10m at present

As most know, we are now at sunspot minimum when solar activity and sunspots are at a low level.

In the past, many would have given up on the higher HF bands and moved down to lower bands to get QSOs. These days we have new weak signal modes and more people are exploring these bands in the "quiet years".

It is fair to say days are mixed. Sometimes it can be very quiet and at other times the band opens, albeit briefly, to distant parts. In the last month DX from South America, South Africa or the Indian Ocean has been spotted on at least half of the days with FT8. Even Australia and North America have been copied!

Indeed, 10m is much harder than a few years ago, but modes like FT8 have proved there are openings on 10m, even when solar conditions are poor and sunspots absent. Never give up on 10m. If more people stuck with 10m, we might all be in for a pleasant surprise.

Tropo forecasts

Although I rarely use this myself, there is a useful program to predict tropo openings on 2m.

Peace - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, as already mentioned, we went to east Suffolk. OK, I am biased, but in my view Thornham Parva is one of the best churches in the whole world. It is where Basil Spence is buried and is a little gem of peace.

CDARC 2m SSB net 0830z 144.180MHz SSB horizontal

After several Sundays when I simply forgot, this morning I actually remembered!

Even G8OFA in Salisbury was copied, as well as all the others in the net. Sadly, G8OFA could not hear me. Afterwards I realised I was only on 2.5W and I could have used 5W. I am not sure where all the stations were located. Richard, G3TFX, about 200m away, was strong even without the big-wheel omni antenna!

UPDATE  1542z: G8OFA was using 400W to a 7el (on 2m) dual beam yagi. Quite a bit more ERP than me!

10m FT8

After a very brief CQ (2.5W), I am now on 10m FT8 RX. No spots yet, unsurprisingly.

UPDATE 1153z: 5 stations spotted in 2 countries with best DX on 10m FT8 RX F1RAD (867km).

UPDATE 1538z: Now 7 stations in 4 countries spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. All EU.

Topband overnight

On 160m FT8 RX a record number of North American stations spotted with 12 in the USA and Canada plus a couple more in the Caribbean.  Best DX spotted was KY7M (8369km) in New Mexico. All these were on the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, which is well exceeding all expectations.

Even on QRP TX it seems to work well.

I am not sure if the pattern suggests directionality, or just a lack of activity from stations further south. The alignment of the "loop" in the ground should imply better results E-W than N-S. Certainly it works well E-W.

Sunspots - Sunday November 18th 2018

Solar flux is 72 and the SSN is 13.  A=1 and K=1.

Salcombe light - NOT amateur radio

This photo of the sky over Salcombe, where I was brought up as a child, was posted first by Andy Dean yesterday.

Return to Topband

Just over an hour ago, I returned to 160m FT8. My 2.5W CQ using the earth-electrode "antenna" was spotted by 7 stations in 5 countries.

UPDATE 1900z: 160m never fails. Night after night, lots and lots of Europeans and Russians are spotted on FT8 and I don't think there has been a single night when I have been monitoring and not spotted a transatlantic station.

UPDATE 2130z: In the last week, the first North American has been spotted by now. As yet, nothing apart from EU and Russians.

UPDATE 2157z: Best DX so far on 160m FT8 RX is UK9AA (5171km) in Uzbekistan.

UPDATE 2215z: The first North American has been spotted: VA2WA (5115km) in Canada.

East Suffolk - NOT amateur radio

Today, we visited East Suffolk. We ate in Eye and visited the church there (see photo). We also visited Thornham Parva, a delightful thatched church where the architect Basil Spence is buried.

10m FT8 RX

During the daytime I am again monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far, 3 stations spotted in 3 countries. I suspect these are all tropo or aircraft reflections.

UPDATE 1058z: Now a couple of stations in the southern Indian Ocean!  Best DX is 3B8CW (9751km) on Mauritius. A band with plenty of surprises!

Sunspots - Saturday November 17th 2018

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 14. A=2 and K=0.

New Mexico on Topband!

