At about 1645z I QSYed to 2m FT8. So far (it is now 1652z) 6 stations in 3 countries have spotted my 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. On RX no-one yet spotted.
UPDATE 1757z: 9 stations in 5 countries have spotted me so far on 2m FT8 today with the furthermost being GI6ATZ (479km). On RX 3 Gs spotted so far.
UPDATE 2055z: 18 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 8 stations.
This afternoon, I tried in vain, to mend my "better" 10m loop antenna. I failed.
Before, there was a distinct peak when tuned and the SWR dipped significantly on resonance. Sadly, just a few minutes of soldering work left me totally exhausted and giddy. I shall have to try again another day. After about 10 minutes of physical or mental work I am just knackered. Whether this is my stroke or just old age I do not know.
At the moment I am still on 15m FT8 on the "poorer" loop.
There is news today of a Covid-19 vaccine. Already the stock markets have reacted positively. Hopefully this will be the first vaccine of many. 2020 has been a nightmare year. Let's hope 2021 is better.
I have been involved in amateur radio for over 50 years and in that time quite a few things have changed. On my main website there is a potted history of G3XBM in amateur radio.
It is now 0916z and I have been on 15m FT8 for about an hour with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. So far, just 1 station spotted on RX and no-one has spotted me.
UPDATE 0950z: 12 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX and nobody has spotted me yet.
UPDATE 1040z: 1 station in Germany near the Danish border DJ3LE (666km) has spotted my QRP and I have spotted 21 stations so far today on 15m FT8.
UPDATE 1235z: 3 stations have spotted me so far today.
UPDATE 1340z: So far today, 81 stations spotted on RX and 4 stations have spotted me with the furthermost being UA3D (2519km). With QRP and the tiny tiny loop indoors I am amazed that anyone spots me!
UPDATE 1512z: 4 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 107 stations today on 15m FT8 RX.
Ever wondered if you are related to royalty? Well, certainly in Europe, you probably are.
I can trace my father's line back to the 1500s. Everybody has 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents and so on. Going back to the 1500s that means I needed over 8000 people to marry and have children. Going back just 10 more generations, way after Magna Carta, and I have over 16M ancestors, which is far greater than the whole UK population at that time!
Now I am sure some of my ancestors married distant relatives, so the number will be a bit less, but you get my point: if you go back far enough we are connected. If we go back to the time the Romans came to England certainly one of those is in my family tree.
This is humbling. Just think, we are only here now because those people had children. If just one had not, we would not be here now.
Solar flux is 90 and the SSN 40. A=5 and K=0.
Humming again! Not sure what the latest forecasts for cycle 25 are, but we are off to a promising start.
All those that fought in those dreadful WW1 trenches are now dust. How futile this slaughter was.
One of my wife's relatives (see photo) fought and survived WW1, although the experiences haunted him all his life.
Since 1900z I have been on 2m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. So far just 2 stations have spotted me with furthermost PA2M (311km). On RX nothing yet spotted.
UPDATE 2034z: Just 1 station spotted on RX this evening F4HRD (182km), whereas 10 stations have spotted me with the furthermost being G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall many times.
In the last century, our views of physics were radically changed by Einstein and then quantum physics. Things we had believed in for centuries required new ways of thinking. One wonders what our world view will be like in the next century. You can almost hear them saying,"did they really believe that?".
I wonder about time and memory. In our minds we wake up each day with our understanding of the passage of time and the assumption that our (fading) memories are as old as us. It is entirely possible that this is an illusion and each day is unique and the memories we think we have are illusions too. I have already discussed the mystery of human consciousness.
No, in 100 years' time our whole world view could be totally different.
My 17m QRP FT8 (about 4W) was turned on at about 1618z. Within a few minutes, I was spotted by 33 stations, See map.
