Sunspots - Friday February 21st

 Solar flux is 184 and the SSN 123. A=7 and K=0.

Rally on Sunday

 Sunday February 23rd - Red Rose Winter Rally, Leigh, WN7 2PJ.  Contact lesjackson@ntlworld.com .

Human consciousness - NOT amateur radio

We hear a lot these days about AI. One of my Cambridge University of the Third Age courses is about AI. It is very good and thought provoking.

At the moment AI is not very good with irony or jokes. No doubt with time and better training this will improve.

I guess what we fail to really understand is human consciousness. Just what makes us able to think, become aware of ourselves etc.? In my mind there is a huge difference between the accumulation of all the knowledge on the internet, and of wisdom.  AI can learn all about all the knowledge on the internet, but still not be wise or be able to contemplate its very existence.

At some point I wonder if we will be able to say exactly what human consciousness really is?  In many ways this is a philosophical question.

Milder? - NOT amateur radio

In this part of the UK it is meant to be getting much milder, with a hint of spring. It is quite windy here and I have not noticed it getting milder yet.

Roll on spring!

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Once again, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 with the FT817ND hoping for some spots.

UPDATE 1134z:  Just one spot by EA8RCP (3022km) of me so far today. I estimate about 2.5W to the low dipole.

UPDATE 1411z:  Now also spotted on 8m FT8 by EI4DQ (580km).

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE 1139z:  Just EA8BFK (2880km) spotting me. It seems the single hop F2 to the Canary Is is often open. Interesting that reports of me vary from -25dB S/N to -5dB S/N on this path. This implies he could still  copy me with microwatts at times!

WSPRrocks by Phil VK7JJ

UPDATE 1640z:  26 spots of me with the furthermost Brazil. 

Sunspots- Thursday February 20th

Solar  flux is 178 and the SSN 119. A=20 and K=2.

Cambridge bookshops - NOT amateur radio

At one time there were lots of bookshops in Cambridge. These days we buy many books online so there are fewer bookshops.  

This one has been around for a very long time. See the photo. 

Old work colleague

A few moments ago I sent an email to an old work colleague who now lives in Moscow. He is a very keen radio amateur who has done a great deal for the hobby.

This is one thing I really like about amateur radio. Whether the person lives in the USA, China or Russia matters not one bit. We are all human beings and all equal. In the days of the USSR it mattered not and Americans freely talked to stations in the USSR.

Amateur radio is above politics.

Let's hope the thought police don't come knocking!!

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

The Ukrainian 🇺🇦 leader is not impressed with President Trump!! I can't say I blame him.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c62e2158mkpt.