Continuing on 6m MSK144 RX

Already 6 stations in 5 countries (OZ, G, EI, F, HB9) spotted on 6m MSK144 RX this morning. I shall leave the RX and PC running whilst I cut the grass.

UPDATE 1320z: Now 9 stations in 7 countries on 6m MSK144 RX today.

UPDATE 1530z: Now 11 stations in 8 countries on 6m MSK144 RX today and another new country (LX) on this band/mode.

UPDATE 1905z: Now 12 stations in 9 countries on 6m MSK144 RX with SK0TM (1156km).

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday March 26th 2017

Solar flux is 74 today. Sunspot number is 11.  A=4 and K=0. 10m propagation is expected to be "poor".

British Summer Time - NOT amateur radio

Well, if you are in the UK did you remember to put your clocks forward an hour?

BST means it is darker for longer in the morning, but it is lighter in the evenings. It also helps delineate winter from spring - lighter evenings bring a promise of better weather as we move on through spring.

Pipit - 15m QRP CW transceiver

Many years ago I designed and built the Pipit, an 800mW CW transceiver with a direct conversion receiver. It really worked and for some time was my main rig. Used with a low dipole it worked some decent DX. The design was published in GQRP "SPRAT" many years ago.

Sadly, the rig was dismantled some years later. I regret this!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/15m_pipit

Obamacare - NOT amateur radio

Although I don't live in the USA, free healthcare, it seems to me, should not depend on wealth. There is a lot wrong with our NHS here in the UK, but the Trump version of Obamacare seemed, to me, to be a step backwards. Yes, the richer have to subsidise the poorer in society. So what?

Now, I am no USA politics major, but looking in from the outside, I think Congress was right to dismiss Mr Trump's healthcare bill at the first hurdle.

As I said, this is my opinion. You may well disagree!

Cattle Egrets - NOT amateur radio

Before the late 1980s, seeing a little egret in the UK would have been rare. Now they are everywhere. I have even seen these in our village here in East Anglia.

Now it is the turn of the cattle egrets, which are becoming increasingly common in Devon. These are slightly smaller than little egrets with a different bill colour. They tend to be near cattle.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/c/cattleegret/

See also https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cattle_Egret/id

UPDATE 1638z: I see that a swallow was seen in Slapton village, Devon 17.3.17,which is very early. I think it will be well into April before I see one up here.

Lady Day - NOT amateur radio

Today, March 25th, is Lady Day. Years ago, this marked the start of the year. The UK tax year starts April 6th, which was Lady Day before calendars changed. This day had great non-liturgical importance too. I remember my parents moving house on Lady Day 1959.

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

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday March 25th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is 12. A=6 and K=1. 10m propagation is expected to be "poor".

North Norfolk

Yesterday we drove up to North Norfolk. We ate at "The Old Reading Room" in Kelling. This is a simple place run by real locals and serving simple, no nonsense food.

Later we went to the coast for a short walk where we saw these hardy fishermen.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
members of the Club 72 invites all QRP operators to take a part in the
trial   Evening Rendez-Vous at 18 UTC on 7030 kHz +/- QRM/QRL started
today in Friday March 24.
Next  schedule  is  the same days as traditional 14060 "rendezvous" -
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
9 UTC on 14060 kHz
18 UTC on 7030 kHz
alternative 10116 kHz if Contests QRM
All  comments  (soapbox)  and  lists  of  worked/heard  QRP  stations
appreciated after each "rendezvous" to "mr72" e-mail, please.
Each  Sundays  I publish the Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report in the "72
Newsletter" (shorted) and on the Club 72 blog-page (full).
Keep your activity and enjoy QRP!

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.