I’ve seen some reports recently from amateur radio operators around the world that band conditions are improving. Certainly on the higher frequency bands (20m and up) there seems to be some excitement as more DX is worked when this just wasn’t possible in 2009.
Spaceweather.com seems to bear this out. The calculated sunspot number is currently 40 which is as high as I’ve seen it in a long time. Bear in mind that this is about 15 times more than the number of actual visible sunspots (which today stands at three, sunspots 1051, 1052 and 1053). The data also shows that 2010 so far has only 3% spotless days versus 2009 which had over 70% of days with no sunspots.
It does very much look like propagation and band conditions are slowly climbing out of the doldrums as cycle 24 picks up.
Dean Amateur Radio, Totally random propagation, Solar Cycle 24, sunspots
Construction of two prototypes began in February 1965: 001, built by Aerospatiale at Toulouse, and 002, by BAC at Filton, Bristol. Concorde 001 made its first test flight from Toulouse on this day in 1969 piloted by Andre Turcat and first went supersonic on 1 October. The first UK-built Concorde flew from Filton to RAF Fairford on 9 April 1969 piloted by Brian Trubshaw.
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Orders were received for over 70 aircraft but a combination of factors led to some cancellations - the 1973 oil crisis, financial difficulties of airlines, a crash of the competing Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 at a Paris air show, and environmental concerns such as the sonic boom, noise and pollution. Eventually only 20 aircraft were built of which 14 entered airline service.
Although familiar in British Airways and Air France colours in 1977 Concorde G-BOAD was painted in Singapore Airlines livery (on the port side only) for services between London and Singapore.
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Concorde in Singapore Airlines livery
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Concorde flew regular transatlantic flights from London Heathrow (British Airways) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (Air France) to New York JFK and Washington Dulles, flying these routes at record speeds in less than half the time of other airliners.
The fastest transatlantic flight was from London Heathrow to New York JFK on 7 February 1996 by British Airways’ G-BOAD in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds from takeoff to touchdown.
Thirty-seven years after her first test flight, Concorde was announced the winner of the Great British Design Quest organised by the BBC and the Design Museum. A total of 212,000 votes were cast with Concorde beating design icons such as the Mini, mini skirt, Jaguar E-type, Tube map and the Supermarine Spitfire.
I was fortunate enough to see Concorde fly on several occasions and I consider it unlikely there will be anything to replace her in my lifetime. As someone said on the final aircraft being withdrawn from service, “today the world has become a bigger place”. She is and will be sadly missed by many.
Dean Blog, Pictures, Totally random Concorde, history, maiden flight
In London in 1852, the first men’s flushing toilet was opened on Fleet Street. Apparently.
Dean Totally random history
Well that’s it - January 2010 is no more. Over, done, finished! Blink and you would have missed it. It’s now February the 1st and before you know it winter will recede and give way to spring.
So, what did January 2010 give us? Not a lot to be fair. I was QRT for the whole of the month and my only forays onto the bands were occasional listens to 20m and 40m where I heard little of interest. I really do need something to re-enthuse me. I keep thinking I should get back to working more PSK31 on 20m but so far I haven’t even got round to doing that. I’ll hope to address that during February.
January 2010 will likely be most remembered for the cold snap and the accompanying snow and ice that brought the UK to a near standstill. That is now thankfully passed and not to be repeated anytime soon with a bit of luck. Roll on warmer weather, longer days and improving HF conditions as cycle 24 starts to gather momentum.
Dean Amateur Radio, Blog, Life..., Totally random 2010, antenna, January, QRT, Solar Cycle 24
Rain, a lot of rain. Non stop all night in fact. It is still raining this morning.
But at least it is warmer. A whopping 3 degrees this morning with a forecast high of 6 degrees. Break out the sunscreen!
Dean Blog, Life..., Totally random ice, rain, snow, weather
NASA satellite image
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That’s right, there is no let up to the snow & cold icy conditions in the UK. The extent of the recent snowfall can be seen in this NASA image taken by the TERRA satellite on January 7th 2010. This shows the entire British mainland and the Isle of Man under a blanket of snow and ice.
Apparently this prolonged cold snap is in part attributed to climate changes in so far as the warmer air from the northern Atlantic ocean (which would normally afford us slightly warmer temperatures at this time of year) is being deflected to the south of the UK by a plunge of cold arctic air from north eastern Europe.
A larger version of this image is available on the BBC website for as long as they continue to host it - you can click here to view that image.
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Dean Blog, Pictures, Totally random January 2010, NASA, snow, weather
A very Happy New Year one and all. Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2010.
Dean Totally random 2010
Regarding France 1 v 1 Ireland in Paris, Nov 18th 2009.
“Play fair. Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.”
Fine words but will the ideal be upheld?
Dean Life..., Totally random FIFA, football, France, Ireland, World Cup
The deal is done. Announced on Wednesday the 18th of November, Jenson Button will partner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2010 in an all British driver line-up.
Jenson is quoted as saying “Nothing means more to me than to be able to represent my country, this is a team that always goes racing to win and I’m looking forward to being part of that.”
Dean Totally random Formula 1, Jenson Button, McLaren
Or as they’re now known, Mercedes Grand Prix Racing. They say that a week is a long time in politics. Well it’s also a long time in Formula 1! Just a few short weeks ago it was looking very much like Brawn GP would set about the 2010 season with their newly crowned world drivers champion, Jenson Button, as their number one driver. It now looks very much like this deal with Mercedes has been a done deal for some time and that Jenson was blissfully ignorant of Mercedes desire to acquire the team, rename it and install one if not two German drivers, leaving Jenson out in the cold. Hence his recent flirting (or maybe more) with McLaren.
Should Jenson move to McLaren, and I’m kind of hoping that he does, after all, who could fail to be impressed by their track record and facilities at the McLaren Technology Centre where Jenson was a recent guest, I think he’ll do very well next season - at least as well as he would have done had he gone into next season with Brawn GP. It’s certainly an interesting time for Formula 1 and the rumour mill is working overtime. Hopefully a deal, one way of the other, will be struck soon!
Dean Totally random Brawn GP, Formula 1, Jenson Button, McLaren, Mercedes