On a walk about the village yesterday we saw 4 swifts. These are migrant birds back from Africa. These were the first seen this year. Usually these are heard before seen. Not this time.
10 May 2021
IC-705 goals this week
This week, I have 2 main aims:
- To get D-star (DV) working;
- To get WiFi working.
9 May 2021
160m FT8
This evening, I am on 160m FT8 with QRP and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 12 stations have spotted me with the furthermost IZ2QPP (956km). On RX 11 stations spotted with the furthermost UA3GT (2630km).
UPDATE 2130z: 13 stations have spotted me on 160m FT8 this evening with the IC-705 and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground as the map shows. Now QRT.
Oscar 100 (geosynchronous) activity
Every few weeks I take an unscientific look at the narrowband transponder on this satellite. There is still plenty of space!
My last look was on a Sunday afternoon in Europe, when you might expect activity to be probably quite high, not that it was!
My impression is you could easily double the number of stations at least.
Quite low activity really |
Sex in older years - NOT amateur radio
Have you noticed that most leaders in politics are old men?
The current president of the USA is 78 and his predecessor was 74. This is older than me! There is no way I'd want to lead a country at my age.
As a younger person, sex was important. In old age it is less so. If you had told me this 10 years ago I would not have believed it. I am sure this is not universally true, but it is probably far more common than is talked about. I often wonder if our leaders really connect with younger people to whom this is so important?
Some would say with old age comes wisdom.
Propagation predictions
When I operate I tend to take pot luck. Others make use of propagation predictions, in which case this site may be of use. There are others.
Swan on nest - NOT amateur radio
10m FT8 RX with the IC-705 and the tiny indoor loop
At 0900z, I went on 10m FT8 RX with the IC-705 and the tiny indoor loop. Even with ferrite chokes on the USB lead I was still getting RF feedback from the loop to the rig on 10m, so I am RX only on that band until I get the outside antenna up. 2 French stations spotted after 10 minutes.
UPDATE 1104z: 14 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today so far. All Es.
UPDATE 1350z : 21 stations spotted on RX with the tiny indoor loop antenna and the IC-705.