4 Sept 2016

QRP and QRPclub

More from Oleg:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report (August 29 to September 4, 2016)
Visitors  of  the  week: UR5EFD, OH6NPV, DK1HW, US3EN, RV3GM, UA1CEX, RU3NJC, UA1CEG, UA1AV, UR0ET, UA1ASB, R4NX, RV3UF, OE3RV/p
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists on the Club 72 page - www.club72.su

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72" "


RSGB 2m Trophy Contest

Because of my poor voice I was only on for a very short while this morning. In all I worked 5 QTH squares but could have worked many more if I had stayed on longer. Sunday morning is a good time as many stations have worked most stations and are looking for stragglers like me! My 5W and omni antenna did not seem to be a great handicap. Several continentals heard.

10m JT65 Sunday

I stayed on 10m JT65 overnight (no spots) and did a re-sync to Internet  time early this morning. There is already some Es about with HA5CAR (1451km) spotted and spotting me. IU1DZZ also spotted on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1130z: F5RRS (819km) has also spotted me on 10m JT65.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday Sept 4th 2016

Solar flux today is 99 and sunspot number. is 46.  K=4. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation is again "poor".

3 Sept 2016

Church Bells - NOT amateur radio

 
There must be (at least) 2 weddings today as our local church bells have rung twice so far today. See also http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

2m contest reminder - this weekend

For once, I remembered!

This weekend is the 2m Trophy Contest organised by the RSGB, It runs from 1400 UTC Saturday until 1400 UTC Sunday. See http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2016&contest=144trophy&seq=

There is also the RSGB Backpacker's Contest on Sunday morning. I hope to be on for some of the time.

On Tuesday evening is the 2m UKAC Contest for September.

Even if you hate contests, these are a good chance to work a few new stations and QTH squares. There is no compulsion to send in a log. Just enjoy the activity.

UPDATE 2116z: I went on the 2m Trophy Contest for 20 minutes just now and worked 4 stations with my 5W and big-wheel omni. Best DX was a station in IO81RF which is 227km. I may try again tomorrow morning.

Letter from Howard in Billings Montana

I received a letter in the mail from Howard in Billings Montana MT59102-1420 USA. No callsign was given but he enclosed a stamp (USA Global) which I am not sure is valid on letters from the UK.

Howard is after a Peter Jones PK-205 straight key that was distributed in the USA by Palomar at one time. If anyone knows any data please contact me and I'll try to contact Howard. I don't think he reads the blog or has email/internet.

A quick Google search did not show any results for "Peter Jones straight key".  I wonder if he is no longer in business?

10m JT65

After no activity overnight, I switched everything back on 10m JT65 just after 0930z. So far no spots at all again.

UPDATE 1100z:  Still no spots on 10m JT65 here so far today.

UPDATE 1242z:  IK8TNG (1639km) has spotted me be Es on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1646z: Three Es spots so far on 10m JT65 (2 Italy and 1 France). No real DX seen yet. As there is no Es towards S.America, I think it is unlikely there will be any Es joining with F-layer today on 10m JT65. Let's hope I am proved wrong.

UPDATE  1912z:  Well. I was wrong! I have spotted stations in Paraguay and Brazil on 10m JT65 this evening already. I do not think this was Es related.

UPDATE 2018z:  With CU2ZG (2572km) in the Azores just spotted, and spotting me, I am wondering if the South Americans are a linkage of Es and F layer after all?  I have recently also spotted a couple of LUs on 10m JT65, with best DX  LU1ECF (11223km).

See https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html .

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday Sept 3rd 2016

Solar flux is 97 and the sunspot number 50. K=5. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". Will it ever be better?

For a look at the solar conditions in recent months see http://www.solen.info/solar/ which shows the slow decline in solar conditions.. We are now on the way down the solar cycle but have a long way to go before the next minimum.

2 Sept 2016

QRT time on 10m JT65

After the worst day I can remember on 10m JT65, it is time to go QRT and turn everything off until tomorrow. This was the first time in ages when I spotted no-one and no-one spotted me on 10m. Still, things are likely to get better F2-wise as we enter the autumn, at least on better days.

UPDATE 2150z:  Now QRT for the night.