6m FT8 RX yesterday

 

In the 1032 stations spotted here on 6m FT8 yesterday there were 2 deep down in Brazil. 

This means I have spotted North and South America,The Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Europe on 6m FT8 RX in recent weeks.  

Not bad for the vertical colinear via CB RG58 coax!  See map.

Non-alcoholic gin and tonic - NOT amateur radio

Certainly non alcoholic beers have improved vastly in the last 10 years. Certainly the two I like taste just the same as their alcoholic equivalent. These days there is plenty of choice.

So, I thought I would give the G+T a go without alcohol, so bought some at the local supermarket.

I couldn’t tell any difference.

End of the good times? - NOT amateur radio

Increasingly I am fearful of the future. 

In the West we depend on long and complex supply chains chasing ever lower costs. Much of our energy (including electricity) depends on gas.

Just imagine if a terrorist or state actor seriously disrupted our gas supply or food supply chain. In the worst case, lots of things could fail: electricity for traffic lights, water pumping, sewage, internet, cash machines, banks, airlines, trains, etc.. Think about what happened in Spain!!

What I am saying is we are very vulnerable to a cyber attack, more so than we realise.

Is it all bad?  No, a new realisation of how things work would, ultimately, be good. Humans do adapt. Longer term, we might realise just how inter-connected these things really are and how we need, as individuals, to build up some resilience.

What can we do now?

• Increase vigilance against cyber attacks
• Make sure batteries are charged.
• Have some emergency food stuffs.
• Grow some food.
• Have some cash.

Hopefully, we will be stronger in future.

630m (472 kHz) QRP WSPR

For a few years I have not been on 472 kHz. This video was made some years ago and shows the results using just my earth-electrode "antenna" in the garden.

Sepura portables

A long time ago now (2008), I designed TETRA portable transceivers with Sepura. To be accurate others did the design and I managed the teams! 

Since then, things have inevitably moved on. These days I am very out of touch with my old company.

See https://sepura.com/

Sunspots - Thursday June 5th

 Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 92. A=26 and K=3.

Kierkegaard or Descartes? - NOT amateur radio

 This famous quote is, I think, written by Kierkegaard and not Descartes. Whoever said it was correct.

"Life can only be understood backwards but must be lived forwards"

Cambridge art shop - NOT amateur radio

This was in the Grand Arcade Cambridge yesterday. 

6m 6W FT8 (Wednesday)

In the last hour 31 stations have spotted me on 6m FT8 quite early in the morning. 

UPDATE  1336z:  So far today, my 6W 6m FT8 has been spotted by 858 stations.  Lots of Es. At this rate I could be spotted by over 1000 stations today.  Not bad for QRP on a VHF band with an omni vertical.

UPDATE 2035z:  959 stations have spotted me today. Best with 6W FT8 TX is Kuwait and on 6m FT8 RX Oman, all with the V2000 vertical omni antenna. See map of stations that have spotted me today.

10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)

In the last hour 3 stations have already spotted me. Overnight my beacon was running and it was surprising how many spots there were in the middle of the night, when most are asleep. My beacon is on.

UPDATE 1329z:  67 stations have spotted me today. See table.

UPDATE 1947z:  78 stations have spotted me with the best Brazil.