My gear was turned on at about 0620z.
UPDATE 0926z: 3 stations spotting me (G and EI). No Es apparent.
2 Sept 2026
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0620z.
UPDATE 0927z: 2 Austrian stations spotting me.
1 Sept 2026
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6m 1W FT8 (Tuesday)
UPDATE 0938z: Spotted by just 1 English station so far. Outside of the Es season, many abandon 6m.
UPDATE 1742z: Spotted by 8 stations. I suspect some are aircraft reflections? Some may be Es. QRT soon.
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0850z.
UPDATE 1812z: Spotted by 12 stations. QRT soon.
Autumn
According to the Met Office, September 1st is treated as the first day of autumn.
I agree with this. To me autumn is September, October and November, with winter December, January and February. All seasons have their own beauty, although autumn has come early this year.
31 Aug 2026
6m 1W FT8 (Monday)
My gear was turned on before breakfast.
UPDATE 1906z: Spotted by 27 stations across Europe. QRT soon.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
My beacon has been on since before breakfast.
UPDATE 1904z: Spotted by 22 stations across Europe. QRT soon.
30 Aug 2026
Amazing EV batteries - NOT in China
It looks like Hyundai has created an amazing battery at a plant in Georgia (USA I think). It charges fast and has a much longer life and does not need lithium. It does not significantly degrade at low temperatures. Oh, by the way, it is cheaper!
More on the ICOM IC-7110 transceiver
Waters and Stanton has a video introducing the ICOM IC-7110 transceiver.
It looks like a replacement for the IC-7100.
The European version includes 4m I understand.
6m 1W FT8 (Sunday)
My gear should be on at about 0915z.
UPDATE 1335z: Gear turned on at 0936z. 14 stations spotting me.
Snapseed experiments
This is one of the effects on what (I think) is a cedar rose, a sort of fir cone.
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
At about 0900z, I expect to turn my beacon on.
UPDATE 1815z: Beacon turned on at 0636z. Spotted by 25 stations.
29 Aug 2026
ICOM IC-7110 revealed
It looks like ICOM have a competitor for the Yaesu FTX 1. It is a 100W radio with a separate head and covers HF, VHF and UHF.
I have no idea about price and availability yet.
It was announced at the Tokyo Ham Fair.
In my view it could really compete with the Yaesu unit at the right price. Even I am tempted. It looks like an IC-7100 successor, so expect 4m in the European version.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on just after breakfast.
UPDATE 1809z: Spotted by 11 stations.
John Lewis Money advert
My son has done the music for the latest John Lewis Money advert that has already clocked up 2.5M views on YouTube. John Lewis is a major UK retailer.
Early morning walk
Before breakfast and before the forecast rain (!) we went for a walk around the nearby village of Swaffham Prior which has 2 medieval churches (in the same churchyard) and 2 windmills. Delightful.
6m 1W FT8 (Saturday)
My gear was turned on just after breakfast.
UPDATE 0842z: Spotted by several English stations and one in Poland.
UPDATE 1950z: Spotted by 31 stations.
Interconnectedness
In the West we are very dependent on imported food and imported energy. Energy powers nearly everything from water supplies, banking, sewers, traffic lights, the internet etc.. If we were suddenly denied these then society would be very different. We would adapt as we always do.
I suspect there is an unwritten thing like MAD (mutually assured destruction) for nuclear weapons that if you were ever to hack us we will do the same to you. I hope so.
10m 200mW WSPR yesterday
Yesterday was a good day with 9 spots from Brazil as well as plenty in Europe. Maybe the Brazilian spots were a combination of F2 and Es? In all, spotted by 37 stations yesterday.
Snapseed experiments
I have been experimenting with Snapseed (an app) frames. This photo is of a hummingbird hawk moth that migrates from Southern Europe to the UK. They are now more common possibly due to climate change? The wings beat at about 75 beats a second so they can hover.
28 Aug 2026
6m 1W FT8 (Friday)
UPDATE 1309z: 179 stations have spotted me today (see map).
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon has been on since 0610z.
UPDATE 1311z: 41 stations have spotted me. Es I guess.
27 Aug 2026
The USA in deep trouble?
It would appear the USA is now seen as an unreliable partner around the world.
6m 1W FT8 (Thursday)
As my son has gone home and the storms are some way away, I am on 6m FT8.
UPDATE 1409z: Spotted by 13 stations.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
As the thunderstorms seem to be some way away and my son has gone home, I have gone on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1410z: Spotted by 24 stations.
