Crab apples - NOT amateur radio

When we moved here almost 6 years ago we inherited a crab apple tree. This has now grown.

2 years ago we had lots of crab apples. Last year we had just 15. This year we have hundreds.

A friend of my wife makes crab apple jelly, which we like. It is great with some meats.

PSKreporter maps

Until very recently I had put down issues with PSKreporter maps to problems with my internet connection. I am now having doubts as my internet seems to be working well and reliably yet several stations which are received on the PC are not reported on PSKreporter. Several stations spotted earlier on 6m are no longer shown. It would be interesting to hear if others have the occasional issue. Most times it works well.

Friedrichshafen

This is the biggest European amateur "show". I have never been and never likely to go. No new products were announced to my knowledge. I may be wrong.

See https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/

6m FT8 RX

Although there is the possibility of storms later, so I may have to go QRT, I am again on 6m FT8 RX. At the moment (0812z) , no Es here with just Gs spotted.

UPDATE 1124z: Very little 6m Es here today with just EA7JAN (1805km) spotted so far.

UPDATE 1325z: Rubbish!  No further stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX here today.

UPDATE 1559z: Now 22 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX SV9RNG (2764km) on Crete.

UPDATE 1830z: Now 144 stations on 3 continents spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. Looks like late Es.

UPDATE 1907z: Now 167 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2036z: Now 199 6m stations spotted including an SU (Egypt) and ST0CAZ (4801km).

Double yolker - NOT amateur radio

Most mornings I start the day with a no fat added cooked breakfast and fresh fruit. I appreciate this may not suit everyone!

We usually buy our low cost free range eggs from our local supermarket. Imagine my surprise to see a double yolker this morning. We have lived here for nearly 6 years and I have only seen 2 in all that time!

I should have taken the photo as soon as I cracked the egg. By the time this was taken the yolks had merged.

Sunspots - Monday June 24th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number zero. A=3 and K=2. Still pretty poor. It will be interesting to see the Solan forecast next month.

2m big wheel antenna

For several years now I have been using a big-wheel horizontal omni-directional antenna. This has a few dB of gain and does not need a rotator.

With 2.5W SSB it regularly gets me 200km in the Tuesday evening UKAC activity contests organised by the RSGB. On FT8 my QRP CQs are regularly copied in Cornwall under flat conditions. Most days, I spot stations in 7 countries by aircraft reflection on 2m FT8. What surprised me was it is quite effective on 70cm SSB. Most sessions my 70cm QRP is copied over 100km.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/bigwheel

Classic car day - NOT amateur radio

Today, the museum across the road from us held its classic car day, when lots of classic cars visit. Mostly the weather was warm and sunny.

Nero fiddles and Rome burns - NOT amateur radio

Whilst there is the risk of war in the Middle East and the EU is in crisis over the loss of a major member, what does the UK do? We spend weeks deciding who will be the next leader of one major party who, by default, becomes the next Prime Minister and hence the most important person in the UK. There are 2 candidates left, neither of whom exactly fills me with excitement.

Personally, I think UK politics is in a mess. It is my view that we are, in the main, run by idiots in all parties who are more interested in their own careers than the greater good of the UK or world. There may be some exceptions, although I am struggling to think of them.

BBQ - NOT amateur radio

Most of the afternoon has been spent with old friends enjoying a BBQ. It started off sunny, but got cloudier. In the UK we need good weather to eat outside.

It was good to eat with old friends. Some have moved 100 miles away and we see them less frequently these days.