10m 2W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned at about 1100z.

UPDATE  1118z:  2 English stations have spotted me and 3 stations spotted here on RX.

Running QRP

Some say life is too short for QRP. 

There is no doubt that running high power to a beam will be copied more often than QRP. It will also break pile-ups more easily. 

However, running QRP is often much better than you might think as this video shows. 

The difference by ear between high power and QRP is often much smaller than you think. Try it! In another video he tries it with SSB.

Iran war - Joe Blogs video

 The situation in the Middle East seems very much in a state of flux.

Sunspots - Sunday April 19th

Solar flux is 106 and the SSN 44. A=33 and K=3. 

The nature of time

Our brains have limited size and to most people time is a mystery. Certainly my experience is that time passes faster as we get older. Some believe in some sort of life carrying on after we die. I remain agnostic. 

It would be great to be able to experience again some of the good things in our lives. This brings to mind the famous poem called "A Shropshire Lad" by A.E. Housman.

Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows;
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went 

And cannot come again.

I think this was written overseas, knowing the beloved country of his birth would not be seen again, except in memory.

10m 2.5W FT8 (Saturday)

After a brire period on TX around breakfast (2 English stations spotted me), I am RX only. 

UPDATE 0736z: Just I UK stations spotted in G0FWX (135km).

UPDATE 2000z: 23 stations spotted here today. Now QRT.

Frontline for Times Radio

There are rumours that Russia is looking for an off-ramp in the war against Ukraine.  Time will tell. Will Crimea go back to Ukraine?

Sunspots - Saturday April 18th

Solar flux is 107 and the SSN 50. A=4 and K=3.

Pirate?- I think so!

At totally the wrong time of day and an unbelievable strength, I was supposed to have spotted a station in North Korea on 10m FT8 RX. 

I think we can assume this was a pirate, probably in Europe.

Little things please little minds.

Punting on the Cam

When people come to Cambridge, UK they often like to go on the River Cam in a punt. Even better is to be gently punted by a guide whilst you sip a glass of Pimm's. There are even punts selling Pimm's!