable, but it has not been used in many years. I think the Mizoho rigs are no longer made.

One was the SB-2M, which was a 1W 2m SSB portable. I think these date from the 1980s?

Mizuho made some great transceivers.

Autumn late

This year, autumn has been late. Many of the summer plants are still doing well, although a frost will probably kill them. leaves are now falling and many more will fall if we have strong winds,

Latest Meidas video

The Meidas Network is definitely anti President Trump. My advise is to seek out a range of views and make up your own mind.

10m 1W FT8 (Thursday)

 My gear was turned on at about 0445z

UPDATE 0753z: Just 1 local station spotting me.e

UPDATE 1541z:  14 stations have spotted my 1W FT8 with the best TL8GD (5586km).  Conditions are poor today.