It would seem the administration of President Trump has deported a Palestinian man called Mahmoud Kahlil because of his pro-Palestine activity. Now, I do not know the full facts, but this seems to fly in the face of a country where free speech is meant to be important.
17 Mar 2025
6m QRP FT8 (Monday)
As 10m was so good, I QSYed to 6m with my 6W FT8.
UPDATE 1457z: So far, just 4 English spots of me.
Magpies - NOT amateur radio
In all that time I never saw a magpie.
Now they’re very common. I believe they raid birds nests to eat chicks or eggs.
8m experiments
In many ways I am extremely disappointed with the RSGB, OFCOM and the FCC for the very negative attitude to real propagation research at 8m.
My experiment (which I had to pay for!) was to see what would be possible with really low ERP. With Es we know all of Europe would be in range, but around sunspot maximum the MUF might reach 8m, but not 6m.
What we have been dealt is a wall of reasons why radio amateurs cannot have even a very tiny 8m allocation.
I give up!!
Collective memory - NOT amateur radio
Yesterday I mentioned that we had been re-watching "Quatermass and the Pit", which was first shown as a TV series on BBC TV in 1957. Some programmes look very dated, but this did not.
One of the themes explored was of racial memory, deep within us. This got me thinking.
Just as a bird knows how to migrate or build a nest, what do we have as humans deep within us? What unknown features do we possess that we are totally unaware about? Do we all have an evil streak deep within us, perhaps triggered by something? Maybe it is something else, more benign, that somehow binds all humanity?
The truth is we are aware of so little about ourselves. Maybe over time we will learn more about ourselves. Really we know so little.
10m QRP FT8 (Monday)
My IC-705 was turned on at 6W at about 0715z on 10m FT8.
UPDATE 1050z: 137 stations have spotted me with the furthermost India and the Seychelles. On RX 275 stations were spotted with the furthermost Indonesia.
Nature reserve this weekend - NOT amateur radio
As well as many birds (including marsh harriers) we saw Konik ponies (used to keep the grass short) plus water buffalo and daffodils with Ely Cathedral on the horizon.
EI7GL blog
A reminder that one of the best amateur radio blogs I have come across is the one by John Desmond EI7GL. Whenever I look it is a goldmine of information.
Time synchronisation
All this with Windows 10. I have no idea what happens in Windows 11.
For years I used an internet time service to ensure my PC time was accurate. A few months ago Steve G1KQH pointed out that internet time sync is built in to Windows 10 and I assume Windows 11.
Just right click on the date and time in the bottom right of your screen. Choose "adjust date/time" from the menu that appears.
A box appears and select "sync now". When the tick appears you know your PC is synced to internet time.
I am not sure how long this syncs for, but on my PC I have had absolutely no issues for a whole day at all using modes in WSJT-X making additional programs for time sync unnecessary.
Although I am unsure how often you should re-sync, I do this whenever I turn on my PC i.e once a day.
16 Mar 2025
Quatermass and the Pit - NOT amateur radio
It was produced as a DVD and we are watching it again.
It still is pretty good even now. It raises the possibility of a racial memory that is deeply buried within us all, perhaps for millions of years.
Best SDR transeivers
This is a Chinese video (I think) promoting Chinese SDR transceivers. Many (including me) are still a bit concerned about Chinese quality and reliability in amateur radio products.
They have definitely "got there" in many consumer products with most goods bought these days having a "Made in China" label. We are addicted to low costs with labour costs in China (at the moment) much lower than in Europe or the USA.
When it comes to SDR transceivers, the Chinese offerings are much lower cost than the Japanese offerings. In the future this is the competition.
As labour costs in China go up, I can see people scanning the world to see where labour costs are lower, or adopting more automation to compete.
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My IC-705 at 6W has been on since breakfast. 11 spots (G, and GW) so far at 1036z.
UPDATE 1632z: 18 stations spotting me. All G and GW.
10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)
My beacon has been on since breakfast. Plenty of European spots of me.
UPDATE 2113z: 42 stations have spotted me with the furthermost Brazil.
15 Mar 2025
The (UK) Times newspaper - NOT amateur radio
One of the many sources from which I get news is The Times, which is a UK newspaper, also available online. I also listen to Times Radio.
This weekend you can download or share anything on their site.
Konik ponies - NOT amateur radio
These were at Kingfisher Bridge nature reserve near Ely UK as well as water buffalo. They’re wild ponies used to keep the grass short.
Ut I Vorid - NOT amateur radio
Many years ago when we were on holiday in Iceland we went, by chance, to a concert in a small church in northern Iceland and heard some of the best singing we have ever heard.
It was a singing group called Ut I Vorid. I have just chanced upon them on YouTube. I have no idea if they still exist. We have several of their CDs.
10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)
My QRP WSPR beacon was turned on about 1016z. No spots of me yet.
UPDATE 1052z: 10 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km).
UPDATE 1515z: Spotted by 24 stations. See table.
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
My IC-705 at 6W was turned on at 1017z. Just 7 English spots so far.
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