Same again this afternoon and evening, not one Russian MX beacon heard on 16MHz CW, Astrakhan loud and clear on 20MHz also three audible on 13MHz. So propagation is there.
Three Chinese beacons and two South Korean marine beacons noted on the upper end of 16MHz CW, so band is open and my receiver is fine!
Very odd indeed.
Around 0450z I thought I heard a "data burst" on 16.332.0MHz but it was very brief. No beacons.