Sunspots - Saturday May 19th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today. The sunspot number remains zero. A=4 and K=2.

USA and Climate Change - NOT amateur radio

It appears that the US House Committee on Appropriations may have re-instated NASA funding for climate change research that the US president quietly withdrew.

See https://thinkprogress.org/nasa-vote-house-climate-science-97ad7bc62c01/

Scottish Rally (Glasgow)

20 MAY 2018 : SARCOM BRAEHEAD RADIO ELECTRONICS RALLY

Kings Inch Road, Glasgow G51 4BN. Doors open from10am to 5pm and entry is £4.50. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, flea market, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. There will be lectures on the day. Catering and a licensed bar are on site. There will be a raffle. More from Andrew Hood, GM7GDE, 07825 932 488, radiorally@scotlandmail.com.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

UK retail - NOT amateur radio

For some reason, my wife likes shopping at Waitrose, a  major UK food retailer, part of the John Lewis Partnership.

In recent years, like most high street retailers, they have found the going tough. John Lewis tends to have loyal customers, but I feel even these are going elsewhere for some of their shopping. Take our Newmarket Waitrose. I feel sure that when a local Aldi opens up they will suffer as some people will buy some of the same brands there at lower cost.

It was even reported in the newspapers that Amazon approached Waitrose last year, informally, as they want to buy a major UK food retailer.

No, the retail market is a very tough business. The companies that will survive will be those that have an attractive high street shop and an online business. Those that do not are likely to fail. Sadly, many of us now buy online. This is the reality of the 21st century. Adapt or die.

Dayton Hamvention - Ohio, USA

This weekend is the biggest event in the amateur community across the world. All the big amateur vendors are there as well as a huge flea market (I expect you could even buy fleas!).

As I have never been, I depend on press releases and individuals to provide me with news.

So far, I have heard that Yaesu will be joining the SDR club with a new HF/50MHz transceiver. From what I have seen they continue to follow rather than lead. This is not the mark of a successful company. These days they seem to have forgotten how to innovate. Yaesu, are you short of cash?

See http://hamvention.org/

6m FT8

After a very brief period calling CQ before breakfast (2 local spots with 2.5W TX), I have been RX only since. So far (0840z) 10 different stations spotted in 2 countries with best DX F6FUZ (791km).

UPDATE 1403z: So far today on 6m FT8 RX 73 different stations in 12 countries, all European. Best DX is SV9CVY (2675km) on Crete.

UPDATE 1705z: I have lost count of the number of stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX but 18 different countries spotted so far today.

UPDATE 2137z: Time to go QRT. 21 countries spotted today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2155z: Now QRT.

Cheese course - NOT amateur radio

We had B&B at the "Saracen's Head" in Southwell as we had to attend a funeral in Nottingham. Everyone in Southwell was great: friendly, warm and welcoming. We ate dinner at the "Saracen's Head" which was fine and served by a young local girl who really made us feel welcome and wanted. I went into a place a few months back and the service was appalling.

Sunspots - Friday May 18th 2018

Solar flux is 71 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=10 and K=2.

13th Century Book - NOT amateur radio

As this book is so old and so rare it is usually rarely on show. Yesterday we were fortunate to see it on display at Southwell Minster Chapter House.

Southwell Minster is a Norman building and very peaceful. Southwell is about 12 miles east of Nottingham and was a delightful place.

6m FT8 RX

Although I have only been on 6m FT8 RX since late afternoon, 7 Gs spotted so far. No Es in evidence.