Cities around the world by car (amazing)

Just now I found another great internet resource. It lets you see a driver's eye view of cities around the world. It is amazing.

See https://drivefromhome.com/cities

Society-wide collapse?

At the back of my mind is a worry.  

We depend increasingly on the internet. If that was hacked or to collapse we would be in real trouble. 

Many in the West increasingly pay by card rather than cash. Many of our bills are paid by bank transfer, airlines take bookings over the internet. Probably our energy, water and sewers depend on the net. Most communication is by email.  Banking depends increasingly on the internet. Financial trades depend on the internet.

And so it goes on.

It bothers me that all this could come tumbling down.

Now, humans are resourceful and given time we would find a way of managing, but this would be a shock.

6m 1W FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear was turned on after breakfast.

UPDATE 1333z:  37 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 2129z:   By chance I went back on 6m FT8 this evening. My 1W FT8 was spotted across the Atlantic by VO1SIX (3931km) and VO1NC (3755km). Now QRT on 6m.

UPDATE 2135z:  52 stations have spotted my 1W 6m FT8.

10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0615z. 

UPDATE 1335z:   So far spotted by 18 stations with the best VE3HOA (5384km). Most were EUs via Es.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 29th

 Solar flux is 143 and the SSN 102. A=8 and K=2.

Sodium batteries

Sodium rechargeable batteries are coming on stream. They will rival lithium-ion batteries and need no rare earth materials.

New reserve currency?

Since after WW2 and the Breton Woods meeting, the US dollar has been the reserve currency in the world. Oil is priced in US dollars.

However, the world is changing. The US dollar is no longer considered such a safe haven. Arguably, the USA is on the way down and China is on the way up.

Maybe the Chinese Yuan will become the currency everyone will trust and trade in?

CB FT8

 A few days ago I read that 27.265MHz was a popular spot for CB FT8, so I am monitoring it.

UPDATE 1436z:  329CZ045 (1020km) has appeared on PSKreporter screen from the Czech Republic. I guess I must mug up on CB callsigns!

UPDATE 1556z:  Spotting several CBers in southern Europe. Many of the callsigns mean nothing to me! I need to search these on Google.

UPDATE 1559z:   A useful resource appears to be https://www.radio-workshop.co.uk/pdf/cb-callsigns-table.pdf.

UPDATE 2057z: 11 stations have been spotted. See map. Now QRT. That was quite interesting. 27.265  will be worth monitoring in the quiet years when 10m appears dead.

10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at about 0715z.

UPDATE 1326z : 22 stations spotting me.  Best is K3FEF (5590km). See map  from WSPR Rocks.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 28th

 Solar flux is 147 and the SSN 89. A=7 and K=1.