Bondi beach shootings

In my view everyone whether Jew, Muslim, Christian or otherwise has equal value.

Whilst everyone involved in the massacre at Bondi Beach deserves a lot of love and sympathy, I think President Netanyaho of Israel needs to answer some difficult questions. 

We all agree that the October 7th massacre of innocent people in Israel was evil and totally wrong, 

However I think the killing of nearly 60000 people in Gaza (including women and children) was evil too and the flattening of houses? Also, he should ask himself if the exclusion of the press from Gaza was wise?

What happened in Bondi was wrong and evil. 

Why can't we all live in peace, respecting every one of our fellow people on this planet?

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Monday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 1030z.

UPDATE 1541z:  5 stations spotting me with several "across the pond".

6m 5W FT8 (Monday)

 My gear was turned on at about 1030z.  

UPDATE 1119z:  So far, spotted by just 2 English stations, probably just normal tropo.

Philosophical question

Does anyone know of a philosophical experiment that proves there is a life beyond ourselves? We experience everything using our senses. Everything we experience is as we experience it.  We "think" things exist beyond ourselves. Can we prove it?

Monday plans

 Later I expect to try 6m 4W FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR. That is if I dont change my mind!

Sunspots - Monday December 15th

 Solar flux is 119 and the SSN 78. A=7 and K=1.

Shetland sun

 

One of my friends on 365.org lives in the Shetland Isles and posts some interesting photos.

8m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 At about 1345z I switched to 8m FT8 RX on 40.680 MHz.

UPDATE 2023z:  No spots.

Online QSL card

Yesterday I received an QSL card online from a station in Italy. I have still to check my log, but will confirm the contact if the details are correct. 

Previously, I have had online QSL cards missing vital data like time, so I could not respond. As far as I can tell, this one included all the details.

These days I rarely send out real QSL cards by post.

6m 4W FT8 (Sunday)

 My 4W FT8 is on.

UPDATE  0910z:  9 stations have spotted me this morning (see map). I am unsure of the propagation mechanism but 4W FT8 and an omni V2000 vertical antenna seem to be enough.

UPDATE 2200z:  39 stations have spotted me. See map. Is this Es? Now QRT.

Christmas comes early?

Retailers have had a hard time lately. 

Is it me or did Christmas come early this year? I am sure this was to make sure profits were maximised. 

To me, the Christmas season starts no earlier than December 1st. Some shops were having Christmas goods as early as September. It seems Christmas has morphed into a commercial business.

Sadly, I am glad these days when all the hype is over.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0700z.

UPDATE 0855z:  3 spots by YO3IVV (2078km).

UPDATE 2025z:  7 stations spotted me today. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday December 14th

 Solar flux is 122 and the SSN 76. A=14 and K=2.

6m failure!!

 Just for fun I let my IC705 on FT8 during the Geminids meteor shower, but copied not a single station!  Late last night a few stations spotted my 4W FT8 but I don’t think this was MS. One was in Germany. Oh well, I tried, ho ho. I know MSK144 would have been a better choice but wanted to see if anyone was copiable on FT8.

6m 4W FT8 (Saturday)

 My 4W 6m FT8 was turned in at about 2030z.

UPDATE 2036z:  So far, 4 English stations have spotted me.  No great DX.

6m FT8 in the Geminid MS shower?

For MS most people (I think) use MSK144. I am tempted to leave my 6m FT8 on RX overnight to see what happens. I am wondering if I might copy some people on 6m MS on FT8?  In a big shower I would expect some bursts to be quite long, more so on 6m than 2m.

In my experience MS signals can be quite strong, but quite brief.

1W 10m FT8 (Saturday)

My gear was turned on at about 1200z.

UPDATE  2018z:  So far 246 stations have spotted me. See map. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Saturday December 13th

Solar  flux is 135 and the SSN 124. A=28 and K=2.

A good use of AI

AI frequently gets a bad press, but there are some things it is very good at. 

Today I chanced upon a movie on YouTube of London in the 1700s. It was created using old black and white prints from that time. 

The finished movie gives you a great impression of how it must have been.

Geminid meteor shower

This meteor shower peaks this weekend. I expect it will lead to enhanced MS propagation on 10m, 8m, 6m, 4m and 2m. 

See Geminid meteor shower.

8m FT8 RX (Friday)

 All day I am on 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1802z:  No spots.

Sunspots - Friday December 12th

 Solar flux is 146 and the SSN 123. A=26 and K=4.

Royal Ballet

It is fair to say that our granddaughter did NOT get her talent for ballet from my wife and I!! 

Last year she performed in front of UK royalty in Westminster Abbey and this year she is in the Nutcracker at the Royal Ballet in Covent Garden, London at the Royal Opera House. She makes us very proud!

10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)

 My beacon was turned on at 1248z.

UPDATE 1318z: So far, no spots. 

UPDATE 1328z:  It helps if there is power connected. Being suspicious I noticed the power wire had become disconnected!

UPDATE 1353z:  Spots from the Canary Isles only.

