With the sunspot number being so low compared with a few months ago, I think it is very unlikely I shall be spotted today with this tiny power. As a sucker for punishment though my 10m WSPR beacon is again on without the PA.
UPDATE 1710z: No spots all day. Am I surprised? No.
Last night I gave the latest version of Google's AI tool (now called Gemini) a try. I tried various family names, without being impressed. Basically, compared with ChatGPT4, it was hopeless. They have a long way to go to catch up in my view.
Solar flux is 170 and the SSN just 45. Pretty sure this is the lowest for many years. A=4 and K=0. I seem to recall at the peak of the last cycle there were days with very few sunspots.
My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has been on since about 2130z. So far, I have been spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost LA3EQ (769km).
Enough is enough.
The fighting has to stop as too many innocent people are being killed, traumatised, injured or made homeless. Whilst I think it is entirely right for Israel to defend itself from Hamas, one could be forgiven for thinking this is now genocide.
I understand that Israel wants to prevent future incursions and massacres like October 7th, but is the fighting in Gaza the way to forge long-term peace? We now have generations that will grow up hating Israel. OK, Hamas might be weakened, but the cycle of violence will go on.
As I have said before, my friends include Jews and Muslims. We need a just peace.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-middle-east-68358053
My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni was turned on at about 1340z. So far, just one UK spot received.
From today, new UK amateur radio licence conditions come into effect.
On the news yesterday was a piece about brain injury research at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge. Two things stuck out to me.
One was brain overload which I experience especially when driving: it seems everything needs processing and this causes my brain to be overloaded. All the time whilst driving I am looking for possible hazards and it is really exhausting.
The second thing is profound tiredness or exhaustion. I want to sleep in the daytime far more.
My stroke was in 2013 and it is hard now to know what is old age (I am 75) and what was my stroke. My constant giddiness all my waking hours is exhausting and is a result of my stroke.
