Sunspots - Saturday May 18th

 Solar flux is 204 and the SSN 168.  A=29 and K=3.

Last one - NOT amateur radio

We went to Anglesey Abbey this morning. We saw this last daffodil.

Kenwood TH-D75

The latest MLS price for this handheld is £789. 

Who pays this stupid money for a handheld? 

I guess people with very deep pockets and very small brains.

Ancient websites - NOT amateur radio

 Nothing infuriates me as much as websites that are very out of date!  Today, I chanced on this:

"Next proposed Working Party Dates: 6th February 2011 and 6th March 2011."

This is only 13 years out of date 😉.   If you are doing a website it has to be maintained!!

6m 10mW WSPR (Friday)

My 10mW 6m WSPR is on again. As you will know this is to find out how well 10mW ERP might perform on 8m, which is available to all (certainly in the UK) under ISM rules without a licence. I am guessing there are more monitors on 6m.

UPDATE 1900z:  No 6m spots of me today. Unexpectedly, 3 UK stations were spotted on 6m WSPR RX despite the large pad on the rig output!

UPDATE 2135z: G0VQH (15km) has spotted my 10mW 6m WSPR very strongly (+2dB S/N) 

10m QRPP WSPR (Friday)

My 500uW 10m WSPR is on again, although I doubt this will be copied unless we have really good Es further west in Europe. Maybe later?

UPDATE 1343z:  DK6UG (633km) has spotted my 500uW 5 times today.

European Es

 At the moment, Es seems better in Europe further east. Let's hope it spreads further west!

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

 

This is near where I come from in South Devon.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

Overnight 4 stations spotted my 10mW ERP. No real DX. 

Rallies this weekend

 The following have been notified to me, but it is always advisable to check beforehand.

• Saturday May 18th - Barry ARS , CF64 5SP.  Contact s.cawsey@sky.com
• Sunday  May 19th - Braehead Rally, G51 4BN. See http://braeheadrally.com.  No contact details given.
• Sunday May 19th - Dartmoor Radio Club Rally, Yelverton, PL20 6AL. Contact 2e0rph@gmail.com .

Sunspots - Friday May 17th

 Solar flux is 207 and the SSN 208. A=27 and K=2.

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

At about 1910z, I QSYed to 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. So far,  2 spots received from G8OCV/SDR (65km).

What are these? - NOT amateur radio

My wife had a surprise yesterday when putting things in the compost bin! Something had sprouted, but I have no idea what they are. 

Something was put in months ago and must have germinated.

70cm UKAC on Tuesday last

It is my view that interest in this contest is waning at the expense of FT8. Overall, I do not stay on long with my 10W pep to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna, but I get the feeling it is mainly the dedicated people who come on. If my voice was better and I stayed on longer far more could have been worked. 2 stations were worked.

6m 10mW WSPR (Thursday)

My 10mW 6m WSPR is on, but no spots of me at 0835z.

UPDATE 1920z:  No spots of me all day.

10m QRPP WSPR (Thursday)

My 500uW 10m WSPR is on.  So far (at 0833z) no spots of me.

UPDATE 1807z:  No spots.

European Es (Thursday)

 At the moment the Es seems to be mainly in the east. I hope this spreads west.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

A better session with 6 stations spotting my 10mW ERP. No amazing DX but it gives me hope!

137kHz some years ago

This was 2011 when I was still fit. My best DX on the band.

The West and China - NOT amateur radio

China is in the ascendancy in the 21st century.  

For a long time the USA has been acknowledged as the strongest power in the world, but it looks as if this is changing.  

No doubt the USA will try to hang on to their supremacy, but I suspect long after I am pushing up daisies things will be very different. China is communist and the USA a western democracy. Both systems have merits and demerits.