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.
12 Aug 2026
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.
UPDATE 0848z: 26 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
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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
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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.
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0715z.
UPDATE 1326z : 22 stations spotting me. Best is K3FEF (5590km). See map from WSPR Rocks.
27 Jul 2026
Swifts (birds)
Often, they just go and it takes a few days to realise they are no longer around. Their return each May always gladdens my heart.
UPDATE July 28th: Still swifts here.
Russia in trouble?
In the last few months Ukraine has changed its method of fighting the war with Russia.
Increasingly Ukraine is hitting oil refineries in Russia leading to a fuel shortage. Russia continues to hit Ukraine, but the strikes in Russia are leading to real problems.
Chariots of the Gods?
When I was younger a popular non-fiction book was "Chariots of the Gods" by Erich von Daniken. I see it is still available from Amazon.
The premise of the book, as I recall, was that we might have been visited by aliens from other worlds that people interpreted as supernatural. Remember we still believed in witches not too long ago!
The premise might be wrong, but remember people would not have known how to interpret such events back then.
It is possible that many past things and religious events could have had a non-supernatural origin. This is true in the Jewish and Christian traditions and in other great religions around the world.
I am not saying these great events were not supernatural, but they could have been something totally outside of the experiences of people at the time.
It is true to say, I am agnostic.
Who are the real experimenters?
Sadly there are fewer experimenters around these days.
In the early days of amateur radio everyone had to build their own gear as commercial products simply did not exist. In more recent times people, in the main, have bought transceivers mainly from Japan.
One person stands out as a real experimenter, VK3YE, who has always been prepared to "roll up his sleeves" and try things. He has made lots of videos, written books and runs a website. To my mind he is a real radio amateur. Thank you.
Future amateur allocations
The nature of LF, MF and shortwave is changing.
As mentioned before, it would not surprise me if the military in many countries "reserves" access rights "just in case" satellites are not available for any reason.
Hopefully, experimenters could be granted access except in times of conflict.
In my view, this is NOT just radio amateurs. I would like to think that anyone could be granted access to wide chunks of spectrum, for experimental work, with strict rules about ID and closing down in cases of emergency or interference. You would expect PTTs to want emails, addresses and phone numbers in case anyone had to be notified to close down.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Monday)
Shortly I expect to go on 10m WSPR TX with my little beacon.
UPDATE 1710z: 91 stations spotting me with the best Israel.
The peak of amateur radio?
These magazines were on this blog some years ago. They were bought at a bookshop in Hay-On-Wye which is famous for its bookshops.
Reading them you get a sense of just how exciting radio really was back then.
Getting older
This weekend I heard about the death of a school friend.
I guess as we get older this will be more common. At one time it was another generation. Now it is my generation! He died suddenly and as far as I know without pain.
I guess this is a wake-up call: we all have a finite time. Milk life.
26 Jul 2026
China's car market falls
In China, the sale of cars, especially petrol cars, has fallen dramatically. Cars in China are far lower in price than in the West.
War comes to Russia
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going since 2022. Recently Ukraine has been attacking targets deep in Russia, so ordinary Russians are beginning to feel the pain.
Italian obesity
After WW2 Italy was praised for its healthy diet and was the model of the world for its Mediterranean diet and very low rate of heart disease.
These days have gone and many Italian children are obese.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Sunday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0902z.
UPDATE 1715z: 41 stations have spotted me, most by Es. Best is EA8BFK (2880km).
FT8 on CB
Although I have not tried it apparently FT8 is becoming a popular mode for CB DX chasers. I have not tried CB for years, but might try monitoring for fun as I cannot TX on the CB frequencies.
25 Jul 2026
24 Jul 2026
Solid state batteries in EVs?
There has been an announcement made that Samsung is in pre-production with a solid state battery.
At first these could be expensive. As production ramps up prices will drop dramatically. Range could be huge and charge times fast.
6m 1W FT8 (Friday)
My gear was turned on at about 0600z.
UPDATE 0625z: Just UK spots so far.
UPDATE 0803z: Plenty of Es stations from southern Europe. Power set at 1W (was 5W).
UPDATE 1404z: My 1W 6m FT8 spotted by 368 stations so far today with the best VE1PZ (4504km). Yet again across the Atlantic with 1W on 6m. See map of stations spotting my 1W 6m FT8 today.
23 Jul 2026
Taxing big landowners?
There has always been a reluctance in the UK to tax really big landowners; the fear is they will up and leave the country. The answer is surely to increase their tax just enough to bring in what is needed (say 1% more) but not enough to really "rock the boat".
In the UK there are some really big land owners like many of the Cambridge Colleges, the Duchy of Cornwall, the Duke of Westminster and the Church of England. If all these were taxed just a little bit more I am sure they would hardly notice. I am sure this could finance social care and defence.
