2m UKAC activity contest last night

Last night was the August 2m UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB.  Best DX was 182km, although I was on for less than an hour with just 5W and a big-wheel omni antenna.

As before, if I had been able to stay on longer, I'd have worked several more squares and stations. Sadly, my stroke affected voice said, "stop".

Stations worked last night in the contest.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 2nd 2017

Solar flux is 73 today and the sunspot number 0. A=6 and K=1.

Visits - NOT amateur radio

Even without the regular trawling by our Eastern European "friends", visits to this blog are way up. All I hope is that the content is enjoyed. I enjoy doing it, as it does not involve my poor voice. Usually, the content is pretty mixed. Mostly, but not exclusively, it is amateur radio related.

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

So, the swifts have nearly gone until next year. I heard some screaming this morning and saw one this evening, but already they are moving south to warmer climes.

Most swifts have gone by mid-August although swallows are often seen much later.

With swifts you just realise they are no longer here. Sad, but they will be back. To me, the screaming swifts are a mark of an English summer.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/s/swift/ .

10m FT8

As of about 15 minutes ago, I am now on 10m FT8. After a brief period on TX, I am now on RX only. Sadly, no spots given or received so far.

UPDATE 1848z: Just M1CVJ (327km) spotted so far. This is too near for Es and too far for tropo, so could be aircraft reflection? This station is in North Devon in IO71 square.

QRT - storm risk

The latest weather forecast show the greatest storm risk here is now 1300-1400z, so I have decided to go QRT and disconnect everything including rigs, PC, antennas and mains plugs. I may be back on later after the storm risk has passed. Already, the wind is blowing. Bad weather is coming.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en .

UPDATE 1524z: So, the storms never came and there are no storms forecast. Shortly I shall reconnect things and start TXing again.

OFCOM monthly update - August 2017

Every month OFCOM produces an update.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/CF2593BB1808A8092540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

Whistlers at VLF

As an undergraduate (a long time ago!) I did a project on whistlers, which are natural VLF noises produced as a result of VLF emissions being dispersed along magnetic field lines. I nearly did a PhD studying these. There are lots of different natural sounds at VLF. Whistlers are just one type. Tweeks are far more common. I recall going out to quiet parts of Wales to make recordings, although tweeks could even be heard in the centre of Liverpool after the manmade noises subsided late at night.

See https://soundcloud.com/nasa/whistler-waves2 . Eerie noises and not manmade.

Trump - NOT amateur radio

Apologies to all my readers in the USA who voted for him, but personally I find your current president sad. Maybe many in the world are misjudging him?

Allegedly, he has now sacked his latest media chief after a few days in the job.  How can we in the rest of the world take your president seriously? It is about time he acted as a president. This is my personal view and others may well disagree, which is your perfect right.

Sending tweets, claiming lots of the news is fake and sacking people after a few days in office does not sound like a leader of the western world. "You're fired" belongs in a TV show, not in the White House.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40782299 .

Sale again? - NOT amateur radio

Yet again, Alibris UK is having a sale. Nobody in their right mind would buy at the full price as nearly every week (every week?) they seem to have a sale.