Local museum - NOT amateur radio

Our local Burwell museum (one of the best in the UK) can be chosen as the charity, so it gets some money when one purchases Co-op goods with a Co-op card here in the UK. You get money back for yourself as well as benefitting a local charity of your choice. The Co-op has some keen prices too.

See https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/14610?_ga=2.248622607.92229215.1515413139-1524151408.1508532784

Bots again - NOT amateur radio

Well, according to my stats I have already had 21 times the normal daily blog visits! Yesterday it was about 5 times normal. Either this is just an error or I am being targeted by bots with bad intent. If you spot anything odd, please let me know. Should this blog disappear you'll know why.

UPDATE 1145z: Blog seems normal so far. Most visits are from the USA and not Eastern Europe.

UPDATE 1330z: Blog visits WAY, WAY above normal.

Sunspots - Monday January 8th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 11. A=3 and K=1.

6m MSK144

Since just before breakfast, I have been monitoring 50.280MHz MSK144. So far today, nothing spotted.

UPDATE 1148z:  Just G0GGG (210km) spotted so far today on 6m.

630m WSPR overnight

Average. 10 uniques spotted my 10mW ERP and I spotted 6. Those that spotted me were all Gs.

Bots - NOT amateur radio

Funny how blog numbers have gone back to normal again at the very same time visits from Romania have taken a nosedive. Need I say more?

If you see any unusual postings, especially comments on postings, let me know right away, so I can check and if necessary remove. As far as possible I try to ensure all links are safe.

UPDATE 2144z: Blog numbers have risen sharply again, as have visits from Ukraine. Suspicious?

Return to 630m WSPR

As is my normal pattern, I have returned to 630m WSPR for this evening and overnight (10mW ERP, 20% TX). So far my best TX DX is M0NKA (154km). Although drift is reducing, the crystal in my transverter is still settling. It usually settles within 20 minutes.

UPDATE 1815z:  G0LUJ (266km) is currently the best TX DX.

Ely - NOT amateur radio

As the weather was sunny and bright (if cold) we decided to go to Ely for a walk. The photo shows the cathedral from the river.

Bye, bye Christmas - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we put away the Christmas things. Time seems to fly by!  It seems no time since Christmas 2016. As always, the grandchildren love it.

EME on TV?

According to Southgate News the next Michael Portillo "Great British Rail Journeys" may include a piece recorded at Goonhilly Downs showing him operating 5.6GHz EME under supervision.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/bbc-tv-to-show-michael-portillo-moonbounce.htm#.WlIA00x2vIU .

10m FT8 today

Today, I am back on 10m FT8 RX. So far just 2E0XXO (120km) spotted.

UPDATE 1114z: So far, the best DX on 10m FT8 RX is DM1FL (495km).

UPDATE 1625z: 5 uniques in 2 countries so far today.

630m WSPR overnight

As usual, I went on 630m WSPR last night with my 10mW ERP. In all, I was spotted by 9 unique stations and I spotted 6. Unusually, all the stations that spotted me were Gs.

Best DX on RX was (again) LA8AV (1035km) up in Norway. He must have a good set-up as he always beats my S7 noise floor.

Sunspots - Sunday January 7th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 11. A=3 and K=0.

630m WSPR

Rather later than usual (2145z) I have QSYed to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%) from 6m MSK144. I have spotted a couple of stations, although no-one has yet spotted me.

UPDATE 2220z: So far 7 unique stations have spotted me with the best DX being G0LUJ (266km).

Free French Mag

The December 2017 edition of the French Radio mag Radio-REF is available as a free download.

See http://www.r-e-f.org/images/201712_INTERACTIF.pdf .

Real time HF predictions

A reminder that almost real time HF predictions are available at http://www.convectiveweather.co.uk/ionosphere/graphs.php?type=live . Earlier today the MUF for 3000km contacts was just above 22MHz.

The USA in 2018 - NOT amateur radio

At the moment President Trump is openly rubbishing a new book just out. In the meantime the US government has to agree its priorities for the year ahead.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42589860 .

UPDATE 1422z:  President Trump has tweeted, allegedly, that he is "a very stable genius".

Spider's Web - NOT amateur radio

Earlier this morning it was misty and frosty, although nothing like the very cold snap in the east of the USA.

My wife took this photo of a spider's web from one of the trees in our front garden. It was covered in frozen dew and quite beautiful.

Each season brings something of beauty and winter is no exception.

6m MSK144

Daytime today I am on 6m MSK144 RX on 50.280MHz.  Any signals received will be by random MS, aircraft reflection or tropo. So far, just GM3NKG (474km) spotted strongly. Remember this sort of path can be bridged at any time in the solar cycle on 6m.

UPDATE 1216z:  No further spots, as yet, on 6m MSK144 RX today.

UPDATE 1322z: Further spots - from Belgium and NE England - on 6m MSK144 today. These were both very strong.

