Favourite walk - NOT amateur radio

One of my favourite walks (when I was fit!) was along the coastal path from Hope Cove to Salcombe along the coastal path in South Devon. It remains very unspoilt and beautiful. I cannot imagine this has changed much since my father walked this way almost 100 years ago.

Sunspots - Sunday August 23rd 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0.  A=8 and K=2.

2m FT8

As 6m seems dead here, I have QSYed to 2m FT8 with 10W and the big-wheel antenna.  After about 15 minutes 19 stations in 4 countries have spotted me.

UPDATE 2034z:  QRT now. 34 stations in 7 countries spotted me today. Just 1 station spotted on RX today on 2m.

Butterfly - NOT amateur radio

If this has been on before, sorry but too bad!! 

It is a nice photo taken earlier this summer. If I recall correctly, it was at nearby Anglesey Abbey.

Social media - NOT amateur radio

Like many, I seem to be addicted to instant social media fixes. When waking in the morning I grab my smart phone to check Facebook, emails, blogs, BBC etc. Most of these could easily wait several hours or even days. Talk about "must get a life"! These things could and should be relegated to their proper place.

More IC-705 videos

These are now coming think and fast as more dealers around the world are seeing samples. Only today I saw videos today from Finland, Wimo in Germany and the USA.

6m FT8

It is now 0800z. A few moments ago I turned on the 6m FT8 gear (10W and the V2000 vertical). So far, no spots given or received.

UPDATE 0833z:  Still no 6m FT8 spots.

UPDATE 0904z: Nothing on RX but I have been spotted by 1 station in Sweden.

UPDATE 1622z:   So far today, still just the single spot of me and no spots at all on RX.

Sunspots - Saturday August 22nd 2020

Solar flux is 71 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

South Hams video - NOT amateur radio

This video shows some of where I come from from the air.

 

Fen blows - NOT amateur radio

The UK Fens are very flat with some of the best agricultural lands in the country.  Most of the topsoil is peat.

With strong winds we can experience "fen blows" when the strong winds blow this topsoil away. At the moment we are having exceptionally strong winds for August. This morning on our walk, we could see the brown clouds of dust in the sky: evidence of a "fen blow". Although I tried to take photos, the "fen blow" is hard to make out. At the moment, winds are gusting to about 50mph here.