Podcast: HF Propagation Report, Autumn 2011

In this month's podcast I look at current solar conditions and how 10m is finally alive with signals - work the world with low power and simple antennas. If you don't do it now you could be missing out. Lasts about 6mins 30s.

Click on the headline to listen to the programme online or if you prefer to listen to it on your iPod search for G0KYA on iTunes.

Titanic 100th anniversary next year - new book available

Here's a good stocking filler.

Lawrence Beesley was a science teacher, journalist and author who was a survivor of the Titanic tragedy in 1912. In this dramatic real-life tale Beesley tells first hand what it was like to be on the Titanic as it plunged into the icy waters of the North Atlantic on that fateful night.

As well as describing the voyage, the collision with the iceberg and the subsequent sinking, Beesley documents what could have been done to save the 1,500 plus people who perished.

His account, and others, resulted in many changes to maritime law and procedure in an effort to make sure that a disaster of Titanic’s proportions should never happen again. “The loss of the S.S. Titanic – its story and its lessons” was first published in 1912, shortly after the disaster.

Now republished by InfoTech Communications, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the accident, the 116-page paperback book is available via Lulu.com, delivered straight to your door wherever you live in the world.

Find out more

UK propagation charts for November 2011

The great conditions just keep on coming (bar any coronal mass ejections that is).

With sunspot numbers in the 120-130+ range, and autumnal conditions, there is plenty of DX to be had. Keep on eye on 40m as Hawaii has been rolling in in the morning, often way past sunrise. 10m continues to be a great band, often open to the US and Caribbean in the afternoon. I especially like the KQ2H repeater in upstate New York on 29.620Mhz FM. Go to November's UK short path propagation charts.

RSGB Convention updates

A few updates for people who were at the RSGB Convention this weekend.

• I have now updated the "Propagation to T32C" presentation to include the actual results we are seeing as at 9th October. There is a good fit with the predictions. Go to the T32C page
• You can also download the Ionospheric Sounders presentation given at the Contest University
• Carl K9LA talked about greyline propagation and mentioned my earlier research on the subject - you can read more here.

Steve G0KYA, 10th October 2011

UK propagation charts for October 2011

This is what we have been waiting for. A high solar flux, autumnal conditions and DX rolling in. So get on the bands! We have recently seen the solar flux index hit record highs for this cycle, but the sun has since calmed down a little. But with the SFI still being well over 100 we are seeing 10 metres open up to much of the world. It is quite possible to work the USA this month on 10m, and at the same time you should be able to work the Far East, South America and even Australia (VK) at times. In fact, much of the world will be open to you when conditions are really hot. There have also been some good openings to VK/ZL on 20m in the mornings too. Don't forget to try and work the T32C Dxpedition to Kiribati in the Pacific. They are audible, but you'll need a good station or a good dose of luck and good propagation. Find out when and where to work them. While this high solar activity is great, coronal mass ejections and solar flares will cause problems so keep an eye on the K index and GOES X-ray flux at www.solarham.com Go to October's UK short path propagation charts.

Update: Working T32C

The T32C Christmas Island DXpedition is well under way. They have now worked more than 300 stations in the UK. If you have a beam and a linear you are in with a chance. If you have a lesser station you might struggle a little bit.

You can read my original posting here, but for a quick overview of when and where to work them from the UK see the chart above (right click and save it to view it full size). I'm giving a talk on propagation to T32C at the RSGB Convention at the weekend.

New "CW only" ship's radio room clock

For some time I have had a reproduction ship's radio room clock (and other items) for sale on Cafepress.com. You can read the full story about them here. I have had a few enquiries from die-hard former ship's radio operators asking if they could have a "CW only" version. These only had the red sectors at 15 mins and 45 min mins past the hour, when you had to go QRT and listen to 500kHz for emergency calls. Well, I've now reworked the artwork and you can order the "500kHz" clock at "The Radio Room" on cafepress.com.