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.

Buttercups and cow parsley - NOT amateur radio

Buttercups have been very good this spring. My wife took this photo yesterday at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden,

Es so far

Although I have seen Es openings on 6m FT8, things are average rather than great. 

When Es is in full swing bands like 10m and 6m are open for QSOs with very low power. 

The fact that I am still struggling on 10m WSPR with 10mW speaks volumes. When Es is really good, I would expect to be spotted across Europe with 500uW 10m WSPR. Probably a few milliwatts of 10m or 6m FT8 would suffice.  I must try this!

When things are this good I confidently expect to span Europe on 8m 40.680MHz (USB dial) with 10mW ERP WSPR as long as there are monitors and not too much QRM from local ISM signals. Under UK ISM rules I am sure 8m WSPR is available to all without a licence as long as IR2030 is complied with. It is best to use a callsign of your choosing that WSPRnet can use so you can see who is receiving you, These are ISM rules and NOT amateur radio.