Thunder and lightning?

At 1111z today

As storms are forecast for later, I have decided not to go on the radio today. I shall keep an eye on the lightning maps (see photo).

At the moment, they are tracking further south and east.

Rabbit hole? - NOT amateur radio

 

On our walk on Friday we saw this hole. It is too small for a badger so I assume it’s a rabbit hole. 

I could see it extended at least 25cm underground although I could not see further.

Hamsphere

Virtual amateur radio has never really attracted me. 

If people cannot erect outside antennas or just want to keep in contact with others, this may be the answer. Also, at the bottom of the solar cycle it may appeal to me more.

Hamsphere uses the internet as the communications medium rather than the ionosphere. To my mind it is not sufficient. I prefer experimenting.

See https://hs50.hamsphere.com/ .

Sunspots- Sunday July 6th

 Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 82. A=18 and K=4..

IDF - NOT amateur radio

“In a revealing written parliamentary answer dated 11 June 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that British forces are currently training personnel from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on UK soil. The response, delivered by Labour MP Luke Pollard, stated this is part of “routine Defence engagement with Israel”.”

Many of my best friends are Jewish but I didn’t know this was allegedly happening. 

Whilst the October 7th massacre was utterly wrong, so is destroying Gaza and very many innocent people and children. 

Everyone has the right to live in peace and nobody has the right to bully others. After all, we are all human beings.

In my view we should not sell any arms to Israel or train any IDF troops until there is a just peace.

1970s station

Looking back I came across this photo that must be well over 40 years ago. It shows my station in the 1970s. 

It also shows the EC10 receiver and my Liner-2 2m SSB transceiver. 

My son looks very young (under 2?). Judging by my son I would date this to the very late 1970s.

Pokeweed? - NOT amateur radio

Most definitely, I am not a plant expert! 

On our walk yesterday we saw this curious plant growing at the side of the path. 

It is supposed to be a Pokeweed, but, as I said, I am no expert. Certainly I have not seen one before. 

It looked a bit like a lupin.

10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)

In the last hour 35 European stations have spotted my QRP beacon, probably by Es. 

UPDATE 1035z:  40 European stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1431z: V51RS (8481km) has spotted me multiple times.

UPDATE 1808z: 45 stations have spotted me today. QRT soon.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 

My 5W FT8 was turned on mid-morning.

UPDATE 1812z: 215 stations have spotted me today. QRT soon.

Summer harvest - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went for a walk in the nearby village of Reach. The  corn fields are maturing well. 

Sunspots - Saturday July 5th

 Solar flux is 119 and the SSN 87. A=10 and K=3.

New radios at Friedrichshafen

The MLS video is about new radios on display at Friedrichshafen.  

It never fails to amaze me how much some people are prepared to spend on our hobby. 

Each to their own, but as I keep saying, spending a lot is not a requirement. At a fraction of the cost of these radios the whole planet may be contacted.

Roses at Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

After (for us in the UK) a very hot and humid spell, we have had some rain. These roses were seen at Anglesey Abbey yesterday.

10m 500mW WSPR (Friday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1120z. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1625z:  37 stations have spotted me.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 5W was turned on at about 1120z.

UPDATE 1611z:  323 stations have spotted me. See map.  Great Es.

Sunspots - Friday July 4th

 Solar flux is 125 and the SSN 118. A=16 and K=2.

10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)

 Even though my QRP beacon has been on all morning, just spots by local G4KPX (14km). No Es evident.

UPDATE 1758z:  V51RS (8481km) and 3 other stations have spotted me.

Wet! - NOT amateur radio

This was Anglesey Abbey yesterday when it rained after a very hot and humid spell. 

The temperature is about 10 degrees C lower.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My 5W was turned on before breakfast.

UPDATE 1927z:   108 stations have spotted me. See map. I think most were by Es.

Sunspots - Thursday July 3rd

 Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 148. A=7 and K=3.

A splash of colour - NOT amateur radio

This morning (in the rain!) we went for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. On the way out we walked though the garden centre there and saw these colourful plants.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My 5W 6m FT8 was turned on mid-morning.

UPDATE 1842z:  106 stations have spotted me. Most look like Es.

10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)

 

My beacon has been on all morning. 9 stations have spotted me, presumably Es.

UPDATE 1713z:   23 stations have spotted me with the furthest ZD7GB (7611km).

White Horse - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday I travelled back from Devon by train. After 4 attempts I captured this photo through the train window.

Although the carving in the grass to reveal the white chalk beneath only dates from the 1600s, the Iron Age hill fort above it is thought to be 2000 years old.

See https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bratton-camp-and-white-horse/?utm_source=Google%20Business&utm_campaign=Local%20Listings&utm_medium=Google%20Business%20Profiles&utm_content=bratton%20camp%20white%20horse

2m activity contest last night

 Last night, I (eventually) got an email reminder of this RSGB contest. I did not stop on long and only made 1 QSO with my 10W to the big-wheel omni. The usual suspects were on and I am sure would have been workable had I stopped on. 

It was very hot and humid but today it is not nearly so hot and humid and we have had some rain.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 2nd

 Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 144. A=7 and K=2.

2m activity contest this evening?

 Usually this is on the first Tuesday in the month that is tonight although I have not yet received an email reminder.

Lunch in Devon - NOT amateur radio

We had Sunday lunch at the Cottage Hotel in Hope Cove. In the background is an Iron Age fort that was probably manned by one of my ancestors thousands of years before. 

