Used amateur radio gear

This video is produced from a USA perspective, but is probably universally true. 

Several factors have combined and this affecting used gear prices and this disrupts the whole amateur radio economy. 

In the USA licence numbers are up and attendance at major amateur radio gatherings is at an all-time high.

In my view the amateur radio hobby will be very different within 20 years.

Market Stalls

Every Wednesday, there are a few market stalls at our local garden centre. The stalls sell fish, vegetables and cheese. Everything is very fresh.

Have they gone?

Swifts (birds) come to the UK to breed for a few months before flying south to Africa . 

During June and July they scream about the sky. Then you notice they have flown and the skies are quiet.

There may be a few stragglers, but most have gone until next May as they have been doing for thousands of years. Humbling.

10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

My beacon was turned at about 0825z.

UPDATE 1808z: 31 stations have spotted me, all in Europe.

Origins

It is probably true that if an Englishman goes back far enough he or she is related to royalty. 

I can trace my dad's side without a break to the mid 1500s in a few parishes in South Devon including the one in the photo, Hope Cove, which was a small fishing village.

If you go back to the mid 1500s  you have to have had about 8000 people for you to be here. If you go back another 500 years you would probably have had to have more than the entire population of England at that time!

Sunspots - Thursday August 6th

 Solar flux is 108 and the SSN 86. A=3 and K=1.

Time and memory

As far as I am aware I am not senile, just getting old!

These are the things that affect me:

• Time seems to go faster.
• I forget names of people.
• I get more tired faster.  
• Physical things seem harder.

As my mother-in-law said "don't get old".

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0645z.

UPDATE 1353z: Spotted by 19 stations in Europe.

Trump and Iran

 Yet again, Iran and President Trump are centre stage.  To a casual observer, things are worse.

I seem to recall President Trump claiming he could stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours? Hmm.

Xiegu G7250 - more photos

China is coming up fast in the amateur radio market. There is a lot of interest in the new Xiegu G7250 transceiver.