Garage clearance
Earlier we cleared the garage and went to the dump. Other stuff will go to a charity shop.
Day off radio ?
As my son is here for the day and we have a trip to the dump later, I am having a day off radio. We also have thunderstorms forecast.
UPDATE 1134z: If the storm risk is low I may go on later .
26 Aug 2026
6m 1W FT8 (Wednesday)
My gear was turned on at about 0930z.
UPDATE 1206z: Just spotted by 7 UK stations. No evidence of Es.
UPDATE 2100z : 13 stations spotted. Some Es I think.
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
As the lightning seems a long way away my beacon is on .... for now!
UPDATE 2108z: Spotted by 4 stations including 1 in the USA. QRT with thunderstorms expected overnight 😢.
Why can't we all live in peace?
Right across the world people seem to be angry. In the Middle East, the UK , the USA, nearly everywhere, people and nations seem to be angry.
Maybe this is human nature, but I am sure most people everywhere want to live in peace with enough to eat and drink and a secure home.
The main causes for conflict seem to be greed and insecurity.
Basically, people everywhere are the same.
DX Explorer
This is a YouTube channel I very much like.
He is not afraid to say when he doesn't know something, but is always willing to try things. He is a real experimenter. See, for example, his latest video about his simple sferics receiver.
Not today?
With thunderstorms possible, I shall probably not go on 10m or 6m today. I had better keep an eye on the lightning map. At the moment it is over Belgium and we have no rain (yet!).
25 Aug 2026
6m 1W FT8 (Tuesday)
My gear was turned on at about 0605z.
UPDATE 1047z: Just English stations and one Italian IZ8JAI (1959km) spotting me. This is how I expect the end of the Es season to go: some days may be good and some days hardly anything. Es can occur at any time with the peak in early summer.
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0605z.
UPDATE 1040z: Just spots from EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Is.
24 Aug 2026
Sunflowers
One lot was directly in the soil and some in a trough. The lot in the soil (and full sun) have now died, but the ones in the trough are still good.
Sunflowers are cheerful flowers.
Renewable energy
At one time renewable energy was expensive, but not any more. The cost of solar panels in particular has dropped dramatically. The cost of wind turbines is also much less expensive.
What is lagging behind is distribution and storage.
Home storage and mass storage batteries are becoming less expensive and their capacity increasing. I am sure with proper investment these could be dramatically improved. Give it a few years. Already 9% of the world's energy comes from solar panels. My guess is this will be over 50% in 10 years.
If storage and distribution also advance, I think we are on the foothills of a major revolution. Imagine energy that does not pollute! We are not there yet, but it is coming.
Oh of course climate change is fake news according to the US president!! Silly me 😄. Unless the USA wakes up, it is in danger of being left behind in a major way.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy6m 1W FT8 (Monday)
UPDATE 0840z: Spotted by 2 English stations. No Es.
UPDATE 1938z: 106 stations have spotted me today. See map. Plenty of Es! 1W FT8 to a V2000 vertical!
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
UPDATE 0836z: Already 7 stations spotting me. These look like Es.
UPDATE 1939z: 52 stations have spotted me with the best V51RS (8481km) plus a couple in the USA. See map by VK7JJ of WSPR Rocks.
It never fails to amaze me how well just 200mW 10m WSPR does.
23 Aug 2026
Nuclear fusion - nearer than we thought?
For years and years people have been working on nuclear fusion, which promises almost limitless energy without pollution.
A few years ago, a breakthrough was made with more energy out than put in. It has still not been commercialised. I shall believe it when I see it!
Back on 6m FT8 (Sunday)
This morning I got WSJT-X working on 6m TX and RX using it. This will be its main use.
UPDATE 2006z: Now on 1W 6m FT8 TX. 47 stations spotted me from all over Europe today. QRT.
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
My TX beacon was turned on at about 0700z.
UPDATE 1021z: 8 stations spotting me.
UPDATE 2015z: 65 stations spotted me today (see map). QRT.
22 Aug 2026
Is the Mecca pact a threat to Trump?
In the Middle East the USA is (sadly) seen as a spent force. Instead, countries are looking for local allies. They also see China a a reliable ally.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Saturday)
My beacon has been on for some hours.
UPDATE 1410z: Spotted by 102 stations in Europe.
21 Aug 2026
West Bank (Israel and Palestine)
From the outside looking in, it seems Israel is being heavy-handed over the West Bank. Yes, historically there may have been some reference to this being part of the Holy Land, but those who are there now are simple farmers who just want to live in peace, I think.
