"That's a good question"

How many times have you heard this? In my view this is a phrase used by people thinking about an answer or not having an answer!

QRP Labs

It would seem that the big Japanese manufacturers are using very conservative designs. It is interesting how much less some other companies can make products for .   

It suggests the consumer is really being ripped off by these big manufacturers. In the future, I am sure a major shake-up is coming and not all will survive.

10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)

My beacon was turned on at breakfast.

UPDATE 1159z:   4 stations have spotted me with the best EA8BFK (2880km).

UPDATE  1412z:  Spotted by 7 stations. See map by Phil VK7JJ of WSPR Rocks.

Sunspots - Friday January 23rd

 Solar flux is 194 and the SSN 206. A=18 and K=4.

WSPR

Recently, I have been using 200mW WSPR on 10m and 630m WSPR RX. I have been pleasantly surprised how well it works.  

Many now prefer FT8. I use both, although WSPR works with signals about 10dB weaker and takes up far less spectrum. WSPR is a beaconing mode whereas FT8 can be used for basic QSOs.

The Trump Report

Most days I watch the Trump Report on Times Radio. 

They interview some very important people. The interview with John Bolton is now a few days old. In Donald Trump world this can seem like a few years ago.  

I am sure he has supporters, but he upsets many people when really this is uncalled for.  He may have a world view that differs from mine, which is fine, but please always respect others who passionately hold different views. 

Being the leader of the West calls for diplomacy and tact at all times from every leader.

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

My beacon was turned on at 0920z.

UPDATE  1400z:  7 spots so far. See table. Best was V51RS (8481km)

630m WSPR RX overnight

Overnight I monitored 630m WSPR. Again, 5 stations were spotted with the best OH1LSQ (1733km) and an LA.

Sunspots - Thursday January 22nd

 Solar flux is 188 and the SSN 166. A=73 and K=3.

10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)

My gear is on.(no it wasn’t! See below)

UPDATE  1833z:   Nobody spotted me today - blackout?

UPDATE 2253z: It helps if you switch it on!! My beacon had no power all day 🥴. 

630m WSPR RX overnight

 Overnight I stayed on 630m WSPR RX.  

UPDATE  0940z:  Overnight 5 stations spotted. See table.

Amaryllis

 We grow these at this time of year.

Sunspots - Wednesday January 21st

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 172. A=143 and K=7.

630m WSPR RX (Tuesday)

The impression I am getting is the IC705 is a few dB more sensitive than my Zachtek WSPR RX. At the moment I am monitoring 630m WSPR RX using my IC-705.

UPDATE 1909z: 3 stations spotted with the best F6CWA (950 km). Using the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna (via an ATU) and a mains earth.

WSPR receive

Just now I tried my Zachtek WSPR RX out by trying to decode my own signals. Success. Overnight I may go on 630m WSPR RX using it.

UPDATE  1704z:  For some reason, no decodes of mine appear on WSPRnet. Is this me or WSPRnet?  I think it is me.

Solar storm

We appear to be in the midst of a solar storm. Last night the aurora was visible far further sound than normal. I would have expected good auroral conditions on 10m, 6m,4m and 2m.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q4pj5j729o

University of the Third Age

Since I retired , I have really enjoyed learning just for fun. I have enjoyed a variety of subjects, some well away from things I would have gravitated to. No exams, no coursework, no homework - pure fun. Most have been in Cambridge and a few on Zoom. Being Cambridge we have a huge range of courses, often given by ex-university lecturers. 

This term one of my courses was by Zoom about the ills of the brain. The lecturer is supposed to have given the course already last year. It was clear even last week at the first talk of a series of 10 that she knew nothing about Zoom and I have now given up!  One week I might have forgiven.

Last week she stopped 50 minutes early as she ran out of slides. Today she had to call a neighbour in to show her how to share her screen! If it was me I would have made sure that I knew the technology and had additional slides "just in case".

See https://www.u3ac.org.uk/

I don't understand

President Trump puzzles lots of people. 

I can understand that he wants to make the USA strong. I can understand he wants to make the USA secure. What I don't understand his insistence on owning Greenland and imposing tariffs on his allies who oppose him. Surely he can achieve all the security he seeks within NATO?  

It looks like he is playing into the hands of the Russia and Chinese leadership by potentially breaking up NATO and probably just walking away from Ukraine.  

In May he was (allegedly) in favour of returning the Chagos Is to Mauritius and leasing back the US airbase. Now he is rude about it.

He is an enigma to so many. 

In the end (in the next 20 years?) much of the world will decide they cannot (as in the past) rely on the USA in future and progressively move trade away from the USA. I can see the US dollar not being the world's reserve currency.   

10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)

 My beacon was turned on about breakfast time. Just local spots probably due to solar storms.

Sunspots - Tuesday January 20th

 Solar flux is 173 and the SSN 162. A=73 and K=7.

Cambridge UK shop window

 

This was a shop window earlier today.  

There are few visitors at this time of year.

10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)

 My beacon was turned on before breakfast.  

UPDATE 0812z:  Just spots by a local so far.

UPDATE 1530z:  Spotted by 24 stations. See map from WSPR Rocks by Phil VK7JJ.

UPDATE 1932z:  26 stations have spotted me . See table.  QRT soon.

Kierkegaard

Many may not have heard of this Danish existentialist philosopher and theologian. 

With Denmark much in the news lately, perhaps I should introduce him.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard .

