Olives - NOT amateur radio

This was a market stall in Anagni, Italy, a delightful hilltop village last week, Mostly olives.

Sunspots - Wednesday September 20th 2017

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 11.  A=8 and K=2.

The 2m Liner-2

In the 1970s 2m operation was revolutionised. The 10W Liner-2 brought 2m SSB to the masses. Until then I had only used AM and FM and I was amazed how far I could work on SSB with just a small beam. People these days joke about the TX sidebands if the rig was overdriven, but 2m SSB was possible for the masses for the first time.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/liner2 .

Accidental nuclear war - NOT amateur radio

Although totally unaware at the time, the world was on the brink of nuclear war in 1983. The USSR detected incoming missiles (actually a false alarm) and only the actions of one man prevented a retaliation.

You wonder how the world would manage today with people like Trump and Putin at the helm. A nuclear war by accident is more likely than by plan.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41314948

Trump - NOT amateur radio

What the USA president says would have more persuasive power if the USA did not have a history of supporting corrupt states in the past. "He who casts the first stone" and all that. Fine if the USA had a history of really defending truth, liberty etc., but history says it is only interested in defending its vested self interests.

Italian Supermarket - NOT amateur radio

Whilst in Italy we went to a local supermarket. These are the same in most countries but what they sell sometimes depends on local conditions.

Sunspots - Tuesday September 19th 2017

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number 12. A=22 and K=1.

6m FT8 TX

So far this morning, a couple of Gs spotted plus F6BAX (308km). These could well be aircraft reflections or tropo.

UPDATE 1225z: No further spots.

UPDATE 1522z: A further G spotted, but nothing else today.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Well, there is some life on 10m with an early spot of my little beacon by DK6UG (633km).

UPDATE 1226z: No further spots today so far.

UPDATE 1520z: Still just the early spot by DK6UG. Nothing else today.

Back on the air

Having been in Italy for 10 days, I have not been on the air. Now back home, I am on 6m FT8 RX and 10m WSPR TX (500mW).