Sunspots - Tuesday July 1st

 Solar flux is 128 and the SSN 158. A=11 and K=3.

Devon trip different - NOT amateur radio

 These last few days I have been in South Devon visiting my brother.

For some reason it feels different. For many years I have tried to recreate some memories from years ago. This time I have accepted these as good memories that I can never repeat, just accept. 

Sunspots - Monday June 30th

 Solar flux is 128 and the SSN 151. A=8 and K=2.

Friedrichshaven

This is the biggest gathering of radio amateurs in Europe. An old work colleague who lives in Devon goes most years. I was hoping to see him in Devon, so need to change when I come in 2026.

Devon view - NOT amateur radio

 This is the view from my brother’s in Devon. It is still very green.

Lancaster cockpit - NOT amateur radio

As I said several days ago, my dad was a flight engineer in a Pathfinder squadron in Lancasters in WW2. He was a very brave man who did not like to talk about the war. This is the cockpit.

Sunspots-Sunday June 29th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 103. A=9 and K=2.

Kingsbridge,UK - NOT amateur radio

 

Most of my teenage years were in Kingsbridge in Devon shown in the photo. The Main Street is Fore Street, a steep hill that keeps you fit! 

The bunting is for Fair Week as there has been been a fair here for centuries.It’s at the head of an estuary and quieter than its neighbour Salcombe where I also lived long ago.

Sunspots - Saturday June 28th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 111. A=12 and K=2.

Yaesu FTX-1

This new Yaesu radio has really disappointed me. 

It is far too expensive and lacks features the IC-705 has had for years. Before it was released I seriously considered trading my IC-705 in for this new radio. Like many, I shall stick with the IC-705.  

I really think Yaesu is floundering around.

It is not yet available in Europe and just a few weeks after launching it in the USA, they have released a firmware update. I am not at all impressed. Even the firmware update looks messy.

Yaesu get your act together, and very soon, or the market will judge you harshly.

Advising Clive Sinclair

 Early in my design career I was involved in the design of internal antennas. At the time Sinclair was developing a tiny TV and was considering a joint development on ICs.

At that time he asked me (yes me!!) for advice on antennas!

On the subject of Sinclair, I recall a Micromatic kit being donated as a raffle prize in our radio club dinner in the late 1960s. Anyone make one?

VLF earth-mode beacon

 

Some years ago I really enjoyed experimenting with earth-mode VLF at 5W. I built a beacon TX and went out in the Fens trying to receive it. My best DX was about 6km, although I remain convinced much further would have been possible with more power and a bigger TX baseline.

Of course with hundreds of watts and a bigger earth-electrode baseline some radiation is likely, so hundreds of km becomes possible. With earth-mode most of the signal is conducted through the ground.

I had to stop when I had my stroke, which stopped me doing all sorts of field experiments. These days I hope others are carrying on where I stopped. Meanwhile I experiment, on something else, at home.

Memories - NOT amateur radio

At the moment I am spending a few days with my brother in Devon where I used to live. It is filled with memories.

One thing I have to learn is memories are just that: they happened long ago and cannot be got back. They are memories that cannot be recreated. They’re to be remembered but cannot ever be brought back.

I think this is important as we spend too much time of our lives time chasing these.

Sunspots- Friday June 27th

 Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 91. A=26 and K=5.

Devon by train- NOT amateur radio

Today I went alone by train to visit my brother in Devon. The journey was uneventful.

Several years ago - 2012?

 This was me at my old QTH on 10m CW in the garden with a loop on the FT817. I think it was 2012.

Sunspots - Thursday June 26th

 Solar flux is 117 and the SSN 90.. A=15 and K=4.

Bunker busting bombs - NOT amateur radio

Last week, the USA used expensive "bunker busting" bombs on at least one Iranian nuclear site. The US president said it was highly effective and has put Iran's nuclear program back many years. 

A leaked intelligence report is more guarded. The know-how still exists and much of the highly enriched uranium may have been moved beforehand.

If the US president is wrong the implications could be enormous. I find it hard to accept that the presidents of the USA and Israel can be so sure, allegedly, unless they really do have incredible intelligence and spies.

Personally, I always prefer talking rather than "bully boy" tactics. 

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

 

My wife has "a way" with orchids with many living for many years. 

The photo is a collage of some of these.

Notice the colour of our grass. It suddenly went brown in the last week. Of course, climate change is just fake news!  It never, ever went brown years ago.

Please wake up: climate change is happening even if people argue about why.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

Overnight I stayed on 6m FT8 RX but without success. My 5W FT8 TX was turned on before breakfast and has been spotted by Es already at 0700z.

UPDATE 1310z:  Spotted by 247 stations on 6m QRP FT8, mostly Es. Yet again VO1SIX (3933km) has spotted me. I think this was again multi-hop Es. On 6m FT8 RX quite a few East Coast USA stations spotted. Probably E layer chordal hop? I don't buy the multi-hop Es in this case. The map shows the USA stations spotted here on 6m FT8 with the omni vertical.

UPDATE 2035z: Plenty of USA and Caribbean stations spotted here on 6m FT8 RX. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Wednesday June 25th

Solar  flux is 120 and the SSN 87. A=7 and K=1.

Helsinki - NOT amateur radio

In 2018 we did a tour of the Baltic and visited Helsinki, a city I had visited several times for work and holiday. It is a fine city but it can be cold in winter. I have been there in summer and winter.

We went in early summer and saw these barnacle geese with young. In the UK they are a winter bird so it is interesting to see young.