"There's always tomorrow"

In amateur radio there are many things still to try.  

For example 23cm beacon hunting,  /P 23cm UKAC, using my SDR receiver properly, monitoring 630m WSPR, SSTV, etc,etc..

Time and again I say, "there's always tomorrow". 

When I was working time really mattered. In retirement, things can wait.  Hopefully, there will be tomorrow to do these things. 

The trouble is the list keeps growing! 😀

6m FT8 yesterday

 

Yesterday 11 stations spotted my 5W 6m FT8. See map.

Sunspots- Monday January 19th

 Solar flux is 148 and the SSN 140. A=14 and K=1.

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on at  1435z.

UPDATE 1441z:  Spotted by no stations? Odd. Perhaps a reset is called for.

UPDATE 1450z:  PC reset. But spotted by G8SEI (133km) 11 minutes ago, so perhaps things were fine.

Icom IC-705

This radio was first introduced in 2020. Its price in the UK has recently been reduced. My personal opinion is that it represents much better value than the Yaseu FTX-1.

I have no idea what plans ICOM has for the future, but an IC-705A with a new form factor, an auto ATU built in, 4m, and USB-C socket would not surprise me aimed at the portable handheld market. They have the electronics, and could even use the same case.

Dull January

After Christmas, January seems a long, dark month. At least in December there are lights for Christmas and things seem more cheerful.  At least the days are now getting longer.

Everywhere there are hints of new life. Snowdrops are coming out and I have even seen a few daffodils in flower. Spring is still a way off, but it is getting better.

Greenland

Suddenly this frozen landmass has come into sharp focus with President Trump of the USA wanting to own it. 

He claims he has to own it to defend it, despite Denmark and Greenland being in NATO. It is interesting that it has lots of rare earth materials as well.

Most countries of the world are opposed to the USA owning it unless the people of Greenland agree. They have the right to determine their future.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyn90l1dneo .

Reserve currencies?

Since the end of WW2, the US dollar has been the reserve currency of world trade, but recent events have brought that into question. In the short-term this may continue, but what about the future?

Way back during WW2 Keynes suggested a neutral "currency" called the Bancor that clearing banks only could use in world trade. 

BRICS countries have suggested something else in place of the US dollar. 

I do not know the future, but it seems clear the USA under President Trump is moving away from world trade, so the US dollar no longer makes sense as the world's reserve currency. Also, if the US dollar loses value what then?

Maybe it is time to reconsider the Bancor?

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqv-HcHTZAg&t=461s

10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)

My beacon was turned on at 0754z.

UPDATE 1200z: So far, 4 stations have spotted me with the best HZ1SF (4939km).

UPDATE 1510z: Spotted by 16 stations, with many in the USA. See table.

Are we eating less meat?

There is no doubt that meat prices are now very high. People are looking for lower cost alternatives that taste really good.

Probably we are being gently brainwashed through adverts to change our habits. It would not surprise me at all if meat consumption was down 50% in 20 years.

I enjoy my meat but, to be honest, many plant based alternatives are just as good.  Yesterday I had a plant based minced pie and it was just as tasty.  Although definitely not a vegetarian, I could be.

Also, in the last 10 years non-alcoholic beers have been transformed, Many now taste as good as beers with alcohol and there is far more choice. 

Operating away from home

Many people need to operate away from home using compromise antennas. Handheld VHF and UHF transceivers often use a compromise antenna and lose many dBs. One possibility is this antenna that behaves like a 2m or 70cm dipole. It could be used in hotel rooms on 2m or 70cm FM with a handheld. It is likely to be somewhat better than the antenna on the transceiver.

See https://vu3dxr.in/hotel-antenna-for-2-meter-and-70-centimeter-amateur-bands/

I am sure if you are an experimenter you could make a fold-up version with old co-ax. 

Sunspots - Sunday January 18th

 Solar flux is 159 and the SSN 124. A=27 and K=3. 

6m 5W FT8 (Saturday)

 My gear was turned on about 5 minutes ago.

UPDATE 1509z:  So far, spotted by just 5 English stations.  Best DX is 171km away. This could be aircraft reflection , scatter, or normal flat-band tropo. Of course for a two-way QSO the path has to be open for long enough for the basics to be exchanged i.e. several minutes.

Ukraine

I watch quite a few videos about the Ukraine and Russia. Most say that inside Russia things are getting very hard, and now even harder with falling oil prices. 

It would appear (outwardly at least) that Putin wants a new Russian Empire. He sees the destruction of Ukraine as a separate nation as something worth fighting for.  The fall of Russia internally seems to be very slow in happening.

If the USA is pulled out of supporting Ukraine, I think the wrong message will be sent to the world that bullying succeeds.

70cm activity contest

Once a month I go on the 70cm activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. 

Because of my poor voice I usually stay on for only the first 30 minutes.

I only use 10W pep and a 144MHz big-wheel omni. Despite these limitations I still manage to work over 100km away most times. No doubt the antenna at the other end helps!

UK "feel good" factor

It is usual to say the UK is "going to the dogs" and getting worse, but a recent article on the BBC sheds a different view. Whilst many older people have decreased confidence, confidence is increasing in younger people.

As the year progresses, inflation and interest rates are likely to fall.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c150leql9pgo .

Shetland Islands

As mentioned before, one of my friends on 365project lives in the Shetland Is..  

It is generally, bleak, treeless and windy. 

In the last few weeks they have had snowstorms. 

Being that far north, days are short in winter.