Wall map - NOT amateur radio

This wall map is in our small bedroom where our grandsons sleep. Occasionally it falls down and is a right pain to put back. It fell off a few days ago and was put back yesterday.

Visitor Map - NOT amateur radio

Usually I can see where visitors to my blog are from. This was very useful to see where hackers were located. This is a map visible only to me. For several days now, this has not been working. It looks like a Google issue, which I hope is soon resolved.

Lately, several things seem to be getting worse. Several of our famous high street shops have closed as we buy more and more online. Our only bank in the village has closed (similar reason). Picasa no longer allows me to send photos, etc. It almost seems we are going backwards!

DX spots map

If you want to see which bands are "open" to where then this site might be of interest. You can select bands, modes and continents.

See https://www.dxmaps.com/spots/mapg.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&ML=M&Map=NA&HF=N&DXC=ING2&GL=N

Lightning maps

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

I find these maps very useful as they give advanced warnings of approaching storms. Even when storms are some way away you can get surges that can damage equipment. With approaching storms I tend to disconnect radios and PCs and unplug antennas and mains connectors.

Years ago, a friend at work got struck (his house) and I have always been a bit wary since. Thunder and lightning can be very nasty.

Approaching storms

Although the nearest electrical storms are some way off (West Country and over the Cherbourg Pennisula) they are likely to be here tomorrow. As a precaution, I shall disconnect all rigs and antennas before bedtime. Probably they won't be here until later in the day, but better to be safe than sorry.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

More lightning maps

In an earlier blog post comment, a reader pointed out that on the latest version of these maps there is more detail: the maps show where the lightning flashes are being detected, so giving an idea of intensity.  See http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en. These maps really tell you a lot. It shows no thunder or lightning at present in the UK. Over the Alps it is still intense and now in Russia as well.

G0LRD tells me this data is also available on the maps I linked to if "stations" are selected.