Shakespeare's famous speech - NOT amateur radio

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_quality_of_mercy_(Shakespeare_quote)

This is probably one of the most famous speeches in the English language. It is Portia's famous speech in Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice".

Like many, I had to learn this off by heart at school. I'm glad I did. It means much more to me now than 50 years ago.

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown;

.......

Not buying.....for now

With BREXIT, Japanese goods, and USA goods, priced in USA dollars should be some 10% more expensive to import into the UK. I expect dealers will absorb some of this, but maybe not all. This could mean some prices go up later this year or next.

I was thinking about investing in a new rig like the ICOM IC7300 but the offered cash price was too great, so I shall stick with my present rigs for now. The FT817 has served me well and has enabled me to work some impressive QRP DX over the years. I like the rigs I own and don't need a new radio. We are always bombarded with adverts trying to persuade us to buy consumer goods and we have to ask ourselves can we, should we, resist?

Our whole society is based on buying "things" we don't really need that wear out quite soon. In the end this is not sustainable in a world with a growing population and limited resources.

Flint - NOT amateur radio

This is part of a church tower at a church we visited back in the summer. I just love the texture.

Anglesey Abbey, Nr Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Every month there is something to see here. We go regularly because it is so near. We are very lucky. The autumn crocus were out and this blue flower, which was in the herbaceous garden.

Band/mode change

At about 1224z I went QRT on 6m JT65 and 10m WPSR (just after OZ7IT spotted me at 853km on 10m WSPR) and am now just on 10m JT65.

UPDATE 1238z: G6WPJ (47km) has already spotted me on 10m JT65. No 10m Es seen here yet on JT65.

UPDATE 1512z: Best DX on 10m JT65 TX so far is OH1EEZ (1657km) in KP10 square and on 10m JT65 RX is LU1AMH (11223km) in Argentina. I have the feeling my 2W QRP 10m JT65 will reach South America again today.

UPDATE 1744z: No further South Americans on 10m JT65 here. Maybe I am not going to be heard in South America after all.

UPDATE 1928z: PU4HPC (9136km) and PY2WND (9449km) were recently spotted on 10m JT65. I guess there is still a chance my QRP 10m JT65 will reach South America tonight?

UPDATE 2042z: Widespread 10m Es tonight.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday September 11th 2016

Solar flux is 90 today and the sunspot number 66. With K=0 we could be in for reasonable 10m F layer propagation later. The 10m F2 forecast remains "poor" however.

6m JT65 and 10m WSPR this morning

As I tend to get better results on 6m JT65 (in the UK) than on 10m, I decided on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR today, at least until this afternoon. 4 UK spots of my 2W ERP already on 6m JT65 plus a couple of UK 6m spots of others. Nothing yet on 10m WSPR apart from an early spot by G4KPX (14km) who I think must have changed bands or gone QRT. No Es as yet and no F2.

UPDATE 1006z: I see that LB5JE (1152km) was spotted on 6m JT65 at 0934z. This must have been Es. Sept 11th but still seeing some Es on 6m.

UPDATE 1240z: 5 UK spots of my 6m QRP JT65 before I QSYed to 10m.

Late 10m Es

It is now well after dark but as recently as 40 minutes ago I was being spotted on 10m JT65 in Germany. This is late in the year for Es and late in the day. WSPR and JT65 are ideal for "smoking out" such openings. Personally I find beaconing with JT65 more productive on 10m than WSPR even though it is not as good theoretically. This is because there is more activity.

Small cycle 25 peak?

See http://www.arrl.org/news/view/higher-bands-will-pick-up-this-fall-data-suggest-smaller-solar-cycles-lie-ahead?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

The next QST will see some "navel gazing" on the small matter of, "what size will the next solar peak be?".

In truth, no-one is quite sure, but the science points to a minimum around 2020 and a small next peak. This was reported in Amateur Radio Weekly. We can be pretty sure the large peaks seen in my youth will never be repeated in my lifetime. Sad, but that's life and we have to make the best of it.

Time to change modes and band

With very good Es on both 10m WSPR and 6m JT65, I think it is time to move over to 10m JT65 just in case there is some F layer DX about. I am off to go QRT on 10m WSPR and start up 10m JT65 and do a manual re-sync to internet time "just in case".

UPDATE 1735z:  Now QRT on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR and active (2W) on 10m JT65. There are several South Americans active on 10m JT65 so we'll have to see if there is any propagation.

UPDATE 2006z: Just EU7KBB (1931km) in Belarus spotted on 10m JT65. No South Americans. It is still not too late, but I think South American 10m JT65 spots are unlikely today.