New reserve currency?

For years the US dollar has been the reserve currency of the world. Oil prices are currently in US dollars.  

The current US government seems to want a more isolationist stance on the world stage. 

In my view we need a new reserve currency in the world and oil priced in something other than the US dollar.  I have no idea what this should be. Any change might take years. 

Sadly. the current US government seems hell bent on ruining the USA. In the next 50 years I can see China becoming a major power and the USA becoming far less important.

LoRa

Interest in licence-fee and internet free 868MHz mesh communications seems to be growing. 

People are looking for a means of communication that does not need the internet as a backbone. Some are motivated by cyber-attacks on the internet. Others want it to communicate locally. Some just want to experiment. 

In my view this is still immature much like the internet in the early 1990s.

As more and more people get active, things get better. 

Iran crisis

Apparently the USA has the "wrong" sort of oil that it is not geared up to refine. So it exports oil and imports oil it can refine! 

With the failure of talks in Pakistan tensions are high again with President Trump threatening to blockade Iranian ports. Oil prices are rising again.

Times Radio is being very harsh!

View from the shack

The shack overlooks the garden. At the moment the ornamental cherry tree is in blossom. 

It lasts a few weeks then it is gone until next spring.

10m 1W FT8 (Monday)

In a few moments I hope to be on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1722z:  3 English spots of me. 25 stations spotted here with the best LU1VDF (12460km) in Argentina. See map of stations received here.

Sunspots - Monday April 13th

 Solar flux is 99 and the SSN 47. A=8 and K=1.

What's the effect on the world of the failed Iran peace talks?

It is disappointing that the peace talks in Pakistan have failed. What is likely to happen now? 

Clearly, the immediate future looks more uncertain and markets will be "on edge". This Joe Blogs video may help.

Xiegu G106 HF transceiver

It looks like the Chinese (?) manufacturers are coming up fast. 

This tiny 5W HF transceiver is available new from Martin Lynch in the UK for less than £189.95! 

You pay extra for a digital adaptor and it does not cover 6m.

See G106.

Amazon - like Marmite in the UK!

We have been using Amazon for over 25 years. In all that time we have never experienced an issue.

I remember one occasion when my wife tried to buy some nail scissors from our local chemist. They had none in stock so my wife went on Amazon and they were delivered the next day. They were probably cheaper than they would have been.

People argue that this will result in more shops closing and they are correct. However,  this is how we now shop: those that adapt will survive. Those that do not will fail. In the next 10 years I suspect many retailers may go.

I miss our local bank. However, almost 100% of my banking is online and I would probably not have needed to go in our bank if it was still there. I miss the human touch mind you.

Some people (like Marmite) hate Amazon. I have to say it suits us: no traipsing into Cambridge to find no stock. Delivered to the door. No quibble about returns. Free delivery with Prime. Prime on TV.

In my view retail shops have to adapt. They have to offer something you cannot get online. Maybe people browse goods in a shop and then buy online? Maybe the shop becomes a cafe and meeting hub?

Times and shopping are changing.

HF conditions - poorer?

At first I was wondering why I was reporting no spots on 10m FT8 RX to PSKreporter. I wondered if changing up from 15m to 10m was causing a software issue, so I restarted the PC. I tried 12m and 15m again and concluded it was just poor conditions.

At the moment I am on 15m FT8 with 1W TX.

UPDATE 1014z:  21 stations spotted on RX on 15m FT8 and I have been spotted by 4 stations when running 15m 1W FT8.