Syncing atomic clocks

There is a chance that WWVB on 60kHz will disappear next year as the genius decrees. Amateur Radio Weekly has a link to an article about using GPS to derive accurate timing.

See https://www.anishathalye.com/2016/12/26/micro-wwvb/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

Gone? - NOT amateur radio

It is some days now since I saw a swift. They are one of the first summer migrant birds to leave. I expect there are a few stragglers, but most have now gone.

I read last week that 51 cattle egrets were seen together in South Devon. Some of these must now be breeding in the UK. I expect in 20 years they will be a common UK sight.

Norwich, Norfolk, UK - NOT amateur radio

Today, we went by train to Norwich. It has a fine Norman cathedral built almost 1000 years ago with stone brought all the way from Caen in France. This beggars belief. No power tools, no power boats, just hard labour.

We love Norwich. It is one of the few cities I could live in.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

My little 10m WSPR beacon is active, but no spots of my signal so far. Will this be another blank day?

UPDATE 1945z: No spots again all day today on 10m WSPR. Now QRT. I only use 10m WSPR as the antenna is available and the beacon does not use the PC. When on 2m or 6m, I might as well try 10m WSPR, although I guess to be spotted by anyone now is a thrill!

2m FT8 RX

Since breakfast, I have been on 2m FT8 RX. So far, just a couple of Fs with best DX on FT8 RX F5CBU (454km) in Brittany.

UPDATE 1551z:  Best DX on 2m FT8 RX today is DJ1AN (627km) in Lower Saxony, Germany. 12 stations in 5 countries spotted so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1642z: Now 33 stations spotted in 7 countries today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1946z: Now QRT. Plenty of choice DX spotted, although this seems available every day. With FT8, I copy DX I only dreamt about in the past.

Sunspots - Saturday September 1st 2018

It seems hard to believe it is already September!

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero again. A=5 and K=1.

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

We are quite lucky living just outside Cambridge. This is a famous university town with some fine old buildings. We went shopping in Cambridge earlier.

In recent years it has become a hi-tech centre. I think I am correct in saying it has the highest number of Nobel prize winners in the world.

10m WSPR (TX)

All day, my 10m WSPR TX beacon (500mW) has been on. As yet, not a single spot! Dire. It will stay on for a few more hours, but the main Es season has definitely passed now.

UPDATE 2000z:  No spots all day. Soon be time to go QRT.

Amateur Television

Amateur TV has never been of interest to me. Actually this is not true: I am interested, but there are too few hours in the day! There are only so many things one can do.

If, like me, you are a fireside fusilier (I am gunner do this and I am gunner do that - joke!) you may like to read CQ-DATV63, which can be downloaded free. I saw this on Southgate News.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/free-magazine-download.htm#.W4lJtPZFzIU

2m FT8

Yet again, I am on 2m FT8. So far, this is just RX, although I shall probably call CQ (2.5W) later. So far, in the last half day, 25 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the big-wheel omni. Best DX is DD7DAC (518km) in JO31 square.

UPDATE 2015z: A brief CQ at around 1600z was spotted by G7RAU (461km) in IN79 on the Lizard in Cornwall. On 2m FT8 RX today 51 stations in 9 countries spotted. QRT soon.

UPDATE 2038z: Just before going QRT I called CQ (2.5W).  I also worked G4RRA (298km) in Devon by FT8 when I was using 2.5W to my big-wheel omni. With FT8 anything seems possible!   In all, 5 stations spotted my callsign including G7RAU again. This must be normal everyday tropo and not aircraft reflection. It seems that well over 400km is possible with 2.5W and my big-wheel omni at any time via FT8. Amazing. At one time I would be telling my XYL about these contacts, but they are now so commonplace that I don't bother.