365 Project - NOT amateur radio

For some years now my wife and I have done a photo a day as a record of our daily lives. I stopped when I was ill and started again in Jan 2015. It is interesting to see what we did. Unlike some, who go for very "arty" pictures, mine is just a record of ordinary daily life.  If you pay $19 annually you can have more albums and private viewing.  It is great fun to look back and quite a good discipline. I enjoy doing it.

See http://365project.org/ .

10m WSPR - hopeful with Australia yet again

Australia yet again...

With solar flux and sunspot numbers up a bit and very early spots on 10m WSPR of VK2KRR (16789km) I am quietly optimistic today, although no further 10m spots, as yet, at 0952z.

UPDATE 1028z:  VK5MR (16144km) in PF96lh square was the first to spot me this morning on 10m WSPR at 1010z at -24dB S/N. Yet again, despite the "poor" forecast for 10m I am seeing some impressive DX. 10m is far from dead, as WSPR proves yet again.

UPDATE 1117z:  These the 10m WSPR spots so far today:

UPDATE 1320z:  Just the single spot so far on 10m WSPR.   As well the Australian spots G3JKV and G4CUI (172km) have been spotted.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs March 3rd 2016

Solar flux is 99 today (up) and sunspot number 65 (K=3) which is also up. 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" yet again. I have been on 10m WSPR (TX and RX) since before breakfast.

UPDATE 0906z:  VK2KRR (16789km) was spotted a couple of times very early and very strongly on 10m WSPR.

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

Yet again the FTSE 100 UK share index is up on yesterday at 6163.97. It rose sharply earlier, but has been falling for a while. I guess it could go negative later. With so much uncertainty I think it will fall sharply soon, although I am frequently wrong! In this case, I very much hope I am proved wrong. Looking at China and Greece I somehow think that emotion rather than reality is driving the markets at present. Sooner rather than later the world will wake up to several facts:

1. Growth cannot go on for ever with limited resources.
2. Oil will run out.
3. The population has yet to peak in the world.
4. All the world needs feeding
5. All the world deserves a decent standard of living.

 UPDATE 1142z:   The FTSE 100 is currently -0.33% on yesterday.

First 10m WSPR spots

UA6AAK (2780km) has been spotted 3 times so far this morning on 10m WSPR. I assume this is single hoop F2. He is strong.

UPDATE 1045z:  These are the 10m WSPR spots so far today. Not at all bad so far.

UPDATE 1908z:  After a promising start on 10m WSPR, the day was a bit of a disappointment. I have gone QRT on all bands now as there was threat of thunder. These were all the 10m WSPR spots today.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed March 2nd 2016

Solar flux is 96 today and sunspot number 39 (K=1). The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" today.

I have been on 10m WSPR since about 0715z (2W TX 20%, RX 80%) although no spots given or received on 10m WSPR so far today.

Overnight, I was on 40m WSPR with the last USA spots on 40m WSPR being around 0700z this morning. Despite the very poor, low, antenna on 40m,WSPR seems to work wonders.

QSYed to 40m WSPR

The 10m and 6m WSPR stations have been closed and I have moved to 40m WSPR for the evening and overnight. Tomorrow I shall return to 10m WSPR (2W TX 20%, RX 80%). On 10m WSPR I received no spots at all all day.

2m UKAC activity contest this evening

A reminder that as the first Tuesday of the month, tonight is the 2m leg of the RSGB actvity contest from 2000-2230z. I am about to have a go with 5W and my big-wheel horizontal omni antenna.

UPDATE 2130z:  Five stations worked in 4 QTH locator squares, although I also heard stations in France and Belgium that were not worked. I was active for less than an hour because of my poor voice.  I find working speech modes very hard these days. Best DX was 172km.  Most of the QSOs were at 2.5W,  although the best DX, on the south coast, was with 5W pep.  Antenna was my big-wheel horizontal omni.

Stations worked on 2m this evening with 5W or less to omni antenna

China, the hard truth - NOT amateur radio

This came to me via Steve G1KQH:-

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQNurSUNNs0 .
Any slowdown in China matters to the West.

OFCOM and amateur radio

See http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/amateur-radio/ .

I am trying to think up a good name for this quango we know in the UK as OFCOM.  Any suggestions?

• Office of Comical gents and ladies?
• Official Company of Morons?

As you can tell. I have not been impressed by them in the past. I wish they were able to make pragmatic decisions. Maybe I do them a great injustice, but in past dealings they have been hopeless. In all my years in business I know of you have to add value. What value do they really add? Every time I have contacted them the official has had to consult the law. They seem far removed from reality and pragmatic decisions. No doubt they will claim they can do no other. Sorry, I do not agree! OFCOM should be able to act with pragmatism or they deserve to be disbanded.