Sunspots - Saturday May 9th

 Solar flux is 120 and the SSN 75. A=12 and K=2.

UK politics

At the moment in the UK we are in the middle of council elections in some parts of England and elections for the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland. The latter two have only just started counting.

Results in England so far suggest people are turning away for the two parties that have traditionally been in power for about 100 years. 

Instead people are turning to Reform, the Greens and Liberal Democrats. Reform is generally considered more right wing than the Conservatives, whereas the Liberal Democrats and Greens are more left leaning.

Often these elections are seen as a protest vote, but we do seem to be seeing a swing in how people vote.

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Friday)

My Zachtek beacon has been on since breakfast.

UPDATE  2020z:  13 stations spotted me, presumably Es. See table.  Now QRT.

Iran

There is little doubt that this war has not gone as President Trump expected. 

I am sure now that he wished he had not started it and his popularity at home and across the world has  dropped. 

The USA was once considered a beacon of democracy, but not anymore. The damage done to the reputation of the USA could last generations.

The joys of homebrewing

This video is several years old. The message is clear: don't be afraid to "roll your own". It may not work first time and you may have to find out why. There are a whole variety of things you can try. 

Speaking from personal experience, start with something simple. This is more likely to work first time. If not, it will be easier to find out why.

Overall, have fun!!  It is much more satisfying than "flashing the cash".

King's College Chapel, Cambridge, UK

People come across the planet to see this fine building that is centuries old with amazing fan vaulting and stained glass windows. 

Living near Cambridge we can see all this for nothing, every day if we want. 

It is all too easy to take this for granted, but we do not.

Often when we go away we comment on how good the place is. 

Then we joke that we must go to a nice place called Cambridge sometime!! I suppose we could even be back for lunch!

10m 200mW WSPR yesterday

You can tell we are now in the Es season with 25 (mostly European) stations spotting me yesterday. 

I like 10m WSPR as I just switch it on and observe elsewhere in the house by looking at WSPRnet.

In the last 12 hours 21 stations have spotted my 200mW!  See chart.

First swifts seen

Although they have been around for about a week, yesterday I saw my first swifts this season. 

They are back from Africa, but stop just long enough to breed, i.e. just a few months. By mid July most have gone south again until next spring.

Often they are heard before they are seen. They scream around the sky in feeding parties.

Sunspots - Friday May 8th

 Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 59. A=7 and K=2.

10m 3W FT8 (Thursday)

 Very briefly, I went on 10m 3W FT8 just after breakfast, although I have been on 10m WSPR most of the day including now.  It is evident that we are now in the Es season.