UPDATE 1827z: 4 stations have spotted me including 2 in the USA. Now QRT.

Ukraine peace?

 According to this video, around 60% of people in the USA believe the USA should be standing behind (my understanding) Ukraine to counter the Russians whereas the peace plan put forward by President Trump appears to favour Russia and not what the majority in the USA want.

We all want peace, but it would appear we don't want a sell-out to President Putin. In my view simply appeasing Putin is not the answer.

From an outsider's perspective, President Trump seems more focused on making deals to make himself even richer than safeguarding democracy? This is how it appears, although I accept I may be wrong.

Micro80

This was my Micro80 transceiver  built many years ago. From this the famous Pixie transceiver was developed. It is on my main website.

Sunspots - Thursday December 11th

 Solar flux is 168 and the SSN 134. A=23 and K=4.

6m CW DX

 My best ever 2-way 6m DX was a QRP CW QSO with K1TOL when I was using 1W and a V2000 vertical omni antenna. This was Es. I think his antenna helped!!

Pure evil

In recent days I have been watching a series of programmes on the history of the British Empire. What comes across is how evil Britain was. I cannot believe how bad we were. 

The real purpose of the British Empire seems to have been exploitation.  We are in no way able to dictate how other countries should behave when we have been so bad in the past, and even quite recently.

Hair!!

 Back in the 1970s I still had hair! This is me using my 2m AM Fredbox to make contacts in Cambridge. It worked really well.

10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)

My stand-alone W5OLF (SK) 10m WSPR beacon has been on since about 0930z.

UPDATE 1515z:  23 stations spotting me. See WSPR Rocks map.

Maps in your head?

People have different ways of remembering .  When I am awake at night one strategy I use is to travel from A to B using the map in my head. I am surprised how many places are in my head!! For example places where I have lived or worked.

Sunspots - Wednesday December 10th

 Solar flux is 183 and the SSN 134.  A=5 and K=3.

QRP Fun

This video is 7 years old, but it might inspire you. Basically it is a 1 transistor transceiver by Dave Ingram K4TWJ from the book "International QRP Collection". 

I would expect the RX to be deaf so probably best to use on a sked rather than calling CQ on a frequency already occupied by a station that you cannot hear.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on at about 1053z.

UPDATE 1409z:  So far, 8 British Isles stations spotting me. See map.

UPDATE 1936z: 11 stations have spotted me. See logbook. QRT soon.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1052z.  

UPDATE 1411z:   Spotted by 15 stations. See table.

UPDATE 1518z: Spotted by 18 stations now.

More on Sable Island DXpedition

The dates for this are expected to be March 19-31 2026. I imagine the pile-ups will be massive! I hope to hear them, but my days of chasing DX are gone! I am not sure what modes or bands they plan.

See https://t-rexsoftware.com/cy0s/

OFCOM and satellites

Today OFCOM announced its final decisions about direct to smartphone communication via satellites. This could allow ordinary smartphones to use satellites to communicate giving coverage at sea and in very remote areas. Currently this needs special satellite phones.  I am not sure what antennas will be needed as special satellite phones currently have bulky antennas.

How this develops remains to be seen.

Tuesday plans

 Today I expect to go on 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8.

AD and BC

Has the world gone stupid?  

The "politically correct" phrases are now BCE and CE (common era).  Whether we believe in Jesus Christ or are of some other faith or none, why the heck change it?  

In my view this political correctness gone mad.

Sunspots - Tuesday December 9th

 Solar flux is 186 and the SSN 146.  A=2 and K=0.

Sable Island 2026 DXpedition

Sable Island is a small island of shifting sands in the North Atlantic belonging to Canada. There is a DXpediton there in 2026. I think there are no people permanently living there. 

There are wild horses there. It is continually changing shape.

See https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ns/sable .

Change of plan

 In the end I decided to go on 10m 500mW WSPR TX. 10 stations have spotted me 6 of which were in the USA.

UPDATE 2010z:  Spotted by 12 stations. Now QRT.

zBITX

 You may like this transceiver from India. For the price it is remarkable. It is built around a Raspberry Pi.

Monday plans - no radio?

 As we have to go into Cambridge for some Christmas shopping, I may not go on the radio today.

Museum at Christmas

This weekend, our local museum had a "Santa's Grotto" in the windmill. The children loved it and were told a story (in groups) and were each given a gift. To them it was magical.

In the main museum, there was face painting, mulled wine, minced pies  and much more. We helped with the raffle.

In all, it was a great. happy, occasion for all, especially the children.

Sunspots - Monday December 8th

 Solar flux is 194 and the SSN is 133. A=8 and K=0.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

My beacon has been on since about 1115z.

UPDATE 1607z:  12 stations have spotted me. See table.

UPDATE 2138z: QRT

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on at about 1115z.

UPDATE  1132z:  Spotted by 2 English stations.

UPDATE  1603z:   13 stations have spotted me. See map.

UPDATE 2140z:  18 stations spotted QRT.

That time of year!

The museum and windmill near us is having a Santa’s Grotto weekend. 

We’re helping today.