Cambridge bikes - NOT amateur radio

This was taken yesterday - a typical Cambridge scene. 

Sunspots - Thursday August 11th 2022

Solar flux is 108 and the SSN 60. A=11 and K=2.

Swifts gone - NOT amateur radio

It is now several days since I last saw, or heard, a swift. I think most of these birds have now left on their long migration to central Africa. They usually return in April. They feed and sleep on the wing - quite remarkable birds. 

As a teenager I picked one up from the road. It was kept overnight, then happily flew away the next morning, apparently unharmed. So I am one of the rare few who have held a swift in the hand.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .

Rally news

 The following rally has been notified to me. As I have said before, please contact whoever runs the rally to check details. The date I have is a Friday, which seems odd to me. Normally rallies are on Saturdays or Sundays. This is in the evening at 6.30pm. According to their website, it is a mini-rally.

August 12th - Cockenzie and Port Seton ARC. see www.cpsarc.com . 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

 I have been on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from my W5OLF beacon. No spots this morning.

UPDATE 1352z: Local G4KPX (14km) spotting me.

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

This is where I come from in South Devon - Salcombe. I lived here until I was 9. We moved about 6 miles! 

20m FT8 RX with the Miracle Whip

Overnight I left my FT817ND on FT8 RX using the Miracle Whip on the shack windowsill on 20m. 

UPDATE 0731z:  218 stations spotted on the Miracle Whip since yesterday,

8m experiment (Wednesday)

As I am out much of the morning I hope to be on 8m TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 early.

UPDATE 0625z:  Gear turned on at 0555z. Now off. No Spots.

UPDATE 1405z:  EI9KP (649km) has spotted me. Back on TX again.

VLF experiments

This photo is probably about 10 years old and shows me experimenting around 17 kHz with earth-mode communication through the ground. 

Early 2000s?

My XYL found this photo of me in what was probably the early 2000s. It shows me with the FT817 and a Miracle Whip at the operating table in the bedroom.