Surely we all have to live together in peace.
Is Es changing?
In previous years towards the end of the Es season I seem to get more stations in the north of Europe for some reason.
I still see stations in the south of Europe, but there is a noticeable increase in more northerly stations. I guess this could even be some different form of propagation.
So far this year I have not noticed this. It is still August so things may yet change.
I wonder if others have noticed this? This is definitely not scientific, just a gut feel.
USA treasury debt
As I understand things, US treasury debt (sold as bonds) now exceeds $40trillion, which is a huge number. Combined with high interest rates, this creates an enormous and worsening problem in the USA. The US economy is very big, but servicing this debt is a real problem. The debt is still growing.
The US dollar has been the reserve currency of the world since WW2. What would happen if China decided to buy oil in the Chinese currency (Yuan) instead and the rest of the world followed!!
I am no economic expert, but I can see China becoming the dominant world power and the sun setting on the USA. In the Middle East, the USA is seen as not providing security and putting Arab countries more at risk.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Friday)
My beacon was turned on at 0817z.
UPDATE 1902z: 78 stations in Europe spotting me.
qFT8 app
My attention to this was drawn by Steve G1KQH,
My PC has been playing up so I can only use my Chromebook.
The FT8/4 app worked immediately on RX when connected to my IC-705. On TX it uses VOX and there must be insufficient level to trigger TX with my current IC705 settings.
8m band in the UK
In the UK 8m is unavailable to the amateur radio service. Instead people have to apply for an I&T licence which costs £50 every year.
To my knowledge 5 EU countries plus South Africa have granted amateurs access to this band, usually with some restrictions. There may well be more. Many more have given experimental access outside of the amateur radio service
Judging by the ease that OFCOM have issued I&T licences, often with high power, all modes and wide frequency coverage and zero traceability (no callsigns needed), they do not seem to be the block. It looks like the RSGB is dead against it!
This is very very sad when, especially in the years around solar maximum, so much research and experimentation would have been possible.
Earlier this week I wrote to the spectrum committee and the general manager asking them to try and get behind the push.
20 Aug 2026
Crash coming?
Both the US debt and the UK debt is in our own currencies, so in the last resort we can always pay our debts. So the USA and the UK cannot go bust, but stock markets can (and will) crash. This can lead to recessions or even depressions. It could be extremely painful for everyone.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
As the thunderstorm risk is low this morning, shall turn my beacon on shortly.
UPDATE 1705z: 17 stations spotting me.
19 Aug 2026
Lord Howe Island
Since a child I have been fascinated by small remote islands.
In my advanced years it is highly unlikely I will ever get to these. However, thanks to YouTube videos I am able to dream.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on earlier this morning.
UPDATE 1243z: 16 stations have spotted me.
18 Aug 2026
Times are changing
In the last few years we have had some innovations that allow simple stations to work the world like FT8.
At the same time fewer young people (generally) are coming into the hobby, putting the hobby under threat. Also (certainly in the UK and USA) PTTs to want less bureaucracy especially if it generates no income.
Many national amateur radio societies are working hard to buck the trend.
In the end, I cannot see amateur radio surviving as it has in the past. What the future holds I do not know.
I really hope that people continue to experiment and innovate, which is how our great hobby started.
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on just after breakfast
UPDATE 1312z: 42 stations have spotted me.
I do not get it
The president of the USA gave another press briefing in the White House. I was not very impressed, although I accept others may not agree.
17 Aug 2026
Amazon - like marmite
Amazon home delivery gets a bad press. I have used it trouble-free for 26 years.
Some refuse to use it at all saying it will be the end of conventional shops. Yes, that is true, but people have already changed shopping patterns. Home shopping is now far more common in the last few years.
In my view, there are two sorts of high street shops (1) those that do not adapt and fail, and (2) those that adapt to internet shopping (browsing hubs?) and succeed.
Let me give you an example: at about 2230 last night I ordered 3 charging leads for my iPhone. By about 1500z the very next day they were on my doorstep delivered by Amazon.
The alternative would have been to take a bus ride into Cambridge and go to the Apple store. Assuming they had stock, I would expect to pay far more for just a single lead!
No, times are changing. We have to adapt.
UPDATE 1506z: A single charging lead from the Apple store in Cambridge would have been more than 3 times the price of 3 leads online.
In app ads
This morning I noticed that advertisements were appearing in the main body of the blog. I find this intrusive and will try to stop them.
