Sunspots - Wednesday May 30th 2018

Solar flux is 73 again and the sunspot number 22. A=4 and K=1.

6m FT8 thought why I'm not spotting NA

Perhaps the lack of North Americans being spotted on 6m FT8 is in part due to them being on different frequencies? Most days I monitor 50.313MHz FT8, but I believe different frequencies may be favoured "across the pond". FT8 is less good (I think) than JT65, so maybe that is not helping too. For now, I'll carry on looking at 50.313MHz FT8 RX.

NOTE May 30th 2018: Someone has told me today that 50.313MHz is still the preferred FT8 frequency in the USA.

IARU and threats to VHF and up

Southgate News has an article about the threat to our higher bands written by the IARU Region 1. Personally, I think the threat in the UK and Europe is mainly to our microwave bands. Recently great swathes of lower VHF has been made available to amateurs in Eire and in the UK OFCOM has released 2MHz total at 4m and 2m.

See http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/vhfuhsshf/newsletters .

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

My wife told me to watch a TV programme called "Flog It" as it included a piece on Liverpool's catholic cathedral.

When I was at university this had just been finished. Inside it is a sea of colour. Outside it is (perhaps) uninspiring and some call it "Paddy's Wigwam". Inside it feels very calming. I like it.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Metropolitan_Cathedral

Human Consciousness - NOT amateur radio

Opinions differ about what happens when we die.

Some say human consciousness just ceases and we know nothing. Those of several religious persuasions say "something" lives on. Perhaps all religions are attempts to make sense of our lives? Honestly, I am not sure.

What I am sure about is our attempts to understand are futile.  We are human and fallible.

Logic says we just cease to exist. Maybe.

Several events in the last year have made me less religious: all the evidence points to human cruelty and randomness.

And yet.....

6m FT8 RX only

For a while now, I have been on 6m FT8 RX. Quite a few Es spots around Europe, but nothing further afield as yet apart from a 7X2 on the North African coast.

UPDATE 1324z: 29 unique stations in 7 countries and 2 continents so far today spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted on 6m FT8 

RX to 1415z today

UPDATE 1410z: Now 10 countries spotted.

UPDATE 1900z: Now 27 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

10m WSPR TX

For the last few hours, I have had my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon on. Quite a few spots fron Germany.

UPDATE 1716z: FY5KE (7110km) is the best DX today. This station spotted my 10m 500mW at 1650z. 8 different stations have spotted my little 10m WSPR beacon today so far.

Catching - NOT amateur radio

This was our younger grandson yesterday. He has good hand-eye co-ordination and is already a good cricketer. He is now nine years old.

Sunspots - Tuesday May 29th 2018

Solar flux is 77 and the sunspot number 20. A=4 and K=2.

In recent days the solar flux and sunspot number have been higher than expected.  We are on the slow descent to the next minimum and such "blips" are to be expected. We are likely to be "on the way down" until 2020 or later.

Selfless heroism - NOT amateur radio

How good to see how someone showing selfless heroism gets in the news and how he is justly rewarded. Well done that man!

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44275776 .