Overnight, I was on 160m FT8 RX. Lots of Europeans again and 8 North Americans spotted with the best DX being AA7A (8369km) in New Mexico,USA. Still using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, which has far exceeded expectations.

Worth Sharing - NOT amateur radio

This was shared on Facebook by Michael Rainey. I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this here.

Return to 160m FT8

As 10m was dire, I QSYed to 160m FT8 about 30 minutes ago. My brief CQ call (2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground) was spotted by 5 stations with best DX being DO1HJK (602km).

UPDATE 1852z: Loads of Europeans again on 160m FT8 RX with best DX RN9N (4605km).

UPDATE 2215z: Already 3 North Americans spotted on 160m FT8 this evening with the best DX being W8LRL (5919km).

Stations so far spotted this evening on 160m FT8 RX

Es'hail-2 satellite launched

The latest Qatari satellite, which carries a geosynchronous amateur transponder has been launched. I expect it will be some weeks before we are fully aware of the mission's success. If it is successful, it could be transformative.

See https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/16/11/2018/Qatar-launches-Es’hail-2-satellite

Spotting pirates

This is an age-old issue. In my youth, even I was guilty, running an illegal MW TX! Mind you, with a range of maybe 20m, I doubt I caused any QRM.

On FT8, a useful trick is to see where the station is being spotted. If there are few spots close to the station's location, be suspicious. If the station is being spotted locally and across the world, it is more likely to be genuine. I know this is not a 100% sure-fire check, but if you have doubts it is worth checking.

Best night yet on 160m FT8

Overnight I was again on 160m FT8 RX. In all, 8 stations in North America spotted with the best DX being W7AL (7331km) in Idaho. This station was widely spotted in the USA and Europe, so I am pretty sure he is genuine. As before, loads of Europeans spotted.

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 since before breakfast, no spots yet.

UPDATE 1216z: Just G0OYQ (177km) and PD1DL (328km) spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1735z: A poor day on 10m FT8. Just 5 UK stations and 1 in The Netherlands. Time to try 160m WSPR.

Sunspots - Friday November 16th 2018

Solar flux is 71 and the sunspot number 11. A=2 and K=0.

Now on 160m FT8

A recent 2.5W 160m FT8 CQ using the earth-electrode "antenna" was spotted by R3BB (2446km) quite strongly. I am amazed. At the moment, I am RX only on 160m FT8.

UPDATE 2158z: Lots of Europeans spotted as well as WU1ITU (4831km) in Maine, USA. I am also supposed to have spotted a station in Argentina at +7dB S/N. Most of his spots are from Europe, so I think this is a pirate.

Rallies this weekend

Saturday 17 NOVEMBER : RADARS TRADITIONAL RADIO RALLY

St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road (A680), Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open to the public at 10.30am with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is £2.50 with those under 12 years free. £5 per pitch (for traders with own tables) or £10 for a pitch with table provided. Bring & Buy as well as commercial traders and amateur radio sellers. Refreshments available including bacon and sausage butties. Robert, M0NVQ, m0nvq@outlook.com, 0777 811 3333.


Sunday 18 NOVEMBER : NEVADA RADIO & WATERS & STANTON OPEN DAY

Nevada Radio, 1 Fitzherbert Spur, Portsmouth PO6 1TT. First ever joint open day running from 10am to 4.30pm. Major manufacturers will be in attendance to demonstrate their latest radios. There's a free burger and coffee for every attendee (available 11am to 2pm). The main warehouse will be opened to customers to wander around and pick up many one-off deals of the day, or pick through a large selection of vintage and used radio equipment. www.nevadaradio.co.uk.


Sunday 18 NOVEMBER : 41st CATS RADIO & ELECTRONICS BAZAAR

Oasis Academy, Homefield Rd, Coulsdon CR5 1ES. Free car parking, doors open 10am, admission £1.50. Trade stands, special interest groups, refreshments. Andy Briers, G0KZT, 0772 986 6600. [https://www.facebook.com/events/437043790050777/].