It is unfair to put the burden on the average person or those in greatest need. Those with the broadest shoulders should carry the heaviest load - always. Why should people have to sell their homes to pay for care?
Trump Supporters
Based on some comments that YouTube algorithms might be pointing me to anti-Trump videos, I searched YouTube for "Trump supporters". This appeared. It might help to explain things.
Still the vast majority of videos question why he was elected. Assuming everything was fair, I guess his election is a reflection of over half those that voted.
I had always assumed the USA was a fair minded country interested in justice for all.
New Chinese 100W HF+6m radio announced
Xiegu has announced the G7250 transceiver. At one time Chinese radios were considered inferior to Japanese transceivers. Quality has improved from China and prices are always very good.
6m 1W FT8 (Thursday)
 |
| Stations spotting my 3W 6m FT8 today at 0810z |
My gear has been on since before breakfast.
UPDATE 0810z: 66 stations have spotted me. I see Europeans (better equipped than me!) are working the Far East on 6m FT8.
Stations spotted here today on 6m FT8
UPDATE 1813z: Spotted by 357 stations with the best UN0GY (5528km). Yet again 6m was open to the USA and Caribbean. Although I could spot stations, my 1W was not enough.
PIN removal
My shack PC had a PIN . The trouble was that Windows had a glitch and frequently forgot it! Carefully following Google, I have removed it. It was a right pain.
22 Jul 2026
6m 500mW FT8 (Wednesday)
Still plenty of Es on 6m.
UPDATE 1923z: So far today, my 500mW 6m FT8 has been spotted by 201 stations.
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon has been on since breakfast.
UPDATE 1924z: So far, spotted by 113 stations.
21 Jul 2026
6m 500mW FT8 (Tuesday)
It was late afternoon before I went on.
UPDATE 1845z: Spotted by 27 stations in Europe.
Oil prices - going up?
Whatever your views, the Iran war is now going on for months and fuel prices are rising again.
In my view, this war was a mistake.
Iran is (arguably) no wonderful land of peace and love. Judging by the videos I have seen it is (was?) a beautiful place, that nobody has a right to destroy. This war has put back efforts to convert this country away from being considered a warmonger to a peace loving nation.
We have seen vandals in the past who have destroyed things of beauty just because the rulers at the time did not approve - think of the UK King Henry VIII and the English Civil War and actions in Syria and Afghanistan by the Taliban.
Google Adsense rubbish
According to Google Adsense my blog had nearly 1 million views yesterday in one day. There is no way at all this is correct! It's very flattering (!) but totally wrong! Not sure what algorithm is being used, but it is very very wrong.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Tuesday)
My 200mW WSPR beacon was turned on mid morning.
UPDATE 1900z: So far today, 53 stations have spotted me.
Toyota Solid State EV?
Recently Toyota announced a car with a solid state battery. The solid state battery has been delayed and delayed.
This (somewhat sceptical) video examines the claims. Yes, solid state batteries could unlock far less expensive EVs with great range.
Yesterday on 6m FT8
Yesterday was another good 6m day.
My 500mW FT8 was spotted widely by 358 stations in the last day including KP4AA (6905km) in the Caribbean. So my 500mW 6m FT8 has now been spotted across the Atlantic twice in 2 days!
On RX, several stations in the USA were spotted on 6m FT8. The map shows the stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX yesterday.
20 Jul 2026
Is President Trump supported?
I have looked for videos and people supportive of President Trump, but I have totally failed. I have found not one video and not one person outside his inner circle that supports him - not a single one! I would have expected some that would support him, but I cannot find any!
If he really is this hated, why is he still there?
In the interest of fairness, please would those that do support him make a comment? It would be good to hear what "Joe Public" has to say.
6m 500mW FT8 (Monday)
My gear was turned on mid-morning.
UPDATE 1026z: Spotted by 69 stations with the best D4L (4517km) in Cape Verde Islands. Good Es again today with 500mW.
UPDATE 1533z: Spotted by 281 stations today. On 6m FT8 RX quite a few stations in the USA and Caribbean have been spotted.
This is far from scientific, but the impression I get with Es is that 6m QRP FT8 TX is more productive than 10m QRP WSPR. I know this is like comparing apples with pears, but it seems easier with 6m FT8 than 10m WSPR. On 10m I run 200mW whereas on 6m 500mW. I would guess ERPs are similar. WSPR can decode far weaker signals, but needs far longer. I guess Es conditions often are fleeting and less suited to WSPR.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
My 200mW beacon was turned on early this morning.
UPDATE 1511z: So far spotted by 84 stations. Good Es mainly around Europe.
Yesterday with 500mW 6m FT8
Even with just 500mW FT8 from the rig, cheap CB coax and a V2000 omni antenna I was spotted deep in the USA on 6m.
