LinkedIn - NOT amateur radio

Having been retired for 12 years now, I have no interest in getting another job. I use LinkedIn on occasions to see how people have aged. Some have hardly aged at all, whereas others have lost more hair or gone more grey!

I get really annoyed with connect requests from people I do not know at all! One person keeps popping up and asking me if I know him - well I do not!!!

If I was actively job hunting I can understand the need for networking. As a retired individual you would think their clever software would have a way to leave me alone.

Sunspots - Monday May 11th 2020

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0.  A=5 and K=0.  Very poor!

This evening on 2m FT8 (2.5W)

As it was getting dark, I switched to 2m FT8 from 10m FT8. I am always amazed how far away I get spotted. This evening 2 stations in Cornwall spotted me and I had a QSO with a local. Surely this cannot be aircraft as it seems to happen at any time.

UPDATE 2100z:  2 QSOs and 8 spots so far of my 2.5W FT8.

Pye Telecom PF1

When I first started work in 1970, my very first job was to convert the RX of the PF1 to 12.5kHz channel spacing.

Looking back I think this was a sort of test. It was set by Mike Gotch who I later found was G0IMG.  Mike was a keen 6m operator. He sadly died a few years ago.

I see there is a YouTube video of the PF1. For some time, I had a 2m AM receiver in a PF1 RX case. This was a super-regen design, but it worked well. I cannot remember what I did for the antenna.

UK Foundation Licence

Southgate News reports that there has been a large increase in interest in the UK Foundation licence. For a few weeks now, the RSGB has had on-line invigilation. I guess lockdown and isolation have something to do with this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/may/get-your-foundation-licence-faq.htm#.XrgKn2jYq00

Sunday lunch - NOT amateur radio

We have just had Sunday lunch. We like Gressingham duck which is slow cooked so it is quick to cook at home. Usually duck takes hours.

UPDATE 1355z:  Although I eat meat I could just as easily do without.  A few weeks ago I had a Quorn pasty and it was every bit as good as a beef one. In the years to come I expect we'll all eat less meat.

Swift nestbox - NOT amateur radio

Although we still see swifts (migrant birds from Africa) numbers are way down as there are fewer places to nest. A friend has erected a swift nestbox and I may do the same in time for next spring.

Today's lockdown walk - NOT amateur radio

We did a nice walk earlier today before the weather changes.

UPDATE 1522z: Yesterday was 23 deg C and sunny. Now it is 7 deg C and raining!

Swallows at last - NOT amateur radio

Fully a month late, I have eventually seen swallows. 3 were seen on a walk today.

10m FT8

10m is buzzing with Es this morning. I am TXing with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. Plenty of stations spotted and plenty of stations spotting me. No QSOs as yet.

UPDATE 1425z: 49 stations have been spotted on 10m FT8 (after I reset WSJT-X, which as spotting on the wrong band for some reason!) and 7 stations have spotted my 2.5W.

UPDATE 1655z:  93 stations spotted so far today and 12 stations have spotted me. 2 QSOs so far (1 CT and 1 EA).