23 May 2019

BREXIT - NOT amateur radio

Whatever your views on BREXIT are we can all agree on one thing: we have made a right mess of it!  The UK people and main parties are deeply divided over this and the UK is more "broken" now than for years. The Prime Minister is going soon, but I cannot see a good replacement.

I have the feeling that we are on the verge of a new time in UK politics as both the Conservative and Labour parties are deeply divided over BREXIT.

What is needed is something to unite the UK. Short of war, I do not know would fit the bill - maybe we will all "get real" about climate change. Remember how public opinion suddenly changed on plastics?

Rally

Sunday 26 MAY : DURHAM DISTRICT ARS RADIO RALLY

Bowburn Community Association, Durham Road, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5AT. Doors open 10.10am to 2.30am with disabled visitors gaining access at 10am. Admittance is £2. There will be traders, a Bring & Buy as well as an RSGB bookstall and Special Interest Groups. Catering and a licensed bar is on site. Contact Michael Wright, G7TWX, 07826 924 1192, g7twx@mickwright.f9.co.uk.

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

2m FT8

Overnight, I remained on 2m FT8 RX.

This morning, so far (last 6 hours), 11 stations in 6 countries spotted so far.

UPDATE 1056z: Now 16 stations in 6 countries spotted this morning on 2m FT8 RX. Think I shall QSY to 6m shortly.

Sunspots - Thursday May 23rd 2019

Solar flux is a dire 67 and the sunspot number 0. A=4 and K=1.

22 May 2019

2m FT8

Shortly before 1900z, I switched to 2m FT8 RX. So far this evening 17 stations in 3 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

Chelsea Flower Show - NOT amateur radio


For our 70th birthdays, my brother-in-law bought us tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show.This is the most famous flower show in the UK. We went by train and tube. It was surprisingly busy. The flowers were amazing.


Not much missed

The ARRL does a daily roundup of the Dayton Hamvention. The last was on Sunday. I don't think I missed much.

See http://www.arrl.org/news/hamvention-2019-sunday-roundup .

Dayton Roundup

Southgate News has a link to photos of the Dayton Hamvention in the USA. Although still to check, I don't think I missed big announcements from the Japanese companies. The photos again confirm this is (mainly) a male hobby. I suspect that "old" men are less likely to attend. Of course, Elecraft made big play of their new K4 transceiver.

Sunspots - Wednesday may 22nd 2019

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN still 0. A=4 and K=0.

21 May 2019

OFCOM - zzzzz

Excuse me as I have a quick snooze.....

OFCOM has published some statutory instruments in connection with some spectrum actions. Such exciting stuff I nearly fell of my chair!! Maybe I should read this in Welsh?