24 Nov 2021

Old age - NOT amateur radio

This came yesterday from my brother.  As one of those old folk, I can relate to it.

You know …… time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young and embarking on my new life. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. 

I know that I lived them all. 

I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. 

However, here it is …… the last quarter of my life and it catches me by surprise.

How did I get here so fast? 

Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the first quarter and that the fourth quarter was so far off that I could not visualise it or imagine fully what it would be like.

Yet, here it is …… my friends are retired and getting grey - they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me but I see the great change. They’re not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant …… but like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! and taking a nap is not a treat anymore, it's mandatory! because if I don't of my own free will, I fall asleep where I sit!

And so …… now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did! But at least I know that, though I’m on the last quarter and I'm not sure how long it will last, that when it's over on this earth... it's over. 

A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done …… things I should have done but truely there are many things I'm happy to have done. 

It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not on the last quarter yet, let me remind you that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life do it quickly! 

Don't put things off too long! Life goes by so quickly. 

So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you're on the last quarter or not! 

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of life.... so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember - and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!

‘Life’ is a gift to you. 

Be Happy!

Have a great day!

Remember, it is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

You may think;

Going out is good - but coming home is better!

You forget names - but it's okay because some people forgot they even knew you!

You realize you're never going to be really good at anything like golf - but you like the outdoors!

The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in anymore - but you really don't care that you aren't as interested.

You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV on than in bed – you call it ‘pre-sleep’!

You miss the days when everything worked with just an ‘On’ and ‘Off’ switch!

 You tend to use more 4 letter words – ‘what’ and ‘when’

You have lots of clothes in your wardrobe, more than half of which you will never wear – but just in case!

Old is good - 

Old is comfortable

Old is safe 

Old songs

Old movies

…… and best of all,

Friends of old!

So, stay well, ‘Old friend!’

Have a fantastic day! 

Have an awesome quarter – whichever one you’re in!

Take care

It's not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

60m FT8

Last evening and overnight I was on 60m FT8 using the Wellgood active loop RX antenna on the shack windowsill. Best DX was 9Y4DG (7209km). Earlier attempts at 60m WSPR resulted in just 3 unique spots. In the first few minutes on FT8, 16 stations were spotted!! 

Sunspots - Wednesday November 24th 2021

 Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 39. A=9 and K=2.

23 Nov 2021

60m WSPR RX (Tuesday)

For a change I am on 60m WSPR RX. There appears to be 2 WSPR frequencies and I am monitoring 5.3647MHz, which is in the WARC band.  The antenna is the Wellgood active loop on the shack window.

So far this evening, 3 German stations spotted on 60m WSPR.

Salcombe lifeboat disaster 1916 - NOT amateur radio

105 years ago the small town where I lived as a child experienced a tragedy. Most of the lifeboat crew were drowned. One of my aunts witnessed it. It must have left a deep scar on the community.




15m FT8 RX

As 10m FT8 RX was disappointing, I QSYed down to 15m, which was filled with North Americans on FT8 RX. 

As an experiment, I swapped the coax to my big-wheel for the Wellgood active loop. If anything, the Wellgood loop is better, so I have left it connected.

Already 51 stations spotted, most on the tiny indoor Wellgood active loop antenna.

UPDATE 1620z:  122 unique stations spotted, most on the Wellgood active loop antenna. I have now used the Wellgood active loop from 630m to 21m. Perhaps I should try it on a new band this evening?

Sunset, Salcombe, Devon - NOT amateur radio

This photo was on a Facebook group earlier today. It shows the sun going down last night in Salcombe, where I was brought up as a child.

Amazing run - NOT amateur radio

Kevin Sinfield has successfully completed his amazing run of 101 miles in 24 hours, raising over £1M for motor neurone disease (MND) research. This is a truly horrible condition and his teammate at Leeds Rhinos rugby team was diagnosed with this a few years ago.

As someone who finds just walking a few miles really hard, I am totally impressed. Well done.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/59366038 .

472kHz WSPR RX with the Wellgood active loop

My Wellgood loop is tiny and no attempt has yet been made to optimise the size, position or orientation of the loop, which is just attached to the shack window with Blutak. 


Last night, 4 unique stations were spotted on 472kHz WSPR RX.  My impression is this is a few dBs down on the coax to my big wheel. Now, this could be activity, conditions, orientation, local noise, position etc. .

On 1840kHz (160m) FT8 it works well and is every bit as good.

10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

After a very brief period on QRP TX (2.5W), I am now RX only. The gear was turned on about 0830z. It is now 0836z and, so far, no spots given or received. It is a bit early.

UPDATE 1428z: 123 stations spotted on RX.  A brief period just now with me on QRP TX resulted in no spots!