160m FT8 RX (Sunday)

 My gear was turned on at about 1825z. It will stay on overnight.

UPDATE 2003z:   84 stations spotted. Best DX is RU3SD (2587km).

The mid-terms

This Tuesday, the USA goes to the polls. We may see the balance of power in the US congress (and possibly the senate) change.

What worries me is will President Trump become a dangerous "cornered rat" and do something stupid? 

Any over-reaction in Iran could result in consequences for the whole world. I hope he listens to his advisors.

8m IO group

For a couple of months the 8m IO group has had no posts, suggesting that interest in this band is falling. Falling sunspot numbers mean propagation research is less valuable?

I found it sad that so many PTTs were unable to see the genuine contribution radio amateurs could have made, especially around sunspot maximum. 

Just a band 5kHz wide, digital only, low power, for a limited time only, by application only, was all that radio amateurs needed for serious experimental work. 

Instead, every excuse possible was used to stop this. A very tiny amateur allocation at 8m seems very unlikely sadly.

Overall, I am left with a bitter taste.

Ukrainian end game?

The war in Ukraine has now been going on for almost 5 years, which is longer than WW1. 

The US president seems to be siding with Russia. Many (most?) in the USA seem to side with Ukraine. Like in Vietnam, I am sure the Ukrainians are no angels. 

I hope that in the end a just peace can be reached. This senseless killing and destruction has to end.

 

10m 1W FT8 (Sunday)

 

Stations spotting my 1W 10m FT8 today

My gear  was turned on mid-morning.

Stations spotted here today on 10m FT8 RX

UPDATE 1226z:  13 stations have been spotted and I have spotted 37 stations.

UPDATE  1512z:   72 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 138 stations.

UPDATE 1808z:  169 stations have spotted me. QRT soon.

160m FT8 RX overnight

 

My gear was on overnight again. 447 stations spotted here (see map) but nothing "across the pond".

AI and intelligent life in outer space

 Since the 1960s (at least) we have been seeking intelligent life in outer space via the SETI program. 

Seeing how fast AI has advanced on our planet we may encounter “life" in outer space that may not be sentient.

Imagine travelling many light years away and finding what appears as life, but isn’t.

Of course, this raises another interesting possibility: AI "beings" may well be able to live in other environments such as not on planets.  The first signs of intelligence "out there" may not be what we are expecting.

Sunspots - Sunday November 1st

 Solar flux is 92 and the SSN 24. A=24 and K=4.

Canterbury Cathedral

This is probably considered the most important cathedral in the country.  

As we were taking our granddaughter shopping, we decided not to go inside this time.

160m FT8 RX (Saturday)

This evening and overnight I am on 160m FT8 receive. The last time I monitored a few days ago I copied some stations in North America.

UPDATE 2207z:  269 stations have been spotted with the best 9K2GR (4717km) in Kuwait.