10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0815z . When I checked WSPRnet appeared not to be working? Which begs a question - is there a real alternative? In the past I have found PSKreporter poor for WSPR.

UPDATE 1529z: Spotted by 38 stations.

UPDATE 2106z: 69 stations have spotted me.

Sunspots - Saturday May 23rd

 Solar flux is 124 and the SSN 67. A=6 and K=1.

Cuba

The USA 🇺🇸 is putting pressure on Cuba.

They made a mess in Iraq and Afghanistan and appear to be in a mess over Iran now.

They don’t exactly have a good record!

University days

1967-70 I was an electronics student at Liverpool University. The photo from 1970 shows our year. 

As I recall we had 109 students in our year with just one woman and I don't think she is even in the photo!

To think I had hair then 😄.  I am on the left a few rows back. Perhaps you can spot me?  Happy days.

By the way, I chose Liverpool as it had the best amateur radio society (G3OUL) at the time! I don't think it is there now?

When I was there Liverpool University had about 7000 students. It now has about 22000 .

10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)

 My beacon was on before breakfast.

UPDATE 1846z: 80 stations spotted me. Best Es day so far this season. Now QRT.

QRPguys digital transceiver

Although I have no experience of these kits, apparently QRPGuys now make a true SSB version of their digital transceiver.

See https://qrpguys.com/qrpguys-digital-fsk-transceiver-iiia

Immigration

There seems to be a scapegoating of migrants in the UK at present.

 Like many countries the level of net immigration is actually falling despite what you might be led to believe. 

Also, without immigration our population would be falling and many jobs would be unfilled . 

We need some migration into the UK to sustain our society.

Earth-electrode antennas

Many years ago I tried to compare my vertical Marconi vertical with my earth-electrode antenna in the groundi on  472kHz.I think these tests were mainly in 2012 and 2013. 

My conclusion is that on the LF bands it is a very few S points down. If you have problems erecting a big antenna and extensive ground do not ignore this antenna as it is surprisingly good.

“These are my conclusions:

1. The earth-electrode antenna at 472kHz (2 earth rods in the soil 15-20m apart fed from the TX output) behaves like an H-field loop transmitting antenna.
2. It has directivity, with strongest signals in the line of the loop and weakest signals at right angles to it.
3. It works as an effective RX antenna too. 
4. In my environment the loop looks like about 50-60 ohms resistive, so a good match to my transverter directly without matching.
5. The structure works because much of the return current flows deep within the soil and rock beneath the earth-electrode antenna. In my case Rik OR7T calculated that the loop area in the ground is effectively 290m sq with a radiation resistance of 0.017 ohm and a loss resistance of 66 ohms.This is a BIG loop!
6. Performance compared with my 9m high top loaded Marconi antenna averages only around 8dB down, not a bad figure at all, even with the connecting wire on the ground and not elevated at all.
7. Where no other antenna option is available, the earth-electrode antenna is well worth trying both on 472kHz and on 136kHz both for RX and TX. Although it works well here, your geology may be different and results not the same.

These last few days have been most interesting and, with the help of many people - listeners giving me WSPR reports, advice from others on the Internet forums, suggestions by email - I have been able to do some quite useful science. Thank you one and all“. 

Sunspots- Friday May 22nd

 Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 76. A=7 and K=1.

No friends like old friends

We first met in 1968 at university. 

Here we are now all in our late 70s enjoying a meal together in Letchworth earlier today.