Norwich by train - NOT amateur radio

Today we went to Norwich by train. It’s about an hour by train. Norwich is a fine city with a good Norman cathedral. 

Sunspots - Friday February 21st

 Solar flux is 184 and the SSN 123. A=7 and K=0.

Rally on Sunday

 Sunday February 23rd - Red Rose Winter Rally, Leigh, WN7 2PJ.  Contact lesjackson@ntlworld.com .

Human consciousness - NOT amateur radio

We hear a lot these days about AI. One of my Cambridge University of the Third Age courses is about AI. It is very good and thought provoking.

At the moment AI is not very good with irony or jokes. No doubt with time and better training this will improve.

I guess what we fail to really understand is human consciousness. Just what makes us able to think, become aware of ourselves etc.? In my mind there is a huge difference between the accumulation of all the knowledge on the internet, and of wisdom.  AI can learn all about all the knowledge on the internet, but still not be wise or be able to contemplate its very existence.

At some point I wonder if we will be able to say exactly what human consciousness really is?  In many ways this is a philosophical question.

Milder? - NOT amateur radio

In this part of the UK it is meant to be getting much milder, with a hint of spring. It is quite windy here and I have not noticed it getting milder yet.

Roll on spring!

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

Once again, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 with the FT817ND hoping for some spots.

UPDATE 1134z:  Just one spot by EA8RCP (3022km) of me so far today. I estimate about 2.5W to the low dipole.

UPDATE 1411z:  Now also spotted on 8m FT8 by EI4DQ (580km).

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE 1139z:  Just EA8BFK (2880km) spotting me. It seems the single hop F2 to the Canary Is is often open. Interesting that reports of me vary from -25dB S/N to -5dB S/N on this path. This implies he could still  copy me with microwatts at times!

WSPRrocks by Phil VK7JJ

UPDATE 1640z:  26 spots of me with the furthermost Brazil. 

Sunspots- Thursday February 20th

Solar  flux is 178 and the SSN 119. A=20 and K=2.

Cambridge bookshops - NOT amateur radio

At one time there were lots of bookshops in Cambridge. These days we buy many books online so there are fewer bookshops.  

This one has been around for a very long time. See the photo. 

Old work colleague

A few moments ago I sent an email to an old work colleague who now lives in Moscow. He is a very keen radio amateur who has done a great deal for the hobby.

This is one thing I really like about amateur radio. Whether the person lives in the USA, China or Russia matters not one bit. We are all human beings and all equal. In the days of the USSR it mattered not and Americans freely talked to stations in the USSR.

Amateur radio is above politics.

Let's hope the thought police don't come knocking!!

Ukraine - NOT amateur radio

The Ukrainian 🇺🇦 leader is not impressed with President Trump!! I can't say I blame him.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c62e2158mkpt.

Archetypal Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Whenever you think of Cambridge you may think of punts and fine weather. Well, today we had the punts, but not the fine weather! It was very cold.

Bite sized chunks - NOT amateur radio

 One of the things I remember from a time management course at work a long time ago was to think of issues in bite sized chunks. Every problem has a solution.

I am reminded of a famous quote by Descartes:

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible to resolve it"

See https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/rene-descartes-quotes.

Basically every problem, however complex, can be solved.

10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

 Today, I am on 10m QRP FT8 with the IC-705 at 5W.

UPDATE 0915z:  59 stations spotting me with the furthermost ZD7GB (7606km).  An SV has his locator wrong as it appears he is in the Pacific Ocean!

UPDATE 1405z: 442 spots of me today. I doubt it can get much better with 5W FT8.

UPDATE 1625z: 625 spots of me today.

UPDATE 1900:  QRT soon.  755 stations have spotted me today. 

Chippenham Park, near Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went to Chippenham Park near Cambridge to see the snowdrops. There must be well over a million there.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 19th

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 187.  A=14 and K=3.

Famous quote - NOT amateur radio

Saw this earlier:

“The world is not static, and the status quo is not sacred.” Harry Truman

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

Every few weeks I peak at the activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. As before, I find activity levels disappointing. 

I gather someone in the UK is selling a transverter now. Unless and until a "big name" does this, I cannot see activity levels increasing.

This is disappointing. By now, I was expecting the satellite to be really busy. The fact it is not says a great deal about the state of our hobby today.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Looking around, there are other tranverters on offer. For example, see https://www.leijenaarelectronics.nl/downloads/LE016-R5_System_Manual_13-09-2021.pdf .

See also https://www.passion-radio.com/satellite-qo-100/pack-dxpatrol-100-880.html .

Some have come up with "all in one box" solutions, but I guess this is too hard for most sadly. It requires engineering, rather than a cheque book. Engineering is a dying art these days in the amateur community. Full marks for those prepared to do it.

Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

This was Anglesey Abbey last week. 

For once it was sunny.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 Using my IC-705 at 7W, I am on 6m FT8. It was turned on just before breakfast

UPDATE 0923z:  16 stations spotting me with the furthermost EI3KD (583km) and the station in Brittany.  No "earth-shattering" DX today.