EU referendum - NOT amateur radio

As the vote get closer I really do not know how to vote. All the major politicians recommend staying IN, yet there is so much wrong with the EU. Leaving would certainly mean uncertainty in the UK, but I suspect the EU will fall apart within years if we leave. There are real issues within the EU: the Euro, profligacy, inefficiency, all those unnecessary laws. At the same time, the EU is a voice of good. No, it is not an easy decision.

Dying - NOT amateur radio

When 18, you think life goes on for ever: you have all of life ahead of you. At 67 you know you have, maybe, 20 years and possibly much less ahead. Thoughts turn to what happens when you die.

Is there life after death? Is it like before you were born? I cannot remember anything about before I came into this world so would the same after death be any worse?

As I have said before, all major religions have some sort of belief in an after-life. Wishful thinking?  I simply do not know.

It is possible that no-one else sees and experiences what we do. In an infinite universe (or multiverses?) anything is possible. We find it hard to contemplate not existing.

In the meantime, we have to make the most of life. Life is very precious.

More UK Rallies This Weekend

Sunday 5 JUNE : CENTRAL SCOTLAND AMATEUR RADIO MINI CONVENTION
Crofthead Community Education Centre, Templar Rise, Dedridge, Livingston EH54 6DG. There is car parking on site and the venue has disabled facilities. Doors opena at 10am with disabled visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. Admission is £4. There will be trade stands, a flea market, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and lectures during the event. A raffle will take place. Details from John, MM0JRR, 01506 437 908 or by email to johnrayne333@gmail.com.

Sunday 5 JUNE : SPALDING & DARS ANNUAL RALLY
The Sir John Gleed Technology School, Halmer Gardens, Spalding, Lincs PE11 2EF. The venue has free car parking and talk in is on S22. Doors open at 10am. There will be trade stands and outside car boot area. Catering will be available on site. More information from John, G4NBR on 0794 630 2815 or Graham, G8NWC on 0775 461 9701, email rally-secretary@sdars.org.uk. www.sdars.org.uk.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Very early 10m Es

I turned on my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon very early today and was rewarded with a spot by DK0SC (827km) as early as 0558z. This was the only spot so far but it was very early for Es.

UPDATE 1130z:   No further 10m Es spots all morning. I was lucky to be caught this early.

UPDATE 1354z:  Plenty more Es seen on 10m WSPR but 6m WSPR has again been a dead loss here.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri June 3rd 2016

Solar flux is 85 today. number is 27 (K=1) and the forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor" though Es is likely to liven up the band.

SOTABEAMS filters for FT-817

See http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/ssb-cw-filter-module-for-the-ft-817/ .

I admit that I first spotted this on the Southgate News website.   Looks like a useful add-on for the FT817, although installing looks more complicated than I expected.

Summer? - NOT amateur radio

According to the Met Office we are on the second day of summer. We have had better days in mid-winter! The photo shows the external temperature after lunch. It was taken in our car and it did not vary for the whole journey. In the meantime, the west of the UK is bathed in sunshine.

Es + F2 on 10m WSPR?

Today is one of those days when we might see Es linking up with F2 further south, allowing 10m WSPR to reach southern Africa or South America. It probably will not happen, but it could. This precisely where regular WSPR use is so valuable.

UPDATE 1330z:  Plenty of 10m WSPR spots in Europe, but nothing further afield here. Still nothing on 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1855z:  It now seems unlikely I'll see any 6m spots today. This was the same story as in previous summers when the band was open but very few were using WSPR. It is easy to work Es with SSB (just a few watts is enough) so people don't bother with WSPR. Although this is understandable, it is a pity. WSPR allows almost continuous monitoring so even the briefest of openings can be detected, even with low ERP.  For to be effective lots of people need to be on for lots of the time, ideally into the evenings. 10m WSPR continued to be good with plenty of spots of my 500mW WSPR beacon from right across Europe. My old workmate Bob G3WKW achieved good results on 6m JT65 today. I guess I need to use this mode more!

More IC7300 reviews

See http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12742 .

I see there are now 95 reviews of this radio on eHam with an average of 4.9/5. One person clearly has some reservations, but most love it. I like the look of it too, but not the price.

UK Rally

4 & 5 JUNE : SUSSEX ELECTRONICS AND RADIO FAIR (SERF 2016)

Eastbourne Sports Park, Cross Levels Way, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UF. The venue has free car parking as well as camping and caravanning on site and there are disabled facilities. A talk-in station will be in operation as well as a special event station. Doors open from 10am to 4pm and admission is £3, children free. There will be indoor/outdoor trade stands and catering on site. There will be a room for talks and demonstrations. More information from Dave, G8PUO on 07807 074 538 or by email to admin@serf.org.uk. www.serf.org.uk.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/