Hi Tony, many thanks for your reply, you are right with the 30m band, I have noticed two 10 hour periods during the night with no spots, I am suprised that I can tune up as far as 10.140260 as my Xtal is 10.14000.
My antenna is a G5RV folded as an open ended horizontal delta loop about 7m off the ground the open wire feeder goes into the shack through the wall into a homemade AMU, I also use a modified homemade G4ILO wonderloop for portable use, I have changed the loop dia from 80cm to 1.20m by bolting 4 1m alumium strips together, these then from a natural loop when attached to the base.
Thanks for the link to NOAA and the GPS module, I will have think about getting one.
73 Colin DD5CF
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--- In QRPLabs@..., Tony Volpe <tony.volpe.1951@...> wrote:
Hi Colin,
Mine will drift too if not disciplined by GPS and will happily move 20htz
overnight if the GOS is off. I have not 'destroyed my pcb'. I think some
crystals are more free spirited than others.
I don't know how many spots you are getting, and I think once you said your
antenna was not ideal, but don't despair. The last few days the 30 metre
band has been a bit low. Things will pick up when our friendly local star
settles down a bit.
I am noticing a connection between the fall in spots and an increase in
solar xray emissions. Stronger xray emissions increase the absorbing
capacity of the D layer which affects Medium and low frequency emissions. I
think 10.140 MHZ is at the upper end of frequencies absorbed by an active D
Layer.
Check out recent xray activity here:
73s
de G0BZB Op Tony