UPDATE 1111z: I think I have removed them.
Red legged partridges
At one time these handsome introduced birds were a common site in our garden. We have not seen them for several years. Apparently they were bred locally and released for shooting, but they have stopped doing so.
LoRa repeaters
At the moment there is a move towards off-grid reliable communication that does not need the internet or mobile phones.
As far as I can tell there are 2 systems coming to the fore Meshstastic and Meshcore.
Both (I think) are in their infancy and which system is better depends on where you live.
The systems are licence free, meaning anyone can use them. They’re based on either 868MHz or 915MHz if you are in the USA.
As it is meshed-based the more users the better. Often sparsely populated places have poor coverage.
As far as I know, this is just a messaging service as the data rate is low. In Romania YO6DXE has been experimenting with solar powered repeaters to extend range. He has made a video as part of his DX Explorer series.
Classic Car Show
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The museum across the road held its annual Classic Car Day yesterday.
It was a success with good weather, plenty of vehicles and people.
As it’s been very hot and dry, I was a bit concerned that a fire might be triggered, but it was fine.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0620z.
UPDATE 1912z: 23 stations spotting me QRT soon.
8m amateur radio allocation
Some PTTs have allocated radio amateurs access to 8m. Almost all, probably all, operation is purely experimental. In the UK we have to pay £50 every year to do 8m experiments!
The RSGB seems positively anti, which I find really sad. They could very easily provide (via OFCOM) radio amateurs access to 40.680 - 40.685MHz, low power, narrow digital only, by NoV, strictly no interference.
Instead we have hit a brick wall with what appears an obstructive RSGB attitude, with no support whatsoever.
Ideally I would like to see a tiny 5kHz CEPT wide allocation, with a strict no-interference clause. This would allow real experimentation.
I am sure that OFCOM would be happy as they have allocated quite a few 8m I&T permits, some at far higher power and with far greater band coverage, all modes, with absolutely no means of tracing.
The RSGB appears to be the block, sadly. You would think we are asking for the impossible when they have already made available (via OFCOM) 2MHz of VHF spectrum for DTV and similar!
Come on RSGB!!! Provide some support please.
Nuclear fusion
Research into nuclear fusion seems to have been going on for decades. Every time it seems to hit a problem. If all the problems can be overcome, it promises almost limitless energy without the problems associated with nuclear fission.
It seems that problems are gradually being solved. As computing power increases I think we will eventually get there but it may be after I am dead.
16 Aug 2026
70cm activity contest
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| My single 70cm SSB contact |
To say I am under-equipped for 70cm SSB is a gross understatement! I use 10W to a 144MHz omni big-wheel antenna. I have a very poor voice as well, which does not help.
Usually I manage a few contacts and give up after about 30 minutes. This time I gave up after a single contact. I get the impression SSB activity is going down. I may be totally wrong. It is a shouting match that I find hard these days.
FT8 amazes me as I consistently spot stations at vast distances and have no trouble being received at distances I only dream about on SSB.
Strait of Hormuz
President Trump has, allegedly, promised to make the Strait of Hormuz USA territory after he wins the war with Iran.
With President Trump it is hard to separate fact from bluster. In my view, Iran has "all the cards" to use a phrase he used last year.
Amateur radio abbreviations
Ever wondered why we say CQ and 73 and a host of other codes in CW and voice modes? Peter's video may give some clues.
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0820z.
UPDATE 1941z: Spotted by 90 stations in Europe, presumably via Es. It never fails to amaze me how well just 200mW 10m WSPR performs. Now QRT.
Shield Bug
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It was about 2cm long and seemed to like my shirt and shoes!
In the end it flew away.
The Meidas Touch videos
It is pretty certain that Ben Meiselas has a very low opinion of President Trump judging by his videos.
15 Aug 2026
The Chinese are coming
For years the Chinese have been on the edge of the amateur radio market. Their products are usually far less expensive than their Japanese counterparts, but there has often been a question mark about quality and reliability.
It is my view that they will soon match the Japanese and grab the amateur radio market.
Already, many consumer products are "made in China" even if they were designed somewhere else. They take advantage of low labour and material prices.
They like volumes, so expect amateur radio and CB products to be similar. It would not surprise me if they had a product that was basically a commercial, amateur radio and CB transceiver that was basically the same radio to, effectively, increase volumes.
No, the Chinese are coming. Give them a few years.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0950z.
UPDATE 1012z: Spotted by nobody yet.
UPDATE 2109z: Spotted by 16 stations have spotted me with the best V51RS (8481km). QRT.
