Last weekend was the Big Garden Birdwatch organised by the RSPB in the UK.
The aim is to watch your "patch" (in my case the back garden) for an hour and record the highest number of bird types seen.
It is done annually by millions and gives a good snapshot of birdlife in the UK.
It was interesting how few small birds were seen.
This is my worst year and I have been doing this for many years.
In recent years, YouTube has migrated to the TV screen. I guess there are now millions of things to entice us including some full length films and some historical recreations made using AI. Some of these are very good.
Unless you can be absolutely sure of origins, it is now safer to assume it is made using AI and very well might be untrue.
Many YouTube items are clickbait. The creator gets paid by clicks on the content. Often the voice is created using AI.
Caveat emptor.
My beacon was turned on at 0910z.
UPDATE 0945z: 11 spots by EA8BFK (2880km). At times he was getting my 200mW WSPR beacon at incredible strengths suggesting that even if I was running just microwatts he might have copied me!
UPDATE 1436z: 37 stations have spotted me including many in the USA and Canada.
UPDATE 1706z: 39 stations have spotted me me. QRT soon.
Although traditionally the US has been a very important market, it would appear that many countries are increasingly looking to each other rather than the USA.
It could take many years to happen, but at the moment the USA seems to be "kicking itself in the teeth".
There was a recent talk about sunspot cycle 25 by Steve Nichols G0KYA. As the RSGB does not allow the video to be viewed on other websites, please find the RSGB's channel on YouTube.
Before my 2013 stroke, I did some experiments on 136kHz using modes like QRSS3 and WSPR. As my garden was small, huge antennas and ground systems were just not possible , so I wanted to see what was possible with QRP and small antennas. I got as far as the Netherlands with uW ERPs with QRSS3.
Things might be harder now with increasing noise floors, especially in urban areas which might limit what some can hear.
This was my weak signal spotted by G3WCB at 101km. I think G3WCB is now in Devon.
.jpeg)
My beacon was turned on just after 0900z.
UPDATE 0916z: Just 4 spots from EA8BFK (2880km).
If this has been on already, please accept my apologies.
If you are a CW user, this is very useful, even when your CQ goes unanswered. By monitoring the RBN you can see where your signal is reaching.
About 8 years ago we visited Pompeii. I was struck by how similar the people were to us now in many ways with cafes, street food, take-aways, etc.
The quote in today's Knowledge was by the Roman Marcus Aurelius about 2000 years ago:
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth"
UPDATE 0924z: Already 3 spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and someone in KO40 square.
UPDATE 1155z: 4 stations have spotted me. No stations "across the pond" yet.UPDATE 1225z: Now spotted by 7 stations. It looks like the first USA spots were at 1218z.
UPDATE 1424z: 36 stations in 4 continents have spotted me. See map by VK7JJ.
UPDATE 1847z: 51 stations have spotted me. Now QRT.
My beacon was turned on after breakfast.
UPDATE 0955z: Spotted by 2 stations with the best a station in Saudi Arabia - HZ1SF (4939km).
John's blog is always worth a look. He seems to find out lots of news! In my view, it is one of the best.
The world is changing.
In many ways, despite the constant threat of nuclear war, mine was a lucky generation. We seem to be returning to a world of empires and spheres of influence.
What is happening in Minnesota is typical of the new world order. Different accounts differ wildly and it is hard to tell what is the truth.
Why can't we live peacefully together?
This photo has been on before.
It shows the Yaesu FT7 which was the first commercial transceiver I owned in the 1980s.
During that time DXCC was worked on 10W 10W SSB (QRP).
It had no memories, no synthesiser and a very quiet analogue RX.
Of all the commercial transceivers I have owned, it was probably the very best. It proved that QRP SSB and low simple antennas were all you needed to work the world. I think the antennas at the time were just wire dipoles and a CB vertical.
Back in the 1960s in the UK, Morse (CW) at 12 words a minute was essential to get a licence to transmit on HF.
In most countries this is no longer the case. I think you can get on HF now without Morse. Mostly I use FT8 and WSPR in preference, mainly as my fine motor skills are poor. I have used CW since my 2013 stroke, but rarely.
Back in the late 1960s I used to be taught CW by Bill Honeywill G4PJ (SK) on 160m. He would regularly send me slow Morse over the air. Somewhere (goodness know where!) I had a tape recording of some of these.
I passed my Morse test in the Liver Building in Liverpool whilst at university in 1967 when I first got my G3 call allowing HF operation.
Just a few years ago most had never heard of AI (artificial intelligence). Now it is everywhere: you look, for example, on YouTube as you see a well known person. The chances are this is created using AI. These days many, if not most, of the things you see on YouTube are AI creations created so the creator gets money from adverts when the video is viewed.
Sadly, you have to assume it is AI unless you can be absolutely sure it is not. There are very few sites I now trust.
UPDATE 1405z: 11 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 2105z: QRT now. Spotted by 24 stations today. See map by Phil VK7JJ.
My beacon has been on most of the morning.
UPDATE 1211z: Best is a spot from Saudi Arabia.
At this time of year the RSPB in the UK runs the Big Garden Birdwatch when people observe the greatest number of each bird type seen in an hour. I have been doing it for years.
This year has been the poorest with very few small birds seen - 5 species with mostly larger birds.
This seems like the world at large sadly. Often those with money and power dominate those smaller than them.
The world is changed by small steps of kindness one step at a time. The bullies of the world must not win.
Last evening my visitor count to this blog went up by a factor of about x10 in an hour!! This is clearly total rubbish.
It's very flattering but clearly not correct. I am not sure how this is calculated, but the algorithm needs changing!
As we went to Peterborough by train today, I did not go on today. I shall probably try 10m 200mW WSPR again tomorrow.
See https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cornelius-Vermuyden .
This is available via Aliexpress and seems to be a portable receiver with lots of features. It is not cheap. I see there is a video on it by Tech Minds on YouTube. "Made in China" seems to be on most things these days.
This is a quote from the BBC website:
"UK Defence Secretary John Healey says British troops who died in Afghanistan should be remembered as "heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation".
After Donald Trump's claim that Nato forces stayed "a little off the front lines" during the conflict, Healey points out that UK and Nato allies "answered the US call," the only time the alliance's Article 5 has been triggered.
"More than 450 British personnel lost their lives" in the conflict, he writes on X.
"Those British troops should be remembered for who they were: heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation."
Nato's Article 5 states that an armed attack against one member "shall be considered an attack against them all"."
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news .
The message would appear to be check facts first.
My gear was turned on at about 1150z.
UPDATE 1328z: So far spotted by 7 English stations.
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!
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.
My beacon was turned on at breakfast.
UPDATE 1159z: 4 stations have spotted me with the best EA8BFK (2880km).
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.
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.
My beacon was turned on at 0920z.
Overnight I monitored 630m WSPR. Again, 5 stations were spotted with the best OH1LSQ (1733km) and an LA.
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 🥴.
Overnight I stayed on 630m WSPR RX.
