Something for the weekend

As usual, MLS, a major UK dealer, has some special discounts. With the cashback the FT891 is £554.95. So, why is the IC7300 so expensive? Because we pay at these silly prices. Blame us.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-pc-302.php

Silver birch seeds - NOT amateur radio

We have a large silver birch tree in our garden. At this time of year we get seeds everywhere! Yesterday, I swept up 5 dustbins full of seeds.

Mill Leat - NOT amateur radio

A lovely spot at Anglesey Abbey yesterday with Lode Water Mill at one end and this bridge at the other.

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, just one G spotted G00YQ (177km) in the Hull area. No "real" DX.

UPDATE 1010z: 10 unique spots so far, with best DX Israel at 3575km.

UPDATE 1522z: 7 South Americans on 10m FT8 RX so far. Again, the best DX is LU way down south. - LU8XAF (13413km).

UPDATE 1820z: Well, I was about to QSY to 630m WSPR when I noticed that there were loads of South Americas still coming through on 10m FT8. So, I'll QSY to 630m WSPR later.

Sunspots - Friday October 6th 2017

Solar flux is 85 today and the sunspot number is 26.  A=7 and K=3.

A good MF night

Last night I was on 630m WSPR RX. After some mysteries with the charger on my PC, I was on through the night with the PC running on its internal battery. This lasted until after 0500z, so most of the session. I am now on 10m FT8 RX with the PC battery charging. Noise does not seem to be an issue on 10m.

In all. 13 unique MF spots with a couple of stations new for this season.

QSY to MF WSPR RX

At about 2025z I switched to 630m WSPR RX from 10m FT8 RX. The rig and PC will be monitoring through the night once again. If previous nights are typical, I can expect to spot the same stations again! Every morning, I hope to see some new ones, but I am always disappointed.

UPDATE 2105:  No spots yet received on MF. I suspected my rig and PC settings, but all looks fine. By now, I was expecting several Europeans to be coming through. Another check is in order. Or are more giving up on MF WSPR?

UPDATE 2128z: Well, I do not understand it. Turning off the PC's charger resulted in spots, yet I have been getting plenty of spots with this on on previous nights. The noise floor drops about 4 S points with the charger off and the noise floor did seem a bit higher than previous nights. It is almost as if there is a threshold above which decodes do not occur. Puzzling. Anyway, I am monitoring with the PC on its internal battery. This should be OK until breakfast or just before. I have seen one new one this season PA0MLC (394km).

UK pound against major currencies - NOT amateur radio

Today, the UK pound has lost value against all the major world currencies. This may be because of the Prime Minister's speech yesterday and the feeling that we are a bit rudderless. It looks like we are due for a leadership contest in the governing Conservative Party or even another General Election.

10m dead?

So far today, these are what I have spotted here on 10m FT8 with my indifferent antenna. Hardly a dead band! I think much is TEP.

UPDATE 2018z: LU2XP (13308km) was the best DX spotted here today on 10m FT8 along with several other South Americans.

Toadflax - NOT amateur radio

This was growing wild just a few metres from our bungalow. It must have flowered very recently as I'd not seen it before today.

See https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/10295/Linaria-vulgaris/Details