14 Aug 2026
Something different
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On Sunday, our local museum is holding its hugely popular classic car and bike day. This year they also have a tracked vehicle from the British Antarctic Survey.
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon has been on most of the morning.
UPDATE 1316z: Spotted by just 1 PD station in the Netherlands. It looks like days on end of good 10m Es are drawing to a close. The usual pattern in that Es openings become far less frequent as the months progress. There is (for some reason) a small peak around New Year.
UPDATE 1628z: Spotted by 3 stations. Not Es I think.
UPDATE 2005z: Spotted by 42 stations. Es.
13 Aug 2026
Eclipse
Yesterday evening we had a partial solar eclipse. In some places it was full, whereas here it was about 96%, which was quite a lot.
I was very underwhelmed.
In the full eclipse in 1999, it was very noticeable that it got darker. It went a bit darker, but not very dark. As we had no eclipse glasses, I used a kitchen colander. After all the hype, a bit of a damp squib.
Cash or mobile internet?
In Russia there has been a move away from the digital economy to cash.
My concern has always been that we rely on the internet more and more so that an internet outage here could cause real issues in the West too. Just imagine if we had no internet!
The issue in Russia is one of lack of trust.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
My beacon is on.
UPDATE 0917z: 17 stations have spotted me in the last hour - all in Europe.
Prior assumptions?
This video is mainly about the UK,, but probably applies across the world. It argues that every politician should be asked about the assumptions they are making and are there alternatives.
10m 200mW through the night
I left my beacon intentionally on again overnight. Plenty of spots again from Europe.
12 Aug 2026
Is the USA failing these days?
In the world at large, the USA has, sadly, become the butt of jokes. It once was a super-power and envy of the world. At home in the USA gas prices remain high. I must admit that every USA person I have ever met has been kind and generous.
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.
UPDATE 1918z: 84 stations have spotted me so far. Es continues.
11 Aug 2026
Is Russia having issues with oil exports?
Ukraine has changed its war strategy to hit oil refineries deep in Russia.
It has been trying to sell some of its oil abroad using shadow tankers.
These countries are now being hit by secondary sanctions. Much of this Russian oil is being held on tankers on the high seas with nowhere to go.
Eclipse
Tomorrow evening there is an eclipse which can be widely seen in Western Europe and Northern Canada. In some places it is a total eclipse, but in many places the sun is widely covered.
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-2a268141-80ca-480d-bd04-6cf688bcc3dd .
Trump failures?
From outside of the USA, it looks like President Trump is struggling.
At home and abroad things do not appear to be going his way.
I can only judge by what I see and hear. He is not projecting a positive view of the USA sadly, in my view.
Perseid MS shower
This meteor shower peaks (I think) tonight. It is not unusual for VHF contacts to be made via meteor showers. Often returns are longer in a shower.
DX Explorer and the Thinknode Meshcore M1 transceiver
There is a new video from DX Explorer about the Thinknode M1 LoRa transceiver.
Where he lives Meshcore seems more common than Meshtastic.
Range is always better if there are more stations in the mesh and there are well placed repeaters. As time progresses things will continue to get better.
I have no idea which system is more popular in your area. I see that Amazon sell these.
RIP
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0600z.
UPDATE 2105z: 54 stations have spotted me. Still good Es. Now QRT. The most distant station was in the Canary Is..
10 Aug 2026
Times Radio
President Trump seems to be in real trouble.
It looks like his stance on Gaza and Iran have failed dramatically.
QMX (not QMX+) is becoming a firm favourite
At the moment I do not own or use the QMX from QRP Labs. It is tiny and packs a lot of radio in a tiny space.
Is the USA on the way down?
Looking from the outside, you get the impression that the USA is on the way down and China is in the ascendancy.
More and more the USA is seen as an unreliable ally that cannot be trusted.
After WW2 the USA was seen as a world model - not any more, sadly. Would I trust the USA? No longer, I am afraid.
Sodium Ion powered trucks
In China they have just launched mining trucks powered by sodium-ion batteries.
Sodium is a very common material. Capacity is less than lithium batteries but they fully charge in just 12 minutes and work well in very cold weather.
Cars with sodium-ion batteries will follow.
You get the feeling China is winning in EVs.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
My beacon is back to full power: 200mW!! It was turned on at breakfast.
UPDATE 2023z: 48 stations have spotted me. I really like my ZachTek WSPR beacon. I usually turn it on about breakfast and check on WSPRnet where I am reaching. QRT.
