Sunspots - Friday June 22nd 2018

Solar flux is 81 today and the sunspot count 54. A=3 and K=1. Quite remarkable figures this low in the cycle.

6m Pirate

It is a sad fact that pirates get their kicks by pretending to be someone else. A recent example was ZL2IFB who was not on 6m at the time stated, but was widely spotted on 6m FT8. All I can say is see if the time and local spots support it. Caveat emptor. Until the DX station confirms the spot or QSO you can never be sure sadly.

Last year I spotted several Japanese stations on 6m JT65 in June. There were so many, and with local spots in Japan, that I am pretty sure these were genuine.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Although outwardly I look well (so people tell me) on the inside it is very different. The best way is to say I live in a giddy, exhausted, confused fog most of my waking time. My voice is poor but otherwise I cope. People talk about hidden disabilities - I really know!

Never, ever, judge a book by its cover, as they say. By the way, who are "they"? 😏

Stork nest - NOT amateur radio

On our way from Riga (Latvia) to Tallinn (Estonia) we saw several white storks including this one on its nest with young.

4m transverter

Some years ago I designed a QRP 70MHz transverter as I had no gear for that band. This was featured in GQRP SPRAT.

Using just a wire dipole in the loft I managed a few QSOs in a contest.

These days, there are commercial rigs covering the 4m band including the ICOM IC7300.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

Sunspots - Thursday June 21st 2018

Solar flux is 82 and sunspot number an incredible 54.  A=5 and K=1. For where we are in the cycle these are very good numbers, although it suggests things will get much worse before we start the climb to the next peak. The minimum is expected in 2019 or 2020. It seems very, very, unlikely we have yet reached the minimum. In the last minimum we had days and days of spotless days.

Total Dick? - NOT amateur radio

It sounds like a few Republicans have stood up for common decency. Young children have no business being the innocent victims in this.

Why am I reminded of Jews in Europe in the 1930s and 40s?

Mr President was elected to "make America great again". Really? At the moment the USA is fast becoming the laughing stock of the rest of the world. His aims may be fine, but to many he comes across as naïve.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44552852

Warm Baltic - NOT amateur radio

It is hard to believe how lucky we've been with the weather. So far, I have worn a short-sleeved shirt in warm sunshine every day! This was me at Jurmala, near Riga on the coast of the Gulf of Riga. Riga is a fine city and nearby Jurmala quite classy.

6m Super DX?

ZL2IFB has again been spotted in North America and Europe on 6m FT8.  It remains to be seen if this is genuine. I have my doubts, but hope I am proved wrong.

Just mad? - NOT amateur radio

The current USA administration puzzles me. Do they really want total isolation from the rest of the world? It would appear so.

Oh, of course, the world was created in 7 days when God breathed. The UN and climate change are not real.

Palestine - is that near Bolivia?

See https://www.bbc.com/news/44537372 .