Impressed so far? Yes.
25 Sept 2025
UV5r Mini
24 Sept 2025
Con?
All the scientific evidence, and just looking around with my own eyes, shows that climate change is real and is happening. Surely the evidence is now overwhelming. Tell me, can anyone really deny this by looking objectively at the evidence?
People may argue if this is because of man or is cyclical, but we definitely live in a warming world. "Drill baby drill" or migrate to a world we can sustain?
Renewables have dropped considerably in price. Luddites or adapt?
10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My stand-alone beacon was turned on at 1314z.
UPDATE 1602z: 21 stations have spotted me, of which 20 are in the USA. See map.
UPDATE 1712z: 25 stations have spotted me.
6m 5W FT8 (Wednesday)
My gear was turned on at 1314z.
UPDATE 1740z: So far, spotted by 7 stations. The furthest is Denmark.
AliExpress - a warning
On September 17th I ordered a Beofeng UV5 Mini via AliExpress. The money was taken from my PayPal account, but the order was not shown when I looked for it. I thought the order had been "lost in the system".
I contacted AliExpress who told me the order had been placed in a different way (paying via PayPal?) and to log in again using Google. The order appeared thankfully.
The goods are due to arrive in the coming days.
I have had no problems with AliExpress in the past. In fact I have been impressed.
10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
UPDATE 0927z: Spotted by 127 stations. With the sunspot count and solar flux high, even 5W FT8 gets you all over the planet on 10m.
UPDATE 1300z: 351 stations have spotted me. See map.
23 Sept 2025
10m QRP WSPR yesterday
Tuesday plans
As we have old university friends here, I doubt I shall be on the radio today. I shall try to be sociable!! 😄
6m QRP FT8 yesterday
Although not at the level in mid-summer, I was still spotted widely across Europe. See map.
Imagine if I was running 50W to a decent beam i.e. with an ERP 20dB higher! If I can do it with QRP....
Fragility of life
Yesterday my brother was playing a game of golf when his partner just dropped dead whilst walking away from the 1st green.
We have no idea when our time is up.
Live life as if this is your last day and enjoy every minute.
22 Sept 2025
10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)
My stand alone beacon has been on since about 1312z.
UPDATE 1513z: 22 stations including many in the USA and Canada have spotted me.
Sixbox revisited
A few moments ago I had a nice email and video from Marcos PU2MBZ. In it he says he has built the RX of the Sixbox with a few changes, on a PCB. Thank you Marcos!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/sixbox
6m 5W FT8 (Monday)
My gear was turned on at about 1313z.
UPDATE 1500z: So far, 8 stations have spotted me with one in Portugal.
Decreasing human contact
Just now I was invited to check my PayPal balance. They wanted to send me a code to my phone to verify it was me. I doubt a human was involved.
Most chat bots are computers rather than real people. At supermarket checkouts you are encouraged to use automatic checkouts. Most bank transactions are getting cash from an ATM. If you are lucky you may get a call centre somewhere on the planet, where a person might understand you and you might understand them! You are just a sort code and account number - no personal contact.
More and more there is less human contact. All this is done in the name of "progress" and to save money or increase profits.
In my view we are going backwards.
Monday plans
As I now know how 10m WSPR works, my plan is to continue on 6m FT8 QRP as well as 10m QRP WSPR .
10m conditions
It seems we are moving to autumnal HF conditions with afternoon openings across the Atlantic with my 10m 500mW WSPR. These openings seem almost daily.
I think it’s very unlikely that my 6m 5W FT8 would make it this autumn, but you never know!
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