23 Feb 2024

Gaza-Israel conflict - NOT amateur radio

This conflict continues to trouble me. 

It would seem that Israel is dead set against journalists going into Gaza to see things for themselves. They continue to drive the people of Gaza (including women and children) to hunger and thirst using the horrific events of October 7th by Hamas as their reason.

I only wish peace and mutual respect. This requires compromise on both sides.  

Both Hamas and Israel have done things wrong. Both will be judged by history.

Sunday Rallies

 The following have been notified to me. Usual caveats apply about checking before going far.

Sunday February 25th - British Vintage Wireless Society , Biggleswade, SG18 8JH. Contact secretary@bvws.org.uk .

Sunday February 25th - Red Rose Winter Rally, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Contact lesjackson@ntlworld.com .

What is reality? - NOT amateur radio

This term I am attending (via Zoom) a series of lectures on the formation of the brain. Once we thought of our eyes like cameras and the brain interprets reality. It turns out this is totally wrong. This led me to a TED talk. It is quite short, but fascinating. I commend it to you.

‘The space-time continuum is a construct’



Sunspots - Friday February 23rd

 Solar flux is 173 and the SSN just 46.  A=6 and K=0

22 Feb 2024

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)


My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is turned on. So far, 8 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2018z:  One of the advantages of WSPR is it will decode whether the signal is strong or weak as long as the S/N ratio is good enough. With a "decent " antenna and ground system, the S/N may be better, but a weaker signal will decode as long as the S/N is sufficient. 10 stations have spotted me so far this evening.

UPDATE 2145z: Spotted by 11 stations this evening.

Propagation today

 The MUF in some parts of the world is high. It "feels" as if we are at the start of the long decline to sunspot minimum, although there is sometimes a second peak.

See https://prop.kc2g.com/ .

Seen on Facebook - NOT amateur radio

 This was on Facebook earlier.



Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) talk

About a year ago, I gave a talk at CDARC. Because of my poor voice these days actually I produced the slides and someone else did the talking!  Ovearll, it was quite successful.

See https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16QLftIhUmeL-0y6VytIvgnhbiM9GX2Nz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104978760719971510470&rtpof=true&sd=true.

Good and evil - NOT amateur radio

When I was younger I believed everyone was basically good and the evil they had was a result of upbringing or genes. These days I am not so sure.  That evil exists is not in doubt. In this world that we share there are plenty of signs.

It is my view that we are all capable of evil. That is what frightens me.  We all have to do our best to replace evil with good.

SETI (the search for intelligent live in the universe) - NOT amateur radio

To the best of my knowledge this has been going on since the mid 1960s at least, without success. 

Now AI has been brought in to help data processing. According to the BBC there are potentially 10-50 billion places where intelligent life could exist just in this galaxy alone

There are so many variables like where do you look in the electromagnetic spectrum. Indeed, is this the best place to look? 

If we found signs of intelligent life, it could have profound effects on this small blue dot.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68346015 .