Most days I give the solar data. Several people wonder what the A and K indices mean. Hopefully this ARRL file will explain.
Basically a high solar flux is good for HF conditions and low A and K indices mean stable geomagnetic conditions, which are good.
As a rough indicator look for a high solar flux and low A and K indices for good HF conditions.
See https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0209038.pdf
This weekend we return to GMT from daylight saving time (BST) in the UK. This means darker evenings and an earlier drawing of curtains. It's amazing how we adapt.
My beacon was turned on just before lunch.
UPDATE 1851z: 31 stations spotting me with the USA and Canada the furthermost. See map showing stations spotting me today. Now QRT.
My gear was turned on just before lunch.
This is a website I like. There are lots of videos with interesting projects such as this one.
I read today that some people pay £750 just for breakfast. This is what some people have to live on for a whole month. Personally, I think this is obscene.
Later I hope to go on 6m 5W FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR as long as the thunder stays away. It could come our way later.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
My gear was turned on at 0910z.
My system was turned on at about 0845z.
The photo show Cambridge in a shower.
As I have my U3A course in Cambridge I shall not be on the radio until later. If I go on I shall probably go on 6m QRP FT8. There is some doubt as we have thunder forecast.
At 1552z I turned on my 500mW beacon. At first I (again) forgot to turn on the PSU!
UPDATE 1644z: So far, spotted by no stations. I am sure there are fewer people on WSPR now than FT8:
UPDATE 2138z: 8 stations spotted me including one in Canada. Now QRT.
My gear was turned on about 0900z.
UPDATE 0945z: So far, spotted by just 2 stations.
UPDATE 1750z: 588 stations spotting me. See map.
This video by VK3YE compares regenerative and direct conversion receivers. The short answer is it depends on what you want to do.
My 2W was turned on before 0500z.
To me, they are amusing. I guess this must be the time of year when they become adults.
It would seem everything (or nearly everything!) is made in China.
In the USA and Europe we are addicted to low prices. If the same things were made here or in the USA, or in continental Europe, it is very likely they would be far more expensive.
I do not know the answer. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer with the gap ever wider. Many young people the world over believe democracy has failed them.
In the end something will change in the next 20 years.
My gear was turned on at about 1900z.
UPDATE 2111z: 9 stations (all in England) have spotted me. Now QRT.
UPDATE 1300z: Already 61 stations spotting me with many in the USA. Even at 2W still too easy!
UPDATE 1345z: Spotted by 111 stations. See map.
Later I expect to try frequency hopping WSPR on 15m, 12m and 10m at 2W again after the success on Wednesday.
UPDATE 1305z: I decided to go on 10m 2W FT8 instead. Too easy!
This evening is the FT8 activity contest (UKAC) on 70cm organised by the RSGB. The frequency used in Europe is 432.174MHz.
Later I shall try TX with 5W although at the moment I am RX only. My antenna is my 144MHz big-wheel omni.
UPDATE 1528z: Already, well before the contest, my signal has reached France, the Netherlands, N.Ireland, Cornwall and northern England despite 5W and a 2m omni antenna! Currently gone back to RX only.
UPDATE 1620z: No RSGB 70cm UKAC contest this evening. I was wrong!
Today I am on WSPR with 2W. I am hopping on 10m, 12m and 15m.
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| Stations spotting my 2W 10m WSPR this morning |
Earlier this morning I went on 2m FT8 very briefly. I must have been on for about 15 minutes. In all, I was spotted by 19 stations in 5 countries with the furthest GI6ATZ (491km).
Nobody really knows what happens when we die.
On a purely scientific basis, our neurons cease to work so we cannot experience anything: we just cease to exist. Some estimates put the brain memory size as 2.5 million gigabytes, which is huge.
What amazes me are the maps we have in our heads (at least in mine!). One technique I use to get to sleep is to go from A to B on a journey. It is fascinating what is there. I have a mental image of many of all the places I have been to. Some of these must be very old. Also, it is surprising how a snippet of music triggers a memory. You wonder what else lurks there waiting to be triggered. I guess one day, we will understand how the brain memory is so huge and efficient and make AI based on this.
Others with a religious persuasion believe something of "us" survives after we die.
The truth is nobody really knows. I am sure those with a deep faith (whatever their religion) will have faith that what they believe will be correct.
They often flit from tree to tree in flocks together. The photo shows one on our nuts a few years ago I think.
They are called log-tailed tits as they have long tails!
See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/long-tailed-tit .
Last night was the 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB.
I can only run 10W to a 144MHz big-wheel omni antenna, but I still worked as far as Wales.
There was a station in N.Ireland, but I could not stay on long enough to work him because of my poor voice.
In all, 7 stations were worked in about 45 minutes before I stopped.
