Battery power?

Most of my operating is QRP, mostly 2.5W and occasionally 5W. On 472kHz my transverter produces 12W for an ERP of 10mW. Although I currently use an old linear PSU, perhaps I should use a battery pack with a charger to use when the pack is not connected to the rigs. Mains borne noise is likely to be less of a problem. I'd be interested to hear your views.

Puzzled about 10m

Every week Southgate News has a piece about 10m DX. The trouble is it takes reports from all over the world, so what is DX to some is quite inaudible to others. OK, it is a useful indication of stations that were active, but there its usefulness stops.

In my (limited) experience from here in the UK, 10m FT8 often brings in South Americans, but rarely anywhere else that I would call real DX. In my view, this would be more useful if it reported DX being worked by region e.g. from the UK.

See http://southgatearc.org/bands/10metres/2018/may/may-03.htm#.WurJ6ExFzIU

Sunspots - Thursday May 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 67 today. Sunspot number is 0. A=4 and K=1.

The South Hams - NOT amateur radio

I originate from the South Hams in Devon, a most beautiful part of England. The town in the centre is Kingsbridge (shown in the photo). It is a small market town at the head of an estuary.

"Our" windmill - NOT amateur radio

Many times now I have shared photos of our windmill next door. It really is "over the garden wall".  This photo was taken on May 1st when it was sunny. Most times this year, it has been wet.

Sails usually turn only when the museum is open on Thursdays, Sundays and bank holidays. When they do, it is a great sight.

The video shows the official opening after restoration. The chap front left is Richard G3TFX, an old work colleague. The address was given by our local MP.

Sunspots going faster than expected?

According to a report in Southgate News the sunspots are going at a faster rate than expected. They point to Spaceweather.com as their source. According to http://www.solen.info/solar/ sunspot numbers rose in May! Of course we are dealing with averages and we have to look a bit longer to see the trend downwards. I have no idea if this bodes well (or not) for the next solar cycle!

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/may/sunspots-are-vanishing-faster-than-expected.htm#.WunsGUxFzIU

White House Gaffs - NOT amateur radio

The USA administration has, allegedly, made some serious gaffs in what it releases to the press and public.  Often these are corrected later. Some of these are excusable. Some are not, especially those that sour international relations.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43957756 .

Mental Health Article - NOT amateur radio

The following article was written by Molly Anderson and sent to me:

Getting Your Physical and Mental Health Back on Track While in Addiction Recovery

 Photo Credit: 

maxlkt, Pixabay

Getting sober, maintaining sobriety, making healthy changes, resuming a normal lifestyle – the whole process of quitting an addiction and being in recovery are difficult. However, the reward is worth the challenge, as you'll find yourself feeling much better, and you'll get a fresh start in life. The healthy changes you make will aid in getting sober, staying sober, and feeling healthier both physically and mentally.

Assessing the Damage

Abusing drugs or alcohol harms your body, mind, and relationships. Different substances have different effects. Amphetamines can cause insomnia, depression, cardiovascular issues, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal issues. Cocaine can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, and restlessness. Other drugs have harmful effects on the mind and organs as well. The negative effects of substance abuse can lead to issues that cause malnutrition and physical and mental illnesses.

Addiction can also harm relationships. Whether it's physical abuse, emotional abuse, or letting others down, friends and family members are often hurt by an addict’s behavior. Finding ways to repair the damaged relationships can help you let go of guilt and any negative feelings you have about yourself, which can help improve your mental health. Consider attending family therapy with your family and friends once you’ve completed recovery. Your counselor can decide the best timing, but it’s usually a few months or a year after treatment begins.

Finding Healing Activities

Most people who abuse drugs or alcohol are probably not involved in healthy activities such as yoga, meditation, and acupuncture. In recovery, you can start up these activities to be used as holistic therapies, which can improve your health and keep you on track to remain sober. Meditation teaches you to become aware of your thoughts, emotions, and sensations through breathing and concentration. This technique can be used to fight cravings, to deal with the physical pains many people deal with in recovery, and to fight negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression.

Yoga produces long lasting changes to the body, both physically and mentally, which help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yoga creates a sense of calm and solace and is a positive coping mechanism when dealing with depression, anxiety, anger, guilt, and other negative emotions. Yoga and mindfulness can be combined to provide energy, satisfaction, and stability during your path to recovery.

Certain points used in acupuncture can address targeted parts of the body – such as the kidney, lungs, and liver – that are damaged from drug or alcohol abuse. Acupuncture can also help calm the body so that you can let go of negative feelings, such as anger or anxiety, and get in touch with your emotions. Acupuncture may also help to alleviate physical pain and insomnia.

Diet and Exercise

Part of addiction recovery includes improved health, which means beginning to exercise. Exercise releases endorphins, so it can be an alternative to drugs. It can also reduce stress, improve mental health and mood, and benefit your organs, bones, and muscles. Getting healthy also involves good nutrition. A well-balanced diet provides energy so you don’t feel fatigued, and it provides the nutrients you need for growth and repair. Your diet affects all parts of your body, including your heart, immune system, bones, teeth, and mental health.

Another important step in your road to recovery is to figure out your goals. This includes both clinical treatment goals and goals for employment, education, social activities, and housing. Once you establish your goals, you can work with a counselor to pursue and achieve them. Recovery gives you a fresh start, so use this opportunity to heal your mind and body with holistic therapies, diet, and exercise. You can then work on healing relationships and accomplishing your goals in life.

6m FT8 today

Yet again, I am on 6m FT8. After a brief CQ period earlier (no spots) I am RX only. So far just a couple of Gs with best DX spotted G4VPD (150km).

UPDATE 1305z: Quite a few UK stations, plus Denmark, Slovak Republic, Belgium and Italy. Best DX currently is I6WJB (1509km).

UPDATE 2106z: Currently 37 unique stations in 6 countries spotted today on 6m FT8. Time to go QRT.

Sunspots - Wednesday May 2nd 2018

Had my dad lived (died 1987) he would have been 100 today. Somehow I can't imagine him being 100!

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number 0. A=3 and K=1.