8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

After about an hour, 2 spots of my 2.5W 8m FT8 from Poland already. Es seems quite good today.

UPDATE 1637z:  Spotted by 8 stations today so far on QRP 8m FT8. A good day.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

Since just after lunch my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been on. It has been widely copied across Europe and in the Canary Islands. 

8m update

Yesterday my 2.5W 8m FT8 was spotted by 6 stations across Europe.

I gather ZF is getting an 8m band permanently. They also have 4m for a year. 

Come on OFCOM (and RSGB) and the FCC get into the 21st century. Slowly, more and more countries are getting 8m allocations rather than just saying "no".  Their attitude seems stupid. 

Sunspots - Tuesday June 27th 2023

Solar flux is 158 and the SSN 158. A=11 and K=2. 

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

Much of the afternoon, I have been on 8m FT8. Quite a good session with spots of me from Eire and Poland. 

Plans for today (Monday)

After lunch, I expect to be on 10m QRP WSPR TX and 8m QRP FT8. At the moment, European Es does not look great.

Cockchafer beetle - NOT amateur radio

Last evening I saw what I think was a cockchafer beetle in the garden. I don't recall seeing one since the 1960s. 

See https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-identify-cockchafer-may-bug.html.

Sunspots - Monday June 26th 2023

 Solar flux is 155 and the SSN 180. A=15 and K=2. 

Last night's concert - NOT amateur radio

 

Last evening, we attended a concert by the Ely Consort in our local church. It was good, but very hot.

What happens next in Russia? - NOT amateur radio

This is being written on Sunday afternoon and a lot can change very fast. My own reading of the situation is this:

1. Apparently there was a half-hearted attempt at a coup by someone that at one time was close to Putin.
2. When this started Putin was worried about being overthrown. At the time there was talk of treason and backstabbing.
3. Very soon the leader of this coup backed down. He was promised no charges for him and his men if he went to Belarus, the leader of which sides with Putin.  This is all very odd.
4. It is unclear how this will pan out. We could see at least 3 outcomes: 
1. Putin becomes even more tight in his grip on power and purges those around him he sees as a threat.
2. Putin is overthrown either by someone who is even worse or more liberal.
3. There could be a lurch back towards communism by the people.

It is a brave man that predicts how this will end, but most think it has weakened Putin.  One thing is clear: this has not ended. It may appear to have for now, but what happens next?

In the meantime we just carry on.