10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

 My beacon has been on for hours.

UPDATE 0844z:  So far, spotted by just DK6UG (633km).

Sutton Hoo

We visited here yesterday. This is a famous ship burial from Anglo-Saxon times. 

It is located near Woodbridge in Suffolk, UK. 

It was excavated in 1939. 

QRP fun

To the uninitiated running QRP is like a masochistic activity! 

Actually, it is surprising how little difference running low power makes. 100W down to 5W is only a couple of  S points which most times would not be noticed. 

With modes like FT8 and WSPR the world can be spanned with amazingly low power levels.

Sunspots - Thursday May 21st

 Solar flux is 114 and the SSN 67. A=8 and K=3.

Russian sanctions

Apparently the UK government is to loosen sanctions on refined Russian oil coming from third  countries like India destined for diesel and jet fuel. They are obviously concerned about supplies later in the year. Thinking about the war in Ukraine, this seems like a kick in the teeth to Ukraine with Russia benefiting.

It is my view that we will see certain fuels and food rationed by this time next year. 

I cannot see a quick end to the war between the USA with Israel and Iran.

Trump in a pickle

It would appear that President Trump is in a right pickle: he got into a war with Iran and does not know how to get out of it, allegedly, without losing face. I think he is looking for a way out in which the USA is seen as the winner.

10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0820z.

UPDATE 2215z:   Spotted by 22 stations. You can tell we’re well in the Es season.

Always changing

For several mornings we’ve been woken early by a tuneful blackbird singing the first lines of “Lavender Blue”.  I have not heard it for several mornings. 

It may have moved, started to sing something else, stopped singing or been killed by a cat or something else. 

One thing is certain: nothing is forever. We enjoyed it for a few short days.

Sunspots - Wednesday May 20th

 Solar flux is 106 and the SSN 72. A=19 and K=3.

Windswept lupins

One of my memories of our trip to Iceland in 2011 was seeing lupins all over the place. I was expecting a wild, volcanic landscape.   Instead it was green with lots of flowers and very unspoilt.

These lupins were in London yesterday. Normally, the collective name is a "choir of lupins". I don't think these were told!