10m 2W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 1245z 

UPDATE 1330z: So far, 59 stations have spotted me. 

Really low cost kit

Steve G1KQH has brought to my attention a very low cost SSB/CW 40m kit from India. It really is exceptional value. 

As a club project you can even buy 5 kits (yes five kits!!) for $150 total. Individual kits are just $39.

See www.hfsignals.com  .

Friday plans

 Probably I shall go on 10m 2W FT8 later.

Dark breakfast!

In the UK early mornings are dark. Our grandson stays with us on Thursday night as he has an early start on Friday and relies on me to get him up although so far he has been very good for an 18 year old. Thankfully things get better after Christmas.

Sunspots- Friday December 5th

 Solar flux is 220 and the SSN 165. A=32 and K=3.

10m 2W FT8 (Thursday)

 

At about 1830z I QSYed from 8m and instead went on 10m FT8 with 2W. 

UPDATE  2021z:  10 stations have spotted me with the best PU2YFR (9602km). Now QRT.

Future plans

Already, I am thinking about 2026. Sunspots and solar activity should still be good although declining. 

My instincts are to go mainly on 10m QRP FT8, although I shall go on 6m FT8 in which case I shall go on 10m WSPR wth my 500mW beacon that does not need the PC at the same time. 

Still tempted by 8m, TX,  although I think most of the activity would be in the Es season. If I was to reapply for a TX permit, I would time it to coincide with the Es season, so leave any new application until late March, so the permit would be in place in time for the Es season. I may decide not to bother.

2m activity contest (December)

Although I cannot stop on long because of my poor voice, I try to come on the 2m UKAC sessions with my 10W SSB to the big-wheel omni antenna. I only worked a couple of stations in the short time I was on, although I am sure many more would have been worked had I stopped on longer.

AI dangers

There is no doubt that AI will have a huge impact on the lives of everyone in the future. It will get better and better and will have impacts for good and evil.

In many ways I have been impressed with AI. For example I asked it to colourise an old black and white photo of my dad in his RAF uniform during WW2. The colourisation was excellent.

On the downside I asked Gemini to "make a picture of Roger G3XBM" as an experiment. I tried this both in "fast" and "thinking" modes.  On both attempts the person looked nothing at all like me. It created a radio shack (far more extensive than mine, HI) and a plaque with my callsign, but the person was totally wrong. I suppose it has to find a photo of me to learn from.

This is one of the dangers of AI. People may believe what they are being told. Often it will be correct. At the same time it can be very wrong! For now, it is best to treat AI with some caution knowing it can go "rogue" and give totally false results. It can only be as good as the sources it learns from.

8m FT8 RX (Thursday)

 I have QSYed to 8m FT8 RX on 40.680 MHz using my end-fed long wire.  We'll see if I spot anyone today.

UPDATE 1626z:  No spots. At the moment 8m is disappointing.