What happens when we die? - NOT amateur radio

Occasionally, I contemplate my mortality.

At one time, life seemed to stretch on for ever, but as one gets older and friends start to die, you realise that at some point you will die too. Some have a strong belief in an afterlife. Others are less sure.

As a youth I had quite a strong faith, but these days I am unsure.  The truth is not one of us can be sure. When our neurons stop firing is that it? Do we just cease to be? What is certain is how little we know. Just look back over the last 200 years and think how our understanding has changed.

Perhaps we should not worry too much about death. After all, we all share this fate and no-one honestly has any idea.

I think the big mystery is human consciousness - just what is it that makes us us? Maybe one day we will have some answers.   In the meantime, as I read somewhere, we have Covid-19 to beat and the next solar cycle to enjoy.

6m FT8

At 0850z ish, the 6m FT8 was turned on. As usual, I am running 10W to the V2000 vertical omni. So far, I have been spotted by 43 stations, mostly in Europe.

EUPDATE 1500z: See Fred's comment below! The advice in the June RadCom is to CQ in the second period, which is what I have been doing. I am totally confused! 121 spots of my 10W 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1620z: Confusion over thanks to Fred G4BWP.  On 6m, the convention is Europeans call CQ in the first period. In future 6m FT8 operation I shall try to remember and observe this convention.

UPDATE 2030z:  QRT. 163 6m FT8 spots of my 10W in the last day.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the loop indoors)

It is now 0850z. I have turned on the 10m WSPR beacon.

UPDATE 1100z:  No spots so far today. HB9TMC was spotted last night!! I made a mistake.

UPDATE 1314z:  Now sp ots by 2 stations with the best DX being a spot by EA8BFK (2880km).

UPDATE 2035z:  QRT now with 5 spots of me today.

Social distancing - NOT amateur radio

In the UK we currently have a 2m "social distance" law because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The photo shows my wife in the garden yesterday with an old work friend.

Visit - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned yesterday, we had a visit from one of our sons and grandsons. Here is one of our grandchildren playing the piano.

4m on the IC-705

Some weeks ago ICOM Japan announced that they would not be including 4m in the European version of the IC-705 as previously stated.

Enquiring into whether or not this would be included in a future firmware upgrade, they were unable to say.

They may have just run out of time or decided that making just one export version makes more commercial sense.

Sunspots - Saturday June 20th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=2.

Visit - NOT amateur radio

Today we had a social distanced visit from one of our sons and grandsons. Our grandson's favourite meal is meat and potato pie (see photo).

Eire to Slovenia on 8m - a first

Another first for the 8m band is reported by Southgate News.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/first-contact-between-ireland-and-slovenia-made-on-the-40-mhz-band.htm#.XuyVJojYrrc

See also https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2020/06/first-contact-between-ireland-slovenia.html

International Museums Weekends - new rules

There are new rules for the International Museums Weekends coming up.

See http://www.radio-amateur-events.org/IMW/