Morris dancing
Morris dancing is very old dating back at least to the 1400s.
9 Aug 2026
Sunflowers
You can pick your own with the money going to charity.
They are such a sunny flower.
The photo shows me with my son.
Is Pete Hegseth about to be "thrown under a bus"?
The Times Trump Report (I think this is genuine) is talking about a row between President Trump and Pete Hegseth. I have no idea if this true.
YouTube and AI
These days it is very hard to tell what is really said and what is AI created. Even with sources you know and trust it is hard to tell if this is just an AI creation aiming to get money from clicks.
My advice has always been to use multiple sources.
Maybe it is safer to get videos from the original site so you can check the URL?
10m 6.3mW WSPR TX (Sunday)
UPDATE 0910z: Spotted by 10 stations in Europe, probably Es. I would expect to be spotted by several stations, but less often, as some spots will be too weak. By the way, it will still report me using 200mW as this is pre-programmed in the beacon, even though I have now got an extra 15dB attenuator in line.
UPDATE 1723z: Spotted by 19 stations.
Boy's Toys
There are other hobbies too that appeal mainly to men, like train spotting and model railways.
Yesterday, whilst we were at Ely, there was a gathering of the MG MX-5 owners club.
At a guess there were about 100 cars there, maybe more. I can imagine the conversations!
SPAM comments
A gentle reminder that all comments are vetted by me first. Any that are basically adverts will NOT appear on this site. Comments that are relevant will usually appear within hours.
2m activity contest
2 stations were worked on SSB in the first 13 minutes then I QSYed to 6m FT8. Many more would have been worked if I stayed longer. Maybe another time I should really try for longer?
8 Aug 2026
10m antenna
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It seems to work well.
You do NOT need big towers, high power or beams.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on early this morning.
UPDATE 1550z: Spotted by 23 stations. Good Es. Best is a spot from Israel.
Remote Scottish Islands
For some reason, remote islands have always fascinated me. This video describes 8 remote Scottish islands.
Roswell - 1947
Call me a born skeptic, but I do not believe many of the sightings of UFOs are evidence of alien life.
There have been many theories about what happened at Roswell, USA in the summer of 1947. Many conspiracy theories have emerged. This video may just be another.
What I do think is that there is very likely to be some form of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, although I am surprised that in over 60 years of looking (via SETI) we have found no evidence.
Ely for coffee
The photo shows the walk up to the cathedral.
7 Aug 2026
Neighbourhood Watch
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In the UK we have a number of neighbourhood watch groups.
Basically a community co-ordinator is told about any suspicious activity in the area and he circulates the information to neighbours. We have a good set of neighbours.
We had an informal gathering earlier this week.
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon was turned on at 0613z.
UPDATE 1533z: So far, spotted by 47 European stations.
6 Aug 2026
Used amateur radio gear
This video is produced from a USA perspective, but is probably universally true.
Several factors have combined and this affecting used gear prices and this disrupts the whole amateur radio economy.
In the USA licence numbers are up and attendance at major amateur radio gatherings is at an all-time high.
In my view the amateur radio hobby will be very different within 20 years.
Market Stalls
Every Wednesday, there are a few market stalls at our local garden centre. The stalls sell fish, vegetables and cheese. Everything is very fresh.
Have they gone?
During June and July they scream about the sky. Then you notice they have flown and the skies are quiet.
There may be a few stragglers, but most have gone until next May as they have been doing for thousands of years. Humbling.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
My beacon was turned at about 0825z.
UPDATE 1808z: 31 stations have spotted me, all in Europe.
Origins
It is probably true that if an Englishman goes back far enough he or she is related to royalty.
I can trace my dad's side without a break to the mid 1500s in a few parishes in South Devon including the one in the photo, Hope Cove, which was a small fishing village.
If you go back to the mid 1500s you have to have had about 8000 people for you to be here. If you go back another 500 years you would probably have had to have more than the entire population of England at that time!
5 Aug 2026
Time and memory
As far as I am aware I am not senile, just getting old!
These are the things that affect me:
- Time seems to go faster.
- I forget names of people.
- I get more tired faster.
- Physical things seem harder.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0645z.
UPDATE 1353z: Spotted by 19 stations in Europe.
Trump and Iran
Yet again, Iran and President Trump are centre stage. To a casual observer, things are worse.
I seem to recall President Trump claiming he could stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours? Hmm.Xiegu G7250 - more photos
China is coming up fast in the amateur radio market. There is a lot of interest in the new Xiegu G7250 transceiver.