There were lots of USA stations spotted on RX and 80 stations spotted overall after a mid-afternoon start.
500mW seems quite enough!
FIFA Football World Cup 2026
Although not a great football fan, I watched some of the matches. The best team, Spain, won.
Overall, I do not think this will go down in history as a great set of games: some venues were hot and humid, tickets were very expensive and the fans had lots of travel.
President Trump, allegedly, knew little about the game and overall FIFA appeared grovelling. I am not saying they were, but that was how it appeared to me.
I was glad President Trump did not make a speech at the end.
19 Jul 2026
6m 500mW FT8 (Sunday)
My gear was turned on at about 1415z.
UPDATE 1428z: Spotted by F6BNX (1099km) and EA8JF (2831km).
Next door’s plums
At one time it was weddings, then Christenings. Soon it will be funerals!
It seems many of my friends are now starting to show the signs of old age.
6m 500mW FT8 (Sunday) - not yet!
My shack PC is playing up again.
When I try to enter my PIN, it thinks I am offline. Apparently this is a common issue with Windows. Last time it just fixed itself, so I shall try again later with fingers crossed.
My intention was to try 500mW FT8 today on 6m.
Darker evenings
In the Northern Hemisphere, after the summer solstice, evenings start to get darker earlier. At first, this is slow, but by September it becomes obvious. This year, rather than long for the return of brighter evenings, I intend to just accept them and enjoy them.
Every season has something good.
At present we have summer to be enjoyed.
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
UPDATE 1351z: 31 stations have spotted me.
Søren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard was a famous Danish philosopher. One of his famous sayings (been on before) was:
"Life can only be understood backwards. But must be lived forwards".
Getting ready for the football last night
Despite England being out of the FIFA World Cup final they were clearly hoping plenty would turn out for the third place match which they won 6:4.
I hope that Spain win in the final and President Trump says nothing.
Windows 12?
The trouble with YouTube these days is that it is very hard to tell what is real and what is just AI clickbait. I am still on Windows 10! This appeared yesterday.
18 Jul 2026
The nature of time
This is a philosophical question.
We experience time as flowing from the past into the future obeying the laws of thermodynamics that things get more disordered following entropy.
All this could be an illusion in our finite brains.
At the quantum level current theories show some things independent of time and that time does not just flow forward.
I think we just have to admit we do not know.
The Iran war
In my view, President Trump has made matters in the Middle East and the world far worse.
With Israel, he started a war. I assume President Trump was expecting a more pro-Western government to emerge? This has not happened. Iran has emerged stronger.
Iran has long been known as having a nasty government, but the USA is, sadly, seen by many in the world as a bully. This is so sad as when I have been involved with people in the USA they have, without fail, been warm, kind and generous.
The world has been cushioned by the release of strategic reserves, but these cannot go on for ever.
The world is in great danger of a financial shock as a result of the war against Iran, that badly misfired.
6m 2W FT8 (Saturday)
My gear was turned on at about 0620z.
UPDATE 1924z: Spotted by 241 stations today. Tomorrow I shall probably try 500mW FT8. QRT soon.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on at 0620z.
UPDATE 1923z: 49 stations have spotted my little beacon. QRT soon.
6m 3W FT8 yesterday
You can tell we’re in the Es season as I was widely spotted across Europe on 6m FT8 yesterday.
In all, 237 stations spotted me.
Outside the Es season mostly it’s white noise.
Portable operation
Especially when the weather is good (as in most of the UK recently), many enjoy portable operations with SOTA and POTA becoming popular.
It is not uncommon to leave something at home, especially if lots are being packed.
MLS has produced a video recommending some of the products they sell.
17 Jul 2026
2m 5W FT8 (Friday)
For a change, I am on 2m FT8 with 5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.
UPDATE 1537z: So far, spotted by 10 English stations. Furthest is G7RAU (460km) in Cornwall.
Sinclair
In his time Sir Clive Sinclair was a real innovator.
In my early days at work, I was once asked for my advice from Sir Clive about antennas for his pocket TV. I think there was a possibility of my company developing ICs jointly with Sinclair.
Wisely, I think he chose a different antenna, but it was a highlight of my early years!
Meshtastic v Meshcore? - the jury is out
For those unfamiliar with these license free mesh systems, the jury is out.
It reminds me a bit like VHS v Betamax. It also reminds me of the early days of the internet, when things were far from mature. It would not surprise me if things quickly mature and one system soon dominates.
In cities where the coverage is good, these systems. that do not depend on the internet, probably work quite well. In rural areas or where coverage is poor, it is probably of limited use at the moment.
I have never used either ...... yet. At the moment I am waiting! I hope it's better than pocket calculators where I waited and waited.😊
Free food
We always have some with breakfast and my wife makes a lovely blackberry and apple crumble which is great with ice-cream.
