Snow, 40 metres and JT65 with XSJT-X v 1.7.0

It is snowing this dull last day of February morning in 2017.
I have been using WSJT-X for quite some time now and find that it is the only software I use these days due to the modes it brings to datamodes. I was a volunteer for the release candidate of 1.7.0 reporting back any issues (I didn't find any) and have been using the production version since day one.

It is used at G8YPH in conjunction with Ham Radio Deluxe as the rig controller and logger. Although JTAlert (at least with my setup) is now stuck at version 2.8.7 due to the ongoing spat between HRD LLC and the developer of JTAlert.

Anyway it is snowing and DX is flowing in on 40 metres this morning. I am making the most of it until conditions change. I can even see snow/ice sticking to the antenna so it must be cold out there!

JT9 DX on 40 metres mid morning

The HF bands are up and down, communication if you believe the propagation forecasts are not very good (early February 2017). A case in point was today with inter UK working being not very good. Close continental Europe of course is fine. I worked a station in Luxembourg, Netherlands and Switzerland.
Then on JT9 I saw Paul KA1MDQ over in Mashpee, MA, USA on the screen calling CQ. I went straight back to him and we exchanged RST signal reports of -22db and -25db respectively. As people know my antenna isn't complicated (just a long wire with 5 watts fed from a remote ATU into a 9:1 UNUN). This was a distance of 3152 miles - not bad for 40 metres during the day. I was encouraged that the bands are still open during the mid morning which is my normal time of working.

Propagation forecast 7th February 2017
K of 1 is good and it does say conditions on 80-40m is fair during the day.

I had a look around 40m over the previous weekend on JT9 and JT65 at about 1AM and found that it was crowded with stations from all over the world. It's a pity I like my bed more than I like radio so did not work anybody.