Blackberries from OUR garden
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4 Aug 2026
Healthy breakfast
We usually have a cooked breakfast a couple of days a week.
PC issue?
My shack PC (an Asus) runs Windows 10 with updates turned off. My internet provider provides free security so I thought this would not matter. I also have Windows Defender and CCleaner. The PC is only really used for WSJT-X. I browse and email on a Chromebook in the lounge or on my iPhone SE.
Of late it seems to have developed memory faults and tries to reference memory locations it cannot find. It looks like my hard drive is failing.
Apart from moving to Linux, any suggestions please?
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0618z.
UPDATE 1707z: 5 stations spotting me. These are probably Es.
ZachTek WSPR beacon
As you may recall, I have used my ZachTek WSPR beacon most days (and some nights!) on 10m and I have been very pleased with it.
I just connect power and antenna and the device does the rest. No PC is needed. GPS works out the locator and it defaults to 200mW although this can be changed in software e.g. if you use attenuators or have a lossy coax.
The end of AM broadcasting?
There seems to be a move to close the remaining longwave and mediumwave AM transmitters.
The BBC recently closed Radio 4 on 198kHz longwave and there are fewer and fewer stations remaining on longwave and medium wave AM.
In the end I can see a day coming when all broadcasting is via the internet and not "over the air".
I would not be surprised if we see the end of linear broadcasting completely. Instead people would watch what they want when they want whether radio or TV. The danger is if we ever lose the internet we lose all broadcasting. This could be hacking or just a fault.
3 Aug 2026
Faroe Is
The Faroe Islands are between the Shetland Islands and Iceland. I have never been there. A friend who lives there frequently posts some excellent photos.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
As mentioned earlier, my beacon is on.
UPDATE 1455z: 9 stations have spotted me since breakfast. Es presumably
10m 200mW WSPR overnight again
Overnight (suitable supervised - the TX is about 3m from the bed)) I left my 10m QRP WSPR beacon running again.
Yet again I was spotted in Spain and the Canary Is. throughout the night. Es is definitely not just a daytime thing!
2 Aug 2026
The USA and Iran
Allegedly, President Trump has called off the latest strikes against Iran as they are desperate for a deal. We have heard this before.
As an outsider, it appears Iran has the USA "over a barrel" with a stranglehold on Western oil trade amongst other things.
President Trump likes to be a powerful winner and he does not like small countries that appear to have got the better of him.
Classic Car Day - Burwell, Cambridgeshire, UK
On Sunday August 16th they are holding their annual Classic Car Day. It is always very popular and attracts lots of old cars, motorbikes and people.
Experimenting with an ATU for EFHW antennas
DX Explorer appeals to me.
He is a real experimenter and learns through doing. One of his videos shows his experiments with an ATU for his end fed antenna trying to use it on other bands.
Solid state EV batteries nearer
BYD (allegedly) has just filed some new patents. BYD is working towards a future electric car that is designed for the mass markets (i.e. low cost, fast charging and decent range). I am sure other car manufacturers are racing to achieve this.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Sunday)
My beacon was turned on at breakfast.
UPDATE 2036z: 55 stations have spotted me with lots of Es. Best is 5Z4ZO (7269km).
Portable operation
This photo must date from the early 2000s I think, or more probably in the 1990s judging by my hair colour!
I am operating portable from my mother's garden in Devon on 10m SSB with 1W to a vertical mag-mount on the grass. It worked very well.
1 Aug 2026
Italy back on 8m
Italian radio amateurs have again been granted access to the 8m band. It is a real pity that in the UK the RSGB (or parts of it?) seem so against 8m when all we need is a 5kHz sliver, non-interference, narrow digital only, when several EU administrations have granted access. Also, judging by the I&T licences, I do not think OFCOM is anti, just the RSGB.
Petition the RSGB - 5kHz wide only, narrow digital only, strictly non-interference, NoV required.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Saturday)
My beacon has been on since about 0530z.
UPDATE 0806z: So far 34 stations have spotted me.
31 Jul 2026
6m 1W FT8 (Thursday)
My gear has been on most of the day.
UPDATE 1908z: So far, spotted by 176 stations, mainly Es in Europe. I think I need to try re-installing WSJT-X or get a new PC. It seems to fail to upload spots I make and cannot access certain memory locations as if my hard drive is failing. Never seen this before. Seems to work fine unless the program tries to use these memory locations.
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon has been on all day.
