Old relative? - NOT amateur radio

We found this when clearing my mum's house years ago. It was a Facebook memory. 

Staggering numbers - NOT amateur radio

Continuously, I get amazed by the number of planets in the universe. One estimate puts the number of planets as 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, which is totally mind blowing. 

At the same time SETI has been searching the universe since the 1960s and have found not a single sign of intelligent life. To me, I find this odd. In the early days, equipment was not as sophisticated as today. However, by now, I would have expected to find something.

My only conclusion is that our view of the universe must be flawed or that we are somehow missing something important.  

To me, all our religious beliefs are too "Earth centred".

I look at the heavens and feel awe.

See https://www.seti.org/ .

70cm activity contest

Last evening, I took part in the 70cm UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB. As I had just sold my IC-705, I had to use my FT817ND at 2.5W without the speech processor. 

To my surprise I worked 6 stations and some good DX as the map shows.

Once again, my antenna was the 2m big-wheel omni.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 15th 2023

Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 206.  A=8 and K=4.

Hawkedon, Suffolk NOT amateur radio

The photo shows two of the grandchildren on a walk at Hawkedon in Suffolk today.  

Our son says it is a lovely walk we must do.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkedon .

Reset done on the FT-710AESS

Just now, I did a microprocessor reset on the FT-710AESS. Indeed the audio does come out of both speakers, but there still seems far more from the external speaker irrespective of the AESS balance. Overall, I am not impressed with this AESS "feature". The rest of the rig seems excellent.  At QRP levels, I doubt I shall hear the fan very often! In fact, I have never heard it yet!

UPDATE  1638z:   Must try the transceiver with FT8 soon.

Almost forgot!

Almost as time was running out, I remembered that I had not submitted an entry for the 2m UKAC activity contest for February. With just 2 QSOs before my voice said "enough", I expect I shall be somewhere near the bottom of the low power section! 

Hare Park, Chippenham near Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

This photo of my wife and I was taken at nearby Hare Park, Chippenham earlier.

10m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

 On my 500mW QRP WSPR beacon again. So far today, spotted by 16 unique stations at 1356z.

UPDATE 1636z: 27 unique station spots of my QRP WSPR today (see table).

UPDATE 1730z:  The map shows the spots of me today. 

See http://wspr.rocks/.

UPDATE 1955z:   29 unique stations have spotted me.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

Just been copied across the Atlantic again on 40.680 MHz FT8 - VO1SIX (3933km).  Again, my power was 2.5W to the low wire dipole. On RX G9PUV and G4APB copied probably by F2 back scatter.