On Saturday we enter meteorological spring and rallies occur more often. The following have been notified to me, but I always advise to check before going far.
As mentioned before, tomorrow night (Friday) at 2000z, I am giving a talk on 8m at the Cambridge Radio Club. As my voice is poor, someone else is doing the speaking even though I prepared the slides and notes. We did this last year and it worked. I am sure if you are not a regular CDARC member you would be welcomed as a guest.
UPDATE 1209z: Still no spots on 10mW 10m FT8 TX, so I have QSYed in case I am being clobbered. On the evidence so far, 10mW FT8 is just too little. 100mW was fine. As the sunspots decline I think I will use 2-3W FT8 from the QDX on most occasions. It would seem the 10dB more reduction on FT8 TX power makes it hugely harder. I guess WSPR is better as it takes up less bandwidth (less chance of being clobbered) and works with signals far weaker. Maybe I should try 10m WSPR TX tomorrow at 10mW?
UPDATE 1440z: Spotted by 2 stations when running 10mW 10m FT8. It is much harder at very low power. I suspect it would be far easier on 10m WSPR with its much smaller bandwidth (about 6 Hz rather than about 50 Hz) and far better sensitivity. WSPR can decode signals probably about 10dB weaker than those on FT8.
UPDATE 2144z: QRT. 10mW 10m WSPR tomorrow.
My typical breakfast is Weetabix with fruit.
A local friend of mine reports that he has been spotted in South Australia with just 2mW WSPR on 17m. It goes to prove that not much power is really needed!
My gear has been on since before breakfast.The IC-705 power out is set to 1% (100mW).
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| Stations spotting my 100mW 10m FT8 at 1320z |
It is saddening that the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in the UK seem to be untrustworthy when it comes to sexual abuse.
I know personally of one Anglican priest who was moved on to another parish rather than being sacked after having carried out sexual abuse. He carried out abuse against minors (not me!) and was moved to another parish.
It is my view that this sort of thing is widespread and the churches are more concerned about themselves and less concerned about the victims. A similar situation seems to be the case in the Roman Catholic church in the UK.
You would hope that all churches could be trusted without question.
In my view any safeguarding investigations absolutely must be independent.
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My IC-705 at 5W was turned on just before breakfast.
UPDATE 0945z: Spotted by 21 stations with the furtherest South America and Reunion Is..
This is one of those "new age" phrases that many find annoying.
What it is really trying to get you to do is live and enjoy the "now". We are often crowded out by thoughts and worries in our heads and forget to enjoy the simple pleasures all around us right now.
Often the most mundane thing is pleasurable, but we are too busy worrying to just enjoy it.
See https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/.
Today I think I shall go on 10m QRP FT8. Probably my QRP will span the world. Probably I shall use the IC-705 at 5W.
It is located on a place called Pound Hill as it was once the location of the village pound where animals found wandering were locked up and released when the owner paid a fine!
It is also the tiny village green.
