Getting older - NOT amateur radio

In December I am 71 years old. In some ways the teenage, carefree, days feel like just yesterday, although they were a long time ago.

I am aware of my age and that I can no longer do some of the things I once could. They say, "live in the moment", but that is sometimes hard to do. On the whole, I have had a good life. Yes, like everyone, there have been good times and bad.

All I can advise is do what you can. Milk life like there is no tomorrow. Be kind to people and consider how they feel whether 8 or 80.

FT-991A web page

I have owned the FT-991A for a few weeks now, so have created a webpage. As time goes by, I hope to add more stuff.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/ft991a

Sunspots - Wednesday July 17th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number 0. A=7 and K=1.

Hedge trimming time - NOT amateur radio

It is fair to say I am knackered! This year seemed far harder than last.

This morning, I trimmed the front laurel hedge, although I have still to do the far side and sweep up all the cuttings. Usually I do it once or twice a year. Although I have a cordless hedge-cutter, I find the mains powered one better for this job.

70cm threat?

Many do not realise it, but parts of the 70cm amateur band are shared with other services. Already there are some transceivers (licence free) that operate at low power at 70cm.

Southgate News has a piece about adding a transceiver module to a smartphone that gives communications at longer ranges than wi-fi . It operates at ISM frequencies at 433 and 915MHz.

The photo shows a typical 433MHz LORA module. There are plenty on the internet. The one on the Southgate link was 100mW.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/july/adding-lora-long-range-radio-to-smartphones-and-connected-devices.htm

UK pound losing value - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps this is to be expected with all the uncertainty over BREXIT, but the UK pound is losing value against major currencies.

My view is Boris Johnson will be elected leader of the Conservative Party and UK Prime Minister. He will try to get better terms from the EU and fail. There will be a vote of no-confidence in the government, which will be lost. There will be a general election with a coalition between Labour and the Lib-Dems. Another referendum will be held and we will vote to stay in the EU. Of course I could be very wrong!

Garden flowers - NOT amateur radio

From the sound of it, my brother in Devon has had far less rain than us. His lawns are already brown, whereas ours are still largely green. The photo shows the flowers on our patio earlier.

Rant time - NOT amateur radio

Recently my wife bought some granola from a local shop. Despite a good look we could see NOTHING about recycling. There was lots about birds and bees on the pack. In this day and age this is stupid and inexcusable.

In my view all supermarkets should tell their suppliers to make all packages compostable or recyclable or no business. They have the power and should use it.

6m FT8

In the last 3 hours 4 stations spotted on 6m FT8 this morning with best DX being YO7YM (1927km).

UPDATE 1032z: Widespread Es on 6m FT8 RX today with 72 stations spotted right across Europe.

UPDATE 1925z: Now 102 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX LA8ORF (2009km).

Sunspots - Tuesday July 16th 2019

Solar flux is 67 and the SSN 0. A=7 and K=1.

In Australia - NOT amateur radio

One of my sons is with his family staying with the Australian grandparents.

The photo shows one of our grandsons with the local birdlife.

I think you will agree that it is a happy, colourful picture.

DXCC countries

According to Southgate News there are 213 active countries. I am not an active DXCC chaser, but I am probably at about 150 DXCC countries worked mostly with QRP.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/july/dxcc-report-1507.htm

Giddy, exhausted, fog - NOT amateur radio

Many times I have tried to explain just how I feel.

Outwardly I look fine. Inside it is a constant struggle with near continuous giddiness and exhaustion and living in a kind of fog. What few realise is just appearing "normal" takes vast amounts of energy. My voice is poor and just doing ordinary things is now hard. Eating food and drinking I am desperately trying not to spill things or choke.

Although I still drive, I no longer enjoy it as the mental concentration is immense.

Whereas at one time I felt as if I was getting better, I no longer think this is the case. Many are far worse than me. To use a Yorkshire phrase "mustn't grumble". However, life is tough.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/stroke

Facebook issues? - NOT amateur radio

Now, this could just be me! Recently using Windows 10 Edge I seem to get Facebook notifications at the top of the page, but when I click them, to see what they are, nothing (any longer) happens. In the past  I clicked and could see everything. Intentionally, nothing has been changed. It is possible that accidentally something has been clicked "off" when it should be "on".

Am I alone or have others noticed this? With Android, I see no such issues.

Also, I seem unable to post to Facebook from Windows 10 Edge, but all works fine with Firefox.

Cricket - NOT amateur radio

OK, cricket does not normally "grab" me. Yesterday, the BBC website had over 40 million hits for the final day of the cricket world cup. I was one of them. To say it was the most exciting day in British sports history is perhaps no exaggeration. The last few balls were like nothing else I had ever experienced.  England beat New Zealand, but it was so very close.

I was unaware it was live on terrestrial TV on Channel 4. Next year I believe the BBC is showing live cricket again after a break of many years. I hope the profile of cricket rises as a result of yesterday's game.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/48986939

2m super DX

Southgate News passes on some news of a blog post by EI7GL about some quite astonishing 2m DX QSOs.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/july/144-mhz-cape-verde-islands-to-italy.htm

Cirl buntings - NOT amateur radio

Some of these are seen in the UK, but I saw several in Brittany. They are in the same family as yellow hammers. In the UK they are at their current range limit, although with climate change they will probably spread further north.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/cirl-bunting/

Brittany memories - NOT amateur radio

We have been back home a few days now and our stay in Brittany with our son's in-laws is fast becoming a distant memory.

We had a great time and the weather was so good when we were there.

The collage is a good memory jogger.

6m FT8

At the moment I am on 6m FT8 RX. So far today, 10 stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX on 6m FT8 RX being LB6D (1030km) in Norway. Later I may try TX.

UPDATE 1106z: A brief CQ was widely copied in England, but there was no Es at the time. The map shows where my CQ was spotted on 6m FT8 TX. Using the V2000 vertical omni antenna at 1106z.

UPDATE 1142z: 15 stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1255z:  My recent 6m FT8 CQ call was copied by 15 stations with 1 QSO with G4VXE (136km). Earlier I was called by a station in JO00 square.

UPDATE 1827z: Now 24 stations in 4 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX here. The impression I get over several Es summers is the openings to the north get better later in the summer. As I say, this is my impression and has no scientific basis. I'd be interested to know if others have the same impression. Openings to the south of Europe still occur.

Sunspots - Monday July 15th 2019

Solar flux is 66 today and the SSN 0. A=6 and K=1.

UPDATE 1430z: Latest figures I have are solar flux 66 and SSN 0. A=5 and K=3.