Swan - NOT amateur radio

This swan was enjoying a bit of quiet time at Anglesey Abbey earlier. There is a nest there and I think the pair of swans are taking turns on it.

When we went earlier today we saw no swallows, no house martins, no sand martins and no swifts. In previous years these were quite common by now, so numbers must be down?

Swaziland gets a new name

According to Southgate News, Swaziland has a new name. Although the king announced a new name earlier in April, its DXCC status is unchanged.

We went to Swaziland in 2010. We also went to Lesotho, which was like stepping back 1000 years.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/may/kingdom-of-eswatini.htm#.WuiPT0xFzmI

Es?

At last, we are seeing evidence of sporadic-E (Es) in the northern hemisphere.  Usually this brings lots of Europeans in range on 10m and 6m. Openings get less frequent on 4m and even less frequent on 2m.

FT8 should help as even brief openings get noticed. Most years, much further is also possible on 6m. Whether this is multi-hop Es or some other mechanism is open to debate. Personally, I have my doubts.

Tulips - NOT amateur radio

The formal garden at Anglesey Abbey had a stunning display of tulips (see photo). They were all this colour and white. Most in the grounds are now dying and well past their best.

OFCOM Communications Monthly

OFCOM has just published it monthly update.

See http://ofcom.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/i/4270C5D1D6C9960D2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

New article added - NOT amateur radio

Some may find this page useful. I have added an article that Molly Anderson sent me as a file at the bottom of the page.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mental

6m FT8 today

Yet again, I am on 6m FT8. So far today, just 1 G spotted G4VPD (150km). A brief CQ call at 2.5W earlier brought no spots. Mind you, it was early and most sensible people would have still been asleep!

Stations spotted up to 1321z

UPDATE 1321z:  21 different stations in 4 countries so far spotted today. Best DX so far is 4O6AH (1787km).

UPDATE  1428z: Now 25 different stations in 5 countries today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2026z: In the end 29 different stations spotted in 6 countries. Soon be time to go QRT.

UK identity documents? - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we seem to have a problem with illegal immigrants. One solution proposed is an ID card for each legal person living here. You would need this to obtain benefits. I think this would help, but I am not 100% sure.

In the light of the debacle over "the Windrush generation" in which people who were legally here but denied rights and deported (can you believe this?), it might help. This action is wholly inexcusable!!
As for the government I simply do not care whether it is Labour, Conservative or Monster Raving Loony.  This a total balls up.

As a legally here person, I have no problems with such a card, although I have not been through all the arguments.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43949972

Solar figures

Within the next few days we'll see the solar numbers for April.

We are on average on a slow decline to the next solar minimum, yet 10m FT8 has allowed real DX to be copied.

For example, on the 3 occasions recently when I monitored the 10m band it opened to Brazil and Argentina, despite my poor antenna on 10m.

All I am advocating is never give up on 10m. FT8 is a game changer. Even with poor solar conditions 10m openings now get spotted, whereas at the same point in the last solar cycle we might have written off 10m.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

Sunspots - Tuesday May 1st 2018

Solar flux is 70 today and the sunspot number 0.  A=7and K=2.