VHF NFD this weekend

Usually I just forget, but this year we have a visitor, so I cannot go on. This weekend is VHF NFD in the UK.

Years ago I took part in VHF NFD with the Pye Group from the Quantocks in Somerset and were 2nd I think. This would have been in the 1970s.  I joke that there is still a very rusty Kingshill PSU up there somewhere under the heather! We slept in tents and getting the gear up there was a logistical nightmare! On my own it would not be my idea of fun, so I have great respect for SOTA operators who activate rare peaks.

There are lots of well equipped stations with big antennas on hilltops for VHF NFD, so it is a good chance to work some new squares. I think (but check the rules) it covers the VHF and UHF bands up to 23cm.

Sunspots - Sunday July 7th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=1.

Cambridge punts - NOT amateur radio

Cambridge is famous for its punts. Today we had some drama as it rained and all the umbrellas went up. Someone lost his punt and dived in (did he realise how shallow it is?) and there was a crash into a wall.

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

As we have been in Cambridge much of the day, the radio has not been turned on. Several streets in the city were closed off for the "Extinction Rebellion" demo.

I have never seen Cambridge so busy ever.  Many of the visitors were from the Far East. Are we seeing more visitors this year?

Sunspots - Saturday July 6th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=1. Still looks like we are bumping along the bottom.

Boris - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, the UK Conservative party members are voting to elect their new leader. It is likely to be Boris Johnson, who will also become the new (unelected) UK Prime Minister. He sounds a bit like another Donald Trump.  I fail to understand why so many want him as their leader.

Personally, I am not impressed by either candidate. Most Conservative voters are in the older age bracket. Boris is, allegedly, a teller of untruths, although this is based on the media, so I may be wrong.  Both are public school boys, now grown up. I believe Boris went to Eton and Jeremy Hunt to Charterhouse.

My view is that whoever is elected will try, and fail, to get the EU to move in an attempt to get approval in Parliament for the EU withdrawal bill A vote of no confidence is possible, followed by a General Election.

God help us. 😢

Cookies - NOT amateur radio

No, not the food variety. If you are in the EU we have new data protection measures under the GDPR banner. Now, certainly in the EU we have to click to accept website cookies. No doubt someone, somewhere thought this a good idea. What happens? Most of us just click "accept" or similar and never read the text. It totally fails. This is stupidity and bureaucracy gone stark raving mad! It sickens me and achieves nothing.

Parkin - NOT amateur radio

 

As we have a guest staying later, my wife has a good excuse to do some baking. Among the things she bakes is parkin, which is a soft, ginger based cake that is great with cheese. The photo shows the mix going in. I had to sample some last night, with some cheese! It passed the test, but I think it needs retesting. Hmmm. 😜

See https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940684/parkin

Hong Kong - NOT amateur radio

After a very long and 2 hour delayed flight, my son and family have arrived in Hong Kong on their way to Brisbane. As they missed their flight, they have been rebooked on a flight this evening and put up in a hotel for a few hours.

They have been there before, as have I.  It used to be a real "east meets west" place with post boxes and double decker buses. I have only been through the new airport once since China took over and remember being intrigued by the W. H. Smith shop at the airport! That was 2004 I think.

6m FT8 RX

Already (0808z) I am on 6m FT8 RX. As yet, no spots. No early Es here.

UPDATE 0835z: Mind you, it does help to plug the antenna in! Antenna now connected. So far, just G3WOS (128km) spotted.

UPDATE 0917z: Now they are coming in thick and fast. So far, 28 stations spotted with best DX EA8DBM (3016km).

UPDATE 1046z: Now 61 stations spotted this morning on 6m FT8 RX. Although Japan was being worked again on 6m FT8 from the UK, again nothing spotted here. 😕