Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

23 Oct 2025

Sunspots - Thursday October 23rd

Solar flux is 133 and the SSN 117. A=4 and K=1.

22 Oct 2025

Amateur radio gear on AliExpress or Banngood

Many people now buy goods from China. Prices tend to be very low, often with free airmail shipping.

In the past I have used these without issues. So far, I have never had to pay duty or VAT. Often prices are so low that even if everything went wrong you would not lose that much. Delivery is usually quick too.

Spitting Image

For those not familiar with this it was originally on terrestrial TV but it is now on YouTube. The format is simple: puppets are created of famous people and they are made fun of.

In many countries you could be imprisoned or shot for this, although I think it is a sign of a mature society if we can make fun of people in public office or the news.

To many, to be made into a puppet on Spitting Image is an honour.

Crash or revolution coming?

In many countries the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The gap between rich and poor is growing. Young people, certainly in the UK, find it almost impossible to buy a house on their incomes, assuming they can find a job. We live in an age of growing debt - living beyond our means.

Many countries are becoming more right wing. This, I think, is because many do not feel listened to by those in power. In my view this is not the answer. Sadly I do not know what is! One thing is clear: everyone must be heard and society has to be fairer.

All this is pointing to a correction. I cannot see this situation continuing. I think we are heading of a crash in the stock-market, falling house prices, .... or even a revolution.

Views?

King's Parade, Cambridge, UK

The photo shows just outside King's College yesterday.

We can get into Cambridge for free with our bus passes. We go in most Mondays for our University of the Third Age lectures about "The Silk Roads".

The church in the distance is Great St Mary's, which is the university church.

Wire antenna with gain?

VK3YE has a new video about some experiments with his EFZZ antenna. It appears to have some gain in certain directions. It is very hard to know the directivity and gain as this will depend on bands, local obstructions, band conditions etc. It might make a useful portable antenna.