UPDATE 1800z: 97 stations have spotted me today with the best 5Z4GO (7269km).
Heathkit HW8
.PNG)
As mentioned before, I recently bought a second-hand HW8. This product is often used for restoration and modification.
Home grown tomatoes
However, I like the smell and the taste always seems better if you grow them yourself.
I wish mine looked like these seen at the nearby village of Lode.
Israel, Gaza and the West Bank
Let me say from the very outset that I abhor violence of any kind.
Recently, in the UK, there has been an uptick of anti-semitism with attacks on synagogues which is totally unacceptable.
This is what I wrote on Facebook in 2015!!
“Israel - as a nation SHAME ON YOU for the attack on a Palestinian home in the occupied territories. No amount of apologies from the Israeli head of government can make this other than STATE terrorism.”
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvwjmme3p0o . Hmmm...and Israel will agree??
30 Jul 2026
Local walk
.jpeg)
We went there for a walk this morning.
This used to be on the bus route, but it now bypasses it on the way to Cambridge.
The Es season
At the moment the Es season in the Northern Hemisphere is still good.
In my experience it peaks May, June and July but continues with less force into August and even September. As time progresses the openings get fewer and fewer.
Usually Es means short skip on 10m, 6m and 4m, and even 2m at rare times.
We also see far more distant E openings, but I am less sure about the mechanism: some may be multi-hop Es, but I am sure some must be some sort of chordal hop E layer. Maybe this is more common in the Es season?
Trump running in 2028?
The USA constitution prevents a president running for office more than 2 times. Sadly, Trump and his friends could change this so this could happen.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
As mentioned before, my beacon was already on.
UPDATE 0901z: So far today, 33 stations have spotted me. Good Es.
UPDATE 1127z: 10m opened to the USA again. 37 stations have spotted me today.
6m 1W FT8 (Thursday)
My gear was turned on at about 0851z.
UPDATE 0856z: So far, 5 spots with some Es.
10m 200mW WSPR overnight
As an experiment, I left my beacon running (suitably supervised) overnight. Quite surprised to get several spots at daft times!
29 Jul 2026
Cities around the world by car (amazing)
Just now I found another great internet resource. It lets you see a driver's eye view of cities around the world. It is amazing.
Society-wide collapse?
At the back of my mind is a worry.
We depend increasingly on the internet. If that was hacked or to collapse we would be in real trouble.
Many in the West increasingly pay by card rather than cash. Many of our bills are paid by bank transfer, airlines take bookings over the internet. Probably our energy, water and sewers depend on the net. Most communication is by email. Banking depends increasingly on the internet. Financial trades depend on the internet.
And so it goes on.
It bothers me that all this could come tumbling down.
Now, humans are resourceful and given time we would find a way of managing, but this would be a shock.
6m 1W FT8 (Wednesday)
My gear was turned on after breakfast.
UPDATE 1333z: 37 stations have spotted me.
UPDATE 2129z: By chance I went back on 6m FT8 this evening. My 1W FT8 was spotted across the Atlantic by VO1SIX (3931km) and VO1NC (3755km). Now QRT on 6m.
UPDATE 2135z: 52 stations have spotted my 1W 6m FT8.
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0615z.
UPDATE 1335z: So far spotted by 18 stations with the best VE3HOA (5384km). Most were EUs via Es.
28 Jul 2026
Sodium batteries
Sodium rechargeable batteries are coming on stream. They will rival lithium-ion batteries and need no rare earth materials.
New reserve currency?
Since after WW2 and the Breton Woods meeting, the US dollar has been the reserve currency in the world. Oil is priced in US dollars.
However, the world is changing. The US dollar is no longer considered such a safe haven. Arguably, the USA is on the way down and China is on the way up.
Maybe the Chinese Yuan will become the currency everyone will trust and trade in?
CB FT8
A few days ago I read that 27.265MHz was a popular spot for CB FT8, so I am monitoring it.
UPDATE 1436z: 329CZ045 (1020km) has appeared on PSKreporter screen from the Czech Republic. I guess I must mug up on CB callsigns!
UPDATE 1556z: Spotting several CBers in southern Europe. Many of the callsigns mean nothing to me! I need to search these on Google.
UPDATE 1559z: A useful resource appears to be https://www.radio-workshop.co.uk/pdf/cb-callsigns-table.pdf.
UPDATE 2057z: 11 stations have been spotted. See map. Now QRT. That was quite interesting. 27.265 will be worth monitoring in the quiet years when 10m appears dead.
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