Shaking off a cold - NOT amateur radio

I have had a cold for a week now. Last weekend I was rough with it and felt really under the weather. A week later, although I no longer feel unwell, I still have a runny nose. It is taking longer to shake off the symptoms. It is some years since I last recall having a classic cold.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Feb 27th 2016

Solar flux is 89 today and sunspot number 41 (K=2). Predictions for 10m propagation remain "poor" although they were "poor" yesterday and I managed to be spotted, and spotted others, in Australia with 2W on 10m WSPR yesterday! I always treat these forecasts with a degree of skepticism and the band often supports DX when it seems quiet. Use WSPR and find out.

UPDATE 1102z:  So far the only 10m spot this morning is of G8VDQ (93km) who I think was coming in via aircraft reflection judging by the Doppler, from IO91um.

Switched to 10m WSPR

All night I was on 40m WSPR, but since 1007z I switched to 10m WSPR. Several spots from the USA on 40m WSPR again.

40m WSPR

At 1905z, with all chance of 10m WSPR DX gone, I QSYed to 40m WSPR. There have been plenty of spots of my signal but I have only spotted one other station so far tonight because of my high local noise floor.

UPDATE 2240z:  Stations in the USA are again spotting my 2W 40m WSPR to an antenna that is far from any good for DX on 40m. It will be interesting to see how many USA stations spot me on 40m WSPR.

10m WSPR GDX

Since this morning the only spots on 10m WSPR have been G stations with the latest being G8VDQ (93km).  I suspect this is tropo and aircraft reflection. No international DX spots since this morning on 10m WSPR.

7-day high - NOT amateur radio

Last weekend I was away staying with one of our sons with limited internet access. Yesterday, the number of visitors to this blog was at a weekly high again.

In the past I have been able to update the blogs using my Apple iPod Touch 4g and Safari, but this no longer works for some reason. So, unless I take a PC with me I have to wait until I get back home.

Yet another stroke after-effect - NOT amateur radio

I have mentioned this before, but I seem far slower at noticing errors than in the past.

As an example I used the Roman phrase caveat emptor on my blog yesterday. Only a day later when this appeared on AmateurRadio.com did I notice that I had the wrong spelling caveat emtor . On my blog I have corrected the mistake, but I had not seen it! Sometimes it is a keying error, but I should have noticed this.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri Feb 26th 2016

Solar flux is 90 today and sunspot number 26 (K=1). The forecast for 10m propagation today remains "poor". I have been on 10m WSPR since breakfast but no spots given or received as yet.

UPDATE 1030z:  It helps to check the right band on WSPRnet - not 20m.  10m WSPR stations in Australia have been spotted yet again today and I have (yet again) been spotted in Australia this time by VK5AKK  (16231km) and G4CUI (172km) has spotted me.

20m JT9-1

As 10m WSPR appeared dire here this afternoon, I QSYed down to 20m and had a 2-way QSO using JT9-1 with  SP6EIY.  My power was 2W.

I have now gone on 20m WSPR so I can monitor in the lounge and enjoy a cup of tea.  These are the 20m WSPR spots so far.

UPDATE 1830z:  Several 20m WSPR spots from the USA, both received and given. I shall probably QSY to 40m WSPR later.

UPDATE 2020z:   Still lots of 20m WSPR spots from Canada and the  USA. For now, I shall remain on 20m.

UPDATE 2130z:   The last 20m USA WSPR spot was at 2106z from K3SC (5869km), so I am staying on 20m for now, whilst the band is still open E-W.

Migrants trying to reach the UK - NOT amateur radio

Mixed views. I do not like unrestricted EU access into the UK and firmly believe it is up to the UK to decide who can live and work here. At the same time I feel so sorry for the true refugees who have fled war and conflict who wish to come to the UK for a peaceful life. Some of these people are really desperate.  In all conflicts it is the children who suffer the most. One woman is trying to make life in Calais just a little better for some children.  She is trying to raise money to buy a double-decker bus to convert.

If you would like to help just a little see https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/sophie-besse-bus?comment_id=1325867307439276&fb_comment_id=1324719837554023_1325867307439276#f30de133eed222e

Whatever your views, the little ones are the innocent victims. Life can be cruel and hard. You could help just a little?