Although I had plenty of RX spots I only saw one on TX from an HB9. Previous attempts on FT8 were unsuccessful with just a couple of RX spots and none on TX.
My long-term desire has always been for everyone to live in peace, even though we may believe in different things, or nothing. We are all different, but all human beings. We are basically all the same.
Clearly what happened in Israel on October 7th 2023 was horrific. Nobody in their right mind would think otherwise. Israel has a right to defend itself from attack.
What I do not understand is Israel's response. Very many innocent people have been killed, maimed and made homeless. Their homes have been destroyed. Many are starving. Foreign journalists are unable enter Gaza to see for themselves.
What I cannot understand is how a people that suffered so much in WW2 can be so cruel to the people of Gaza. For every bomb and killing, more people will be recruited by Hamas!
Surely the killing and starving of a people has to stop.
What is needed is everyone to change: Hamas and the others in the region must recognise Israel. Israel must live in peace with it's neighbours. Israel is fast becoming a hated state.
Many of my best friends are Jewish. To me this whole thing is senseless and ultimately fruitless.
As a blog owner I can see how many people are supposed to look at my blog every day. At breakfast time I was supposed to have had more visitors today already than some whole days last week!
It seems a healthy dose of disbelief is needed when looking at these figures.
Basically I do not believe them!
As a Chromebook it does everything I need in the lounge: browsing, blogging, YouTube, letters, spreadsheets and emails. It is very fast.
I am using it now.
Although I confess to watching few of these, the RSGB does regular live talks on Mondays at 1900z.
My 500mW W5OLF WSPR beacon was turned on at about 0815z.
UPDATE 0829z: No spots.
UPDATE 1037z: Widespread Es with 23 stations spotting me.
My 6W from the IC-705 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on at about 0815z.
UPDATE 0824z: 6 English spots so far. See map.
At some point in the near future I want to do more tests at very low power with a ferrite rod TX antenna. I have a small manual ATU which I can use.
The best bands to try is 40m or 30m. Best mode would be WSPR but I want to try FT8.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/ferrite-rod-tx-antennas
UPDATE 0830z: I have dug out the ferrite rod and ATU in readiness. Maybe tonight?
UPDATE 1628z: On 30m FT8 TX with the ferrite rod (vertical) matched via the Z match ATU. No ground.
UPDATE 1950z: Although plenty of RX spots, nothing on 30m FT8 with the ferrite rod, so I have decided to try 30m WSPR.
Weather permitting, I plan to do the same as yesterday going on 6m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR.
Not sure where this is legal , but I don’t expect the power to be very great. I guess you change frequency by adjusting turns on the coil. Might be a fun weekend project.
My W5OLF beacon was turned on about 0630z.
My 6W was turned on at about 0630z.
UPDATE 1330z: 26 stations have spotted me.
It is blisteringly fast and works really well. I have also downloaded BitDefender (free antivirus) although Chrome is pretty safe and my internet provider also has free antivirus and malware protection.
I understand that driverless cars are coming to the UK in 2027. I am not sure if this is generally or just taxis.
Once driverless cars become ubiquitous it will mean a revolution on the roads. Initially I expect most accidents will be the result of human error with drivers of other cars on the roads making stupid mistakes!
It will take some time for people to gain confidence (20 years?), but by then all cars will be driverless and the roads safer. It would not surprise me if we see a revolution in car ownership.
By then, I expect I shall be dust pushing up daisies!
My 6W from the IC-705 was turned on just before breakfast.
My 6W to the vertical omni was turned on at about 0830z So far just English stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1440z: 30 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 1612z : 116 stations have spotted me today. See map.
My 500mW beacon was turned on at 0836z.
UPDATE 0906z: Spotted by 1 Austrian station. It's interesting that this station has spotted me 10 times but not a single spot from central Europe on 6m FT8.
UPDATE 1521z: 19 stations have spotted me today.
My little beacon has been on most of the day with no spots. Maybe something is wrong?
UPDATE 1550z: As far as I can see everything is correct. Reset the time sync..
My 6W FT8 has been on much of the day .
Death puzzles me.
When we die we no longer have brain cells so whatever makes us who we are no longer exists . We really know so little.
Indeed I cannot know if anyone really exists! To me, time is real and passes, but I have no way to tell if this is there for those other than me!
Maybe the whole universe is just in my head and is unique to everyone.
Do we really have memories or are we just programmed to think we have memories?
Maybe I think too much!
