Sunspots - Tuesday August 18th

 Solar flux is 124 and the SSN 76. A=11 and K=4.

Amazon - like marmite

Amazon home delivery gets a bad press. I have used it trouble-free for 26 years.

Some refuse to use it at all saying it will be the end of conventional shops. Yes, that is true, but people have already changed shopping patterns. Home shopping is now far more common in the last few years.

In my view, there are two sorts of high street shops (1) those that do not adapt and fail, and (2) those that adapt to internet shopping (browsing hubs?) and succeed.

Let me give you an example: at about 2230 last night I ordered 3 charging leads for my iPhone. By about 1500z the very next day they were on my doorstep delivered by Amazon. 

The alternative would have been to take a bus ride into Cambridge and go to the Apple store. Assuming they had stock, I would expect to pay far more for just a single lead!

No, times are changing. We have to adapt.

UPDATE 1506z: A single charging lead from the Apple store in Cambridge would have been more than 3 times the price of 3 leads online.

In app ads

This morning I noticed that advertisements were appearing in the main body of the blog. I find this intrusive and will try to stop them.

UPDATE 1111z: I think I have removed them.

Red legged partridges

At one time these handsome introduced birds were a common site in our garden. We have not seen them for several years. Apparently they were bred locally and released for shooting, but  they have stopped doing so.

LoRa repeaters

At the moment there is a move towards off-grid reliable communication that does not need the internet or mobile phones. 

As far as I can tell there are 2 systems coming to the fore Meshstastic and Meshcore. 

Both (I think) are in their infancy and which system is better depends on where you live. 

The systems are licence free, meaning anyone can use them. They’re based on either 868MHz or 915MHz if you are in the USA. 

As it is meshed-based the more users the better. Often sparsely populated places have poor coverage. 

As far as I know, this is just a messaging service as the data rate is low. In Romania YO6DXE has been experimenting with solar powered repeaters to extend range. He has made a video as part of his DX Explorer series.

Classic Car Show

The museum across the road held its annual Classic Car Day yesterday. 

It was a success with good weather, plenty of vehicles and people.

As it’s been very hot and dry, I was a bit concerned that a fire might be triggered, but it was fine.

10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0620z. 

UPDATE 1912z: 23 stations spotting me QRT soon.

8m amateur radio allocation

Some PTTs have allocated radio amateurs access to 8m. Almost all, probably all, operation is purely experimental. In the UK we have to pay £50 every year to do 8m experiments!

The RSGB seems positively anti, which I find really sad. They could very easily provide (via OFCOM) radio amateurs access to 40.680 - 40.685MHz, low power, narrow digital only, by NoV, strictly no interference.

Instead we have hit a brick wall with what appears an obstructive RSGB attitude, with no support whatsoever.

Ideally I would like to see a tiny 5kHz CEPT wide allocation, with a strict no-interference clause. This would allow real experimentation.

I am sure that OFCOM would be happy as they have allocated quite a few 8m I&T permits, some at far higher power and with far greater band coverage, all modes, with absolutely no means of tracing. 

The RSGB appears to be the block, sadly. You would think we are asking for the impossible when they have already made available (via OFCOM) 2MHz of VHF spectrum for DTV and similar!

Come on RSGB!!! Provide some support please. 

Nuclear fusion

Research into nuclear fusion seems to have been going on for decades. Every time it seems to hit a problem. If all the problems can be overcome, it promises almost limitless energy without the problems associated with nuclear fission. 

It seems that problems are gradually being solved. As computing power increases I think we will eventually get there but it may be after I am dead.

Sunspots - Monday August 17th

 Solar flux is 129 and the SSN 83. A=4 and K=1.