Old radio amateur

This morning I had a visit from an old work colleague (now 94). It must be 30 years since we last met. Eric was first interested in amateur radio in 1937!! He was a D-day veteran who was recently on TV.

In the photo that I am holding he met the Prince of Wales, who could soon be our next king. Eric is a very modest person. He came out with his daughter, who is also like her dad. She was great.

Eric is as sharp as ever mentally.

Emu in garden? - NOT amateur radio

Certainly last year, we encountered this strange sight in the next village: 2 emus in a garden with the chickens! I guess the owners wanted the eggs. They were there for several years, although I have not checked this year.

6m FT8

In the last 6 hours 19 stations in 6 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX. There is some Es to Sweden and southern Europe.

UPDATE 1458z: Now 41 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today. Most were Europeans via Es, but my best was KP4EIT (6834km) in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

UPDATE 1750z: 54 stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. A very brief CQ was spotted in Sweden.

Sunspots - Friday July 19th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN is still 0. A=7 and K=1.

Wisdom - NOT amateur radio

Honestly, with my hand on my heart, I have not met anybody outside of the USA that has a good word to say about President Trump. Within the USA he may be liked, but outside he is very disliked.

What never fails to amaze me is why so many Americans voted for him. He comes over as an idiotic bigot. I am not saying he is, but one can be forgiven for thinking he is. I heard his pronunciation of Namibia recently. Surely the president of the most powerful nation on the planet cannot be this ignorant?

So tell me, oh wise one, exactly where is Nambia?

Apples - NOT amateur radio

We have had a decent summer. It has been moderately sunny, but not the unbearable heat we had last year. The apples on the trees are ripening as are the plums.  The photo shows the apples in the lane leading up to "our" windmill.

Rally

Sunday 21 JULY : FINNINGLEY ARS RALLY

The Hurst Communications Centre, Belton Road , Sandtoft, Doncaster DN8 5SX. Doors open 10am. Free parking. Massive indoor / outdoor traders area with major traders and club stalls from microwave components to QRP kits. Hot food and drinks all day. Admission £3. Contact Kevin G3AAF on 07831 614640 or email Kevin.Avery@tunstall.com.

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

Brittany circus - NOT amateur radio

As some may recall, my wife and I spent a few days with our French "outlaws" in northern Brittany. These are our son's French in-laws. We had a lovely few days there.

On one of our trips we passed this circus complete with strange animals.

6m FT8

It is 0825z. I am about to go on 6m FT8. At first it will probably be RX only although I might try TX later.

Dangerous storms seem a very long way away.

UPDATE 0840z: As there was no Es evident here, I called CQ. No QSOs resulted but reports from 12 stations with my best DX report coming from G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall. All reports were from Gs. Still using the V2000 vertical omni antenna.

UPDATE 1107z: Now 10 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Interestingly just a couple of Finns copied by Es. Seems to re-enforce my view that more northerly stations seem to dominate later in the Es season.

UPDATE 1512z: 22 stations spotted including 3 which are probably Es, all in a NE direction.

UPDATE 1843z: Now 31 stations in 4 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.  All of these are G or NE Europe.

Sunspots - Thursday July 18th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN still zero. A=7 and K=1. Still the pits!