Colonialism - NOT amateur radio

There was a programme on the radio (BBC Radio 4) called "Start the Week" just now. Among the many items it noted how bad colonialism was for the indigenous people. Time and again we are fed a filtered version of events - basically what governments want us to hear. This is especially true in wartime, but it happens all the time, although we do not realise it.  During the Vietnam War we were brainwashed to think communism was always evil.

I make no judgements but urge us all to beware of propaganda. Both sides in the BREXIT debate were guilty. There is a general uneasiness in the general public with the people we put in power. This is true in the UK, USA and in many nations in Europe. The lurch to the right in recent times is, in part, a reaction to this. The people who govern us must be unbiased, fair and honourable people if they are to properly represent us. Sadly, I can think of not one politician that I think meets these high standards anywhere in the world.

OFCOM auction

OFCOM has announced an auction of mobile spectrum.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2016/ofcom-outlines-rules-for-mobile-spectrum-auction  .

 I am not a great fan of OFCOM but I respect the views of others that may well differ from my own.

Return to 10m JT65

Just before breakfast I returned to 10m JT65 (2W QRP). As yet, no spots given or received.

UPDATE 1034z: Still no 10m JT65 spots yet.

UPDATE 1440z: Still no 10m spots. Is this going to be a blank day?

UPDATE 1650z: With still no spots at all given or received on 10m JT65, I think this is going to go down as a very bad day, unless things suddenly change. At least with JT65 you have a chance, knowing that there are usually people looking. On SSB a quick "CQ" is unlikely to get a response.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday November 21st 2016

Solar flux is 75 today and the sunspot number 11. K=1. It is anyone's guess how 10m JT65 will be today.

The O2 Arena (London) - NOT amateur radio

My wife and I were trying to remember the name of the man in charge of the Millenium Dome, which later became the O2 Arena. Google came to the rescue! I remember him as an affable Frenchman with a good sense of humour. His name was Pierre Gerbeau. He had a thankless task at the time.

Pierre-Yves Gerbeau in 2014

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Yves_Gerbeau

New 40m kit

See http://4sqrp.com/kits/Bayou%20Jumper/bjmanual11-4-16.pdf

There is a new kit coming out that is designed as a modern replacement for the famous WW2 "Paraset" spy transceiver. It uses a crystal controlled 5W TX and a regen RX. This is an American design. I have no idea how it would hold up in Europe. I have used regen receivers, but the biggest issue was knowing the frequency you were listening on precisely. I guess it would be OK for nets but I would not want to call CQ unless I was sure the frequency was really clear. QRP signals can often be weak.

Tree to ID - NOT amateur radio

This is something very common I suspect, but I am very poor on trees! If you know what it is please let me know. It was seen yesterday in a wood at Reach, Cambridgeshire, UK. It was a tree in a wood.

QRP and QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

WQR Report (November 20, 2016)
Visitors  of  the  week:  US3EN,  UR0ET, OH6NPV, DF9QV, EA6BB, HA7NE,
R1CAF,  UR7VT,  IK2RGV,  UW5EKR,  R1OA,  G3MCK,  UR5EFD, RA1M, 4X1ZZ,
UA1CEG,  OH5YU,  U3NJC,  SM7DRV,  R2FAE, RV3GM, DK1HW, OK2PDT, UA4NU,
OH5LP, US5ERQ, DK1AY, OH6VJ, DL3HXX, HA5ARR
Congrats!
DF9QV and DK1AY became Honor Frequenters
Comments.......
see more here - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Welcome all QRP operators on the Rendez-Vous round table. See details
on the Club 72 page - club72.su

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

JT, WSPR and similar - just how low can these work?

Reading Amateur Radio Weekly there was a nice posting of a blog analysing weak signal modes trying to see just how weak a signal the various modes can decode.

See http://destevez.net/2016/10/simulating-jt-modes-how-low-can-they-get/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

There are some modes here I have yet to try.

6m JT65

After an evening and overnight on 2m JT65B (no spots), I decided to give 6m JT65A a go this morning. Things were set up just before breakfast. My best spot so far is G6GEI (73km). The only spot of my own QRP 6m JT65 is from G0LRD (25km). I shall stay on 6m 50.276MHz JT65A all morning. I am running about 1W ERP vertical. My antenna is a V2000 Omni vertical. All reports appreciated.

UPDATE 1326z: No further 6m JT65 spots.

UPDATE 1900z: M0SGO (14km) and G0LRD (25km) were the only 2 to spot my QRP 6m JT65 all day. I'll stick on 6m until breakfast and then probably QSY to 10m JT65.