Syria - NOT amateur radio

It looks likely there will be a free vote in the UK House of Commons this week on whether or not to join the coalition forces bombing targets in Syria.

As much as I hate the despicable acts being carried out, I very much doubt more bombs are the answer. All the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan seem to have the opposite effect on the number of terrorists in the world to that intended: there are now far more.

I am against the bombing Syria and believe a long term, fair, peace deal would achieve far more good.

Small steps? - NOT amateur radio

My wife tends to do the major housework on Tuesdays and I usually try to clean some windows. This morning I managed far more than before. I also managed a 200ml glass (actually a cup) of orange in 16 sips. To me, both are progress. To "normal" people these may seem trivial but if you have had a brain bleed, like me, they represent small steps on the road to recovery.

MH-17 QSL cards

According to the Southgate News there was a batch of QSL cards damaged beyond repair when flight MH-17 was shot down last year. Those recovered are at in Schipol and would cost around £15k to dry and clean.

QSYed from 630m to 10m and 6m WSPR

All evening and night I was on 472kHz WSPR.  M0LMH (223km) was still spotting me on 472kHz as late as 0934z this morning, despite my very low ERP, in broad daylight. I have now QSYed to 10m and 6m WSPR and will return to 630m (472kHz) WSPR this evening.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Dec 1st 2015

Solar flux is 97 and the sunspot number is a little higher at 51. K index is better at 1. Forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor".

QRP meet on-air

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Tuesday at 9 UTC QRP Rendez-Vous round table on 14060 +/- 5 kc
Welcome all QRP stations to greet each other and enjoy small power.
Reports and comments are appreciated to "mr72" e-mail, please.
Later I'll put all comments collection (soapbox) on the blog page -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
=== In QRP We Trust! ===

Stroke artifacts - NOT amateur radio

I have only just noticed this one! It seems I miss out some key words when I write on my blogs. It is as if I think they are there and they are not. As always, I try to correct the errors as soon as I spot them. If any words are missing please blame it on my brain!

First 10m WSPR spot today

You can tell it is not too great on 10m WSPR today as I have only just had my beacon spotted for the first time today.  This was by RA3UDF (2693km) at 1110z - single hop F2.  Today is going to be a struggle.
 
UPDATE 1404z:  FR1GZ ( 9724km) has spotted me a few times on 10m WSPR and M0LMH (223km) has spotted me a few times in daytime on 472kHz.

UPDATE 1648z:  With no USA spots on 10m so far today, I think this is going to be another day without the spots from the USA on 10m WSPR. Others may have been luckier: my 10m ERP cannot be great.

CQ-DATV mags free

See http://cq-datv.mobi/ebooks.php .

CQ-DATV is available for free download. I have not tried amateur TV but some remarkable results are being achieved by DATV in the 146-147MHz band. Like all things in our hobby, you can only do so much. I think the use of digital techniques has given amateur TV a new lease of life.

Time passing - NOT amateur radio

Someone said that time passes faster as you get older. It certainly seems this way.

November came and went in no time at all. October was just as fast. It will soon be Christmas, January will soon go, February is a short month and before you know it there will be buds and daffodils everywhere. I am not wishing my time away, but time does seem to disappear.

I do so hope that I feel much better in 2016.  It is 2 years since my stroke and I was expecting to feel so much better by now.