UPDATE 1352z: M1BXF (14km) spotted. He is very local and very strong, HI.

UPDATE 1552z: 6 uniques in 4 countries so far spotted on 6m MSK144 today.

UPDATE 2144z: Overall today 7 uniques in 5 countries spotted on 50.280MHz MSK144. I noticed an SM which did not get uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps.

Last night on 630m WSPR

A better night. 9 unique stations spotted and my 10mW ERP was spotted by 9 unique stations.

Sunspots - Saturday January 6th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 11. A=5 and K=1.

630m WSPR

At 1846z I QSYed to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%) after the daylight on 10m FT8 RX. This is a bit of a test as recently activity levels in the UK and Europe on 630m seem to have been dropping.

New Blue Plaque - NOT amateur radio

It appears a famous woman microbiologist was born and raised in our village. A new plaque in her honour has appeared. Unless I missed it before, I think this was put up over the holidays. I have to confess I had not heard of her before. The link seems wrong.

Improved miniwhip active RX antenna

Quite a few people use the PA0RDT miniwhip as their RX antenna. Although tiny, these work remarkably well on the 136kHz and 472kHz bands. They also work at higher frequencies. Now a better circuit has been shared by PA3FWM.

See http://www.pa3fwm.nl/projects/miniwhip/ .

First year in the White House book - NOT amateur radio

There is a new book out, which President Trump has called "a pack of lies" allegedly. I hope the book does well.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42574419 .

See also https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beautiful-Poetry-Donald-Trump/dp/1786892278/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515149198&sr=1-1&keywords=trump

Spaceweather - NOT amateur radio

If you want to know about what's happening in the skies above our heads look at this website. It regularly has news and photos of interest.

See http://spaceweather.com/ .

630m WSPR

This continues to disappoint. Overnight my own 10mW ERP was spotted by 6 unique stations and I spotted 5 uniques. This is a little better than the day before, but I get the feeling people are leaving the band.

Sunspots - Friday January 5th 2018

Solar flux is 69, but the sunspot number is 13. A=4 and K=2. On average, solar conditions are on a slow decline.

10m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, just DH2PA (653km) spotted. This could have been aircraft reflection I guess.

UPDATE 1302z: EA4GXG (1332km) and G4HZW (208km) spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1540z: 5 unique stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8.

630m WSPR

Just after dark I switched to 630m WSPR (10mW ERP, 20%) Although a bit better than last time, no spots to get excited about. I shall check in the morning, but for 630m WSPR I have to make radical improvements to my antenna, drop my RX noise floor considerably, or look for a new challenge on a different band.

Mustard - NOT amateur radio

For 160 years Colman's has had a mustard factory in Norwich. Even the local football team is called "the Canaries" after the yellow mustard. Now Unilever is closing its Norwich site - a sad day.  They are transferring production to Burton-on-Trent and Germany. No doubt, this will be to save money and streamline the business. Never mind those who will lose jobs. Capitalism - leave it to the markets.

See www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-42569750 .
See https://www.colmans.co.uk/ .

MSF off-air periods

Southgate News has a useful reminder of the days and times MSF will be off-air for maintenance.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/msf-scheduled-maintenance-periods.htm

UK Pound exchange rate - NOT amateur radio

OK, I was wrong about the UK Pound and Euro exchange rate, but the UK Pound has appreciated against the Yen and US Dollar. This should mean goods bought in US Dollars and Yen should get less expensive.

QSYed to 10m FT8 RX

As of 1140z, I have moved to 10m FT8 RX, hoping for some winter Es and maybe some N-S F2 DX. I shall probably be on 10m FT8 until I switch to 630m WSPR after tea.

UPDATE 1545z: Still no spots on 10m FT8 RX here all day today.

Sunspots - Thursday January 4th 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=4 and K=1.

6m MSK144 during the Quadrantids MS shower

Quite a reasonable night with a wide spread of stations spotted, many I assume via MS. My antenna is just a simple omni vertical V2000.

I was only on RX on 50.280MHz, which is where the European 6m MSK144 seems to be.

QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX

At 1706z I QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX. G3YDY (65km) was copied calling CQ almost immediately. I am monitoring 50.280MHz.

Quadrantids MS shower

Southgate News reminds us that the Quadrantids meteor shower peaks overnight. I shall be on 6m MSK144 RX (50.280MHz) looking for European action.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/january/the-quadrantids.htm  .

Storm Eleanor - NOT amateur radio

We are still being battered by strong winds, although other parts of the UK have been hit much worse.  Parts of Northern Ireland have had power cuts. By comparison, we got off lightly.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42549441 .

Ducks - NOT amateur radio

Every day this year so far, we have done a walk.

Yesterday, on a walk around the village, we spotted these ducks. They went into the drive of a house, obviously expecting to be fed.