AI crappery

At one time I enjoyed YouTube, but sadly you no longer can be sure that anything is real. 

I watched a very long video supposed to be by Brian Cox. It was clearly not by Brian Cox. Last week I watched a video that was meant to be the thoughts of Einstein.

The message is clear: you cannot know what is real and what is AI. The only thing you can do is assume everything is generated by AI unless you can be absolutely certain of the source.

Is there a universe?

This is a philosophical question. 

Is there any way of proving anything exists outside of ourselves? 

We observe everything through our senses and neurons. What happens when these are no more?  Does the world and universe still exist or is it only there because we observe it?

Ralph Waldo Emerson quote

" Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

This was a quote I cam across earlier from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

ZachTek WSPR transmitter

These are handmade in Sweden, although there is a Chinese rip-off that is available for much less. I think if files are available on the internet there is always a danger of this happening. 

I am not sure what protection registering the design gives, but I guess it must offer some help.

As I understand things, the Chinese rip-off does NOT contain switchable low pass filters, so the harmonic output is unlikely to be very good.

See https://www.zachtek.com/product-page/wspr-desktop-transmitter 

Saturday plans

 Probably 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8, although I am not sure.

Sunspots - Saturday December 6th

 Solar  flux is 206 and the SSN 133.  A=13 and K=4.

Oscar 100

MLS, one of the large UK distributors, is selling the DX Patrol Ground Staion for QO-100. I guess you have to add a GPS external reference, a LNB, a dish and a TX antenna.  

Probably you would still get change from £2k, which is less than the cost of many HF transceivers, a linear and a beam on a tower plus rotator. I guess operators now have confidence in this after many years.

The advantages are many.  The dish is small, fixed and no HF rig is needed. Within the footprint of the satellite DX is always available and without QSB. In many ways I am quite surprised many DXers have not gone for this option already.

I prefer experimentation.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ if you want to take a peek.

Incidentally, I heard recently about someone in the UK working a German station who was mobile on Oscar 100!! I think the station in the car was listening on the webSDR but using the 2.3GHz uplink to the satellite.

I suppose a low(er) cost option is to make or buy a TX transverter and helix and listen on the webSDR.

10m 2W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 1245z 

UPDATE 1330z: So far, 59 stations have spotted me. 

Really low cost kit

Steve G1KQH has brought to my attention a very low cost SSB/CW 40m kit from India. It really is exceptional value. 

As a club project you can even buy 5 kits (yes five kits!!) for $150 total. Individual kits are just $39.

See www.hfsignals.com  .

Friday plans

 Probably I shall go on 10m 2W FT8 later.