The property is owned by the National Trust.
18 Dec 2025
Nearby Anglesey Abbey
6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)
My gear was turned on at about 1442z.
UPDATE 1501z: 5 stations have spotted me. All in England and not too far away.
10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)
My beacon was turned on at about 1440z.
UPDATE 1643z: 4 stations spotting me so far.
17 Dec 2025
Day off radio
As we had a funeral on the other side of the country (my wife’s brother) I was not on the radio today.
16 Dec 2025
Times Radio and Ukraine
Most days I watch Times Radio on YouTube about Ukraine It is usually informative.
10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0945z.
UPDATE 1312z: 7 stations have spotted me. These look like F2.
6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)
My gear has been on since about 0945z.
UPDATE 1155z: So far, 9 stations have spotted me including EI and GI. See map.
QDX-M
Hans at QRP Labs makes some excellent kit.
As mentioned yesterday, I am having issues with my built QDX-M rig. Today is my last day trying to eliminate "finger trouble" issues. I really hope I am doing something stupid and I have a "Eureka" moment and I can say how stupid I was. If not, I shall have no choice but to return it, sadly.
As stated yesterday, I am open to things to try with my Windows 10 PC. If you have any ideas, please let me know! At the back of my mind is "it must be me", but I cannot see anything wrong.
15 Dec 2025
10m FT8 TX (Monday)
Just before tea I QSYed to 10m FT8 using my ready built 10m QDX-M.
Although the TX works fine, I cannot work out what is wrong with the RX which appears to be totally deaf. Using Windows 10, I have (I think) exhausted everything I can try. The audio is not muted, the USB lead has been replaced, I have re-installed the drivers, the port has been correctly selected. I have tried starting the device again in case the PC is not recognising the device on RX. At the back of my mind is a hope that I will find something and it will spring in to life. Sadly, nothing tried has worked.
Hans makes some splendid kit so I am reluctant to send it back until I am utterly convinced I am not doing something stupid, but I am at a loss. If I cannot find something tomorrow it will (reluctantly) be returned.
If you have any suggestions of things I can try, please let me know.
Nearly
One of ours is almost in flower and should be out at Christmas.
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?
14 Dec 2025
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.
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).
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.
13 Dec 2025
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.
12 Dec 2025
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.
11 Dec 2025
Royal Ballet
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.
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!!
10 Dec 2025
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.
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.
9 Dec 2025
6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)
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.
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