630m QRP WSPR overnight

This was the best session for a while with my 10mW ERP being spotted by 8 stations. "Not dead yet" seems to be the message.

Sunspots - Saturday May 4th

 Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 121. A=10 and K=1.

Ukraine future - NOT amateur radio

Russia invading Ukraine was clearly wrong. 

What I am unsure about is Russia's intentions afterwards. In the end I suspect some of Ukraine will, in effect, be ceded to Russia or become "independent".

Several questions are begged:

• Why did the West do very little when Russia annexed Crimea about 10 years ago?
• Why did the West not intervene when Ukraine territories in the East were being fought over years ago?

One outcome I can see is:

• Crimea and disputed Ukraine eastern territories are made neutral states with UN protection.
• The people of eastern Ukraine territories and Crimea are offered free elections under the control of a neutral country or the UN acceptable to Russia and Ukraine.
• Russia is told in no uncertain terms that any attack on any NATO country would be dealt with by a massive response by all NATO states.
• Ukraine becomes a neutral country and vows never to join NATO.
• NATO declares never to attack or invade Russia.

We know the Russian people are "fed a line" by Putin and state media.  What we do not know is how "whiter than white" the West is.  I suspect we are not being told the full story.

Invading a neighbour can never be right though.

Cambridge Botanic Garden - NOT amateur radio

 

This photo was taken at the Botanic Garden on Wednesday.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 2.5W FT8  to the V2000 vertical omni antenna is on. So far, spotted widely across Europe (see map) by 20 stations.

UPDATE 1052z:   38 stations have spotted me.

Stations spotting my
2.5W 6m FT8 today

UPDATE 1529z:   45 stations have spotted me today. Now switched to 10mW 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1810z: No spots of me on QRPP WSPR.

10m QRPP WSPR (Friday)

Today I am back to 500uW on 10m WSPR. I shall resync to internet time after breakfast.

UPDATE 1807z:  Internet time resync done early this morning. No spots.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

With 4 stations spotting my 10mW ERP overnight on 630m WSPR, the message is ‘not done yet’.

Golden Barrel Cactus - NOT amateur radio

This was seen at the Cambridge University Botanical Garden earlier in the week.

Sunspots - Friday May 3rd

 Solar flux is 142 and the SSN 125. A=44 and K=1.

Last gasp on 630m QRP WSPR

At about 2000z this evening, I shall try 630m WSPR for probably the last time until the autumn. 

I am unsure what nighttime challenge I shall try instead. 

My tests with 10mW ERP 630m WSPR using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground have been fun. The beauty is that neither my XYL nor the neighbours have any idea it is there!  

From my WSPR tests, I suspect it is only about 2 S-points down on a monster antenna and ground.