Sunday 18 NOVEMBER : PLYMOUTH RADIO RALLY

Harewood House, Church Rd, Plympton PL7 1NH. Doors open at 10.30am, £2 entrance fee. David Beck, d.beck123@outlook.com www.plymouthamateurradioclub.btck.co.uk.


A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Brother - NOT amateur radio

For the last few days my brother has been staying with us. He came up from Devon on the train and has just gone back. He always makes himself at home, which we like.

160m FT8 overnight

As well as countless Europeans, 2 transatlantic stations were spotted overnight on 160m FT8 with the best DX being NS9I (6106km) in Wisconsin.

I still use the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. It seems to work pretty well on 160m - much better than I expected. You cannot see it!

10m FT8

Quite late in the day, I have QSYed to 10m FT8. So far, no spots on TX or RX. Later, I shall go back on 160m FT8.

UPDATE 1532z: Just PD1DL (328km) spotted so far. I suspect this is aircraft reflection.

Darwin's beetles - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, we visited the newly refurbished Zoology Museum in Cambridge. It is excellent. In the exhibits were this collection of beetles by Charles Darwin.

Sunspots - Thursday November 15th 2018

Solar flux is 69 today and the SSN 11. A=2 and K=0.

Hacking attempt? - NOT amateur radio

For quite a time now, the hackers seem to have left me alone. When I checked visitor numbers earlier, they had leapt to unheard of numbers. Now I can't believe that my modest comments suddenly captured the imagination of the amateur radio world. Either this is a mistake by Google or a deliberate hacking attempt. I shall have to check my other blogs.

UPDATE 1637z: All blogs are the same! I suspect a Google error.

Overnight on 160m FT8 RX

Last night 4 transatlantic stations were spotted on 160m FT8 RX including a Canadian quite early on. As on previous nights, absolutely loads of Europeans spotted.

70cm UKAC activity contest last night

Once a month the RSGB holds a 70cm activity contest. I made no contacts! Not even one!  I had my brother staying, so was on for even less time than normal, but it was very quiet here with very few stations heard. In the end I gave up and went back to 160m FT8 RX.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 14th 2018

The pits!

Solar flux is 66 and the sunspot number 11. A=4 and K=1.

Own goal? - NOT amateur radio

Sorry, but President Trump seems to like own goals.

His latest swipe is against the French president Macron, allegedly. Sometimes he would increase his ratings by just shutting up. I want to swear, but I had better not! To many outside of the USA he does himself no favours.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46198297

Local pub - NOT amateur radio

Although I am not a great drinker, my brother, who is up for a few days from Devon by train, enjoys his pint at the local.

Again on 160m FT8

For the last few hours I have again been on 160m FT8. Yet again, I am amazed by the sheer number of stations spotted. It must be approaching, if not exceeding, 200 unique stations with the best DX on 160m FT8 RX being UN1L (4102km). Once again, I am using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. A very brief CQ (2.5W) was spotted by G3RLE (225km),

10m FT8 RX

Although I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX most of the day, just 33 EU stations spotted and no "real DX". Actually. considering this is sunspot minimum and well outside of the Es season, perhaps I should be grateful. I am sure better equipped stations with better 10m antennas will have done better.

Sunspots return! - Tuesday November 13th 2018

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number 15. Yes, real sunspots! A=9 and K=1.

Overnight on 160m FT8

In total, 4 transatlantic stations spotted on 160m FT8 with the best DX being AJ4A (6446km) in Kentucky.

QSY to 160m FT8

As there seemed no more "real DX" coming through on 10m, I have QSYed to 160m FT8. Best DX on 160m FT8 RX with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is RK4F (2969km). As yet, no spots of my earlier 160m FT8 2.5W CQ.

UPDATE 2110z: The first transatlantic station on 160m FT8 RX was spotted at 2054z tonight.

Damn Black Friday - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we DO NOT WANT it!!! This is a USA thing with the motive of making us spend more sooner. In my view, this is just about money making.

Keep it!

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

The trees in our village are now looking distinctly autumnal. The trees in our garden are golden or bare and the ones in the churchyard are rapidly losing their leaves. Blink and it will be spring again!