Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

It is some time since I updated readers on the after-effects of my 2013 stroke. So, here goes. 

The worst effects are I still feel very giddy when walking, tire easily and my voice is poor.

And yet, 3.5 years after my stroke I am still making small improvements. I feel better able to do up buttons. Also, I feel my basic core strength is, maybe, just a little stronger. Improvements are hard to detect now.

Yet, even now, I am becoming aware of some after-effects that I'd not been "tuned into". One of these is I find it harder to follow sub-titles on foreign films. It is as if I don't have enough time.

My wife thinks some of my problems are "in the mind". For example, although I feel giddy when walking I have never once fallen. By now, I thought my brain would have "rewired".

Compared with before my stroke, I still feel very ill. My hope is that my tiredness is linked to the giddiness and that this can be fixed.

40m WSPR

Unique 40m WSPR spots so far

As mentioned in an earlier post I went QRT on 10m and 6m and am now active with 2W to a low end-fed on 40m WSPR. I seem to be getting lots of unique spots around Europe despite the poor antenna on 40m.

UPDATE 1930z: Best DX so far on TX is a spot by RV6LCY (2876km) in LN08 square.

UPDATE 2202z:   WA9WTK (5291km) is now the best DX on 40m WSPR TX.

Amateur band intruder?

Southgate News reports that a military station, probably in the Falkland Islands has been copied within the 40m amateur band.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/march/iarums-stanag-4285-in-40m.htm#.WMVrIYXXLIU

Amateur VLF

VLF seems to have been busy in the amateur fraternity of late. There have been tests around 8.27, 5.17 and even 2.97kHz.

Casual listening will not bring results: long stable transmissions are needed together with very stable, narrowband reception if amateur VLF/ULF signals are to be detected. Commercial VLF signals on the other hand are very strong as most use high power and big antennas.

The photo shows DF6NM's loading coil for 5.17kHz today.

See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/ .

Boring? - NOT amateur radio

This shop in our village (Burwell, Cambs, UK) recently changed hands. It is to become an estate agents and carpet shop I believe. The pub in the distance (The Crown) has been empty for years. Most things needed can be got in the village. There are several food shops, a baker, butcher, bank and dentist. If you did not have a car you could manage.

Red-legged Partridge - NOT amateur radio

In our close, we regularly see red-legged partridges. Sometimes we see one and occasionally up to three at a time.  They are good looking, introduced, birds that have well overtaken the common partridge in numbers these days. Yesterday there were a couple in our drive.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/r/redleggedpartridge/

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday March 12th 2017

Solar flux is 69 today and the sun is spotless yet again. A=6 and K=2.

Although I am not expecting great things on 10m, it has a habit of throwing surprises so I shall be on 10m WSPR all day.

Activity today 10m WSPR and 6m JT65

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m WSPR (100% TX, randomised) and 6m JT65 (2W). No spots as yet on either band.

UPDATE 1202z:  Still no spots here on either 6m or 10m.

UPDATE 1540z: Still no spots on either band. Soon be time to QSY bands/mode?

UPDATE 1620z: I have given up as nothing on either band all day today. I have now QSYed to 40m WSPR (2W) although my antenna is very low on that band. For some reason my earth-electrode "antenna" did not want to match on 160m or 80m.

Buying books on the internet - NOT amateur radio

At Christmas, I bought my wife a lovely hardback book filled with colour photos called " English Cathedrals" by Simon Jenkins. I bought it at a Cambridge bookshop where it cost me £30.

The book was a great success so my wife wanted another copy for her brother's birthday. A quick check on Amazon where the very same hardback book was less than £9! It now retails at just over £20 on Amazon. We bought it at less than £9 and it came a few days later.

How can local bookshops survive? We are as guilty as anyone. We see a bargain and grab it.

It is sad as I love browsing bookshops. Maybe the long-term answer is a bit like John Lewis? Browse in stores and buy (increasingly) online? I do not see the future high streets, but the retail trade will change in the future: fewer shops and more cafes? Whoever gets this right will be king. Amazon now, but who will succeed in the years ahead?

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Englands-Cathedrals-Simon-Jenkins/1408706458/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489312522&sr=8-1&keywords=english+cathedrals+simon+jenkins

12W handheld? - no thanks!

Considering the small difference (in range) between 2W and 12W and the very real danger (allegedly) of 12W next to the head and eyes I have no wish to buy a 12W handheld.  Even working professionally on 5W pep PAs I regularly had dry eyes.

Amateur Radio Weekly reports on a Chinese 3 band 12W handheld.