The Trump Report
Every Thursday there is an hour long edition of the Trump Report with Professor Scott Lucas.
Still swifts (birds)
Most have flown south from here by August.
They were still around in the skies overhead when we had coffee outside just now.
I am pleasantly surprised by the numbers holding up. Numbers have fallen in the last 30 years and they are on the RSPB's red list of endangered species.
6m 3W FT8 (Friday)
My gear was turned on about 0900z.
UPDATE 1817z: So far spotted by 152 stations today. Mostly European Es.
Oscar 100 geosynchronous satellite
It’s a while since I peeked at activity on this satellite. Activity remains low.
Miniature Radio
This radio was less than £20 delivered from China. Remarkable. It really really is tiny.
Yes, that is an SMA antenna connector and USB-C charger socket.
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0520z.
UPDATE 1423z: Spotted by 10 stations by Es.
16 Jul 2026
10m 200mW WSPR ((Thursday)
My beacon was turned on at teatime.
UPDATE 2013z: 23 stations have spotted me.
6m 3W FT8 (Thursday)
My gear was turned on at teatime.
UPDATE 2010z: Spotted by 78 stations this evening.
EV prices are falling
Worldwide, the price of electric vehicles (EVs) is falling.
Batteries are far less expensive and getting better with more range and faster charging.
The USA is in danger of being left behind.
The war in the Middle East is also accelerating this change away from fossil fuels.
Reverse Beacon Network
When I find my CW key (!) I must try my HW8 (2W) on the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) if the bands are dead.
The RBN logs SDR reception and collects the data, so you can see where your CW signal gets.
Very useful when there is little activity.
See https://www.reversebeacon.net/
40s day again
As posted recently, last Sunday was the 40s day at our local museum. It is very popular. This is another view.
Growing fast
That’s life.
Infinity
Our brains don’t cope with infinity.
We struggle to think of an infinite universe or an infinite number of universes.
With infinity every choice we have ever made may actually exist even though we choose one path.
No, infinity is impossible to imagine.
Shortwave changing
Shortwave use is changing.
When I was young, there was a raft of shortwave broadcast stations in multiple languages. Many broadcasters have closed for good as most people now get their information by other means including the internet. Some broadcasters have closed to save costs.
Also many amateur bands are far quieter as a result of modes like FT8.
No, things are very different today.
People may think of shortwaves as a backup when the internet or satellites are not available. It would not surprise me if the military reserves multiple frequencies.
15 Jul 2026
Effective FT8 communications
FT8 is a popular mode, especially if you are chasing DX. This video gives some tips to optimise FT8. I think sometimes people use FT8 in preference to SSB or FM. This is good in the short-term, but most are very unlikely to find the hobby by chance.
Google SPAM filter
Gmail puts things in a SPAM folder that it thinks is junk. Maybe 1 time in 1000 it gets this wrong so I always do a quick check before deleting.
Most times it tells me (again) that all my photos are about to be deleted and someone has a wet "cat" and desires my company 😂 .
Overall, it does a good job.
What if Spain won the FIFA Football World Cup?
There is a real possibility that Spain could win the FIFA Football World Cup .....in the USA.
President Trump allegedly hates Spain. Hmm.... Interesting.
The Middle East war
It would seem allegedly that President Trump has made a mess in the Middle East. Iran still has a hard-line government, and the Strait of Hormuz is a choke point.
President Trump claims a victory and says Iran is desperate for a deal .... I have lost count how many times he has said this!
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on just before breakfast,
UPDATE 2048z: 43 stations have spotted me. I am being spotted in the USA with the best KQ2Y (5476km). This station is in Connecticut.
Protein - the new advertising fad
Have you noticed how we are being bombarded by adverts that push proteins? It would seem this is the new fad in advertising.
War crimes
It would appear many powerful leaders are ignoring future war crimes prosecutions.
Many of the most potent leaders in the world face possible war crimes and (I think) could face prosecution and imprisonment if they landed in certain countries.
No doubt this would lead to diplomatic incidents but could lead to careful travel planning.
70cm activity contest
Because of the football, I was on later than usual and then only a short while. 4 stations were worked.
Good fun in the football hydration break!!
14 Jul 2026
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon has been on since mid-morning.
UPDATE 2041z: 44 stations have spotted me today. Now QRT.
The quartz crystal man
During my work days there was a very modest man who knew just about everything about quartz crystals in the days before synthesizers.
Long after I retired, I found out lots about him I never knew in my work days. He was a brave man involved in the D-Day landings and was a POW.
He was awarded a medal by the French and died in his 90s. If only I had known years before.
This piece appeared in a newspaper some years ago although I have no idea which one!
Often you really know very little about people: you don't really know what their history was or the pain they are going though now.
Fresh eggs for breakfast
I know what we are having for breakfast!
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