2009-10-31 - 2009-11-28 - blog

mashoo

2009-10-31 - 2009-11-28

a strange end to a dream early this morning, but a fine one;

the conclusion of a swimming race in france; a broad, deep, dark river; 100 metres across or more; thick pine forest either side; a helicopter view; the finish line is on the left bank (going downstream), by a tallish metal bridge, having avoided what appear to be rotating electricity-generating machines in a line across the river;

in a busy, bright, well-windowed hotel reception not far away, a pretty receptionist answers my question; lots of journalists; covering the race, i suppose;

and then a big, tall room in an old factory; many people in many office cubicles; painted wood and glass; out of the high windows, a missile launch from an adjacent part of the factory is visible; a sense of dread; but then the missile is destroyed by lasers; just like the end of a film

00009359 | 2009-10-31T11:05:00Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

some notes that have accumulated throughout the planning stage;

balanced l single coil (input data to g4fgq solenoid program);
42,125,14,0.33,1.8 31.3 297 5.54 (1mm wire);

remainder of ~68m reel (after ~6m of balanced l coil wire) is now open-wire feeder, and measures between 30.5 and 31 metres (counting 61 spreaders at 0.51m spacing, one at the end (0.5m) and one at the other end (0.25m?));

stool to dining table distance 18.275;

single-core balun (43 material) should have 7 percent imbalance with 100 ohm termination Z at 1.8 mhz;

kit list;

rig; power cable; mic;
headphones;
battery packs x 4;
battery pack connectors; short x 4; medium x 1;
transmatch (capacitor; coils; coil stands);
transmatch connectors; short x 3; short with pl-259 insert x 1; medium x 2; long x 2; ground stake connector wires);
resistors 470k x 2;
resistor connectors (short) x 3;
cw shorting plug;
kite;
reel (flying line, antenna wire, fishing line and safety tape);
open wire feeder reel;
ground stakes x 3;
aluminium rings; top of flying line x 2; feedpoint x 2;
feed point <-> slip point suspension cord;
spare connectors / insulated wire / flying line / fishing line;
open plastic loop for walking the kite down;
multi-tool;
logbook;
compass;
clock;
torch;
torch headstrap;
torch spare batteries;
camera;
windproofs;
food;
water

0000937b | 2009-10-31T11:08:00Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

0000935a | 2009-10-31T11:10:00Z | location | -mt4-

tall mushrooms in the field past brookside farm, just before codsall road

0000934b.jpg | 2009-10-31T11:59:04Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

the field by the railway, bilbrook, wolverhampton (io82vo)

0000935b | 2009-10-31T12:10:00Z | location | -mt4-

flying line disappearing toward the railway, surrounded by tangly plant life; some interesting freight passed through, as well as a few passenger trains

0000934d.jpg | 2009-10-31T13:46:36Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

overgrown field in the sun; housing behind

0000934f.jpg | 2009-10-31T14:36:28Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

time unknown

0000935c | 2009-10-31T16:00:00Z | location | -mt4-

nuthatch on the seed; i had set the focus on the nuts, from which it had taken on its previous two visits to the wall; tarpaulin on the left, covering the gates that pa had stained and ma would oil (tung)

00009351.jpg | 2009-11-01T11:39:26Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

i just watched `groundhog day' with ma and pa; it was their first time; i landed on it a few seconds in and told them that it was good; everyone had a good laugh at one stage or other; it sags a little here and there, but it's so good

00009343 | 2009-11-01T21:03:33Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

kite field, compton, wolverhampton (io82vo)

0000935d | 2009-11-02T12:20:00Z | location | -mt4-

225

00009362 | 2009-11-02T12:20:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

2

00009363 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna | -mt4-

225

00009364 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > azimuth (deg) | -mt4-

12m

00009365 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

78m

00009366 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > length/perimeter | -mt4-

3m

00009367 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > radial > length/perimeter | -mt4-

balanced l-match

00009368 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > transmatch | -mt4-

inverted vee doublet

00009369 | 2009-11-02T14:10:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > type | -mt4-

when the kite first flew, i stood and watched it for a while, then photographed it, and then it fell; i made radio contact during its brief second flight

00009353.jpg | 2009-11-02T14:12:20Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

on

0000935e | 2009-11-02T14:50:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

g0vbc/p

00009360 | 2009-11-02T14:50:00Z | radio > tx > callsign | -mt4-

5

0000935f | 2009-11-02T14:50:02Z | radio > tx > power (w) | -mt4-

field station; headphones; mic; rig; transmatch; clock; logbook

00009355.jpg | 2009-11-02T14:50:40Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

5.403545 (5.4035)

00009361 | 2009-11-02T14:55:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq de g0vbc/p

0000936a | 2009-11-02T14:55:10Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

5.398545 (5.3985)

0000936b | 2009-11-02T14:58:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq de g0vbc/p

0000936c | 2009-11-02T14:58:10Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de g3rmd; name frank; qth cheltenham; rst 57; pwr 10w

0000936d | 2009-11-02T14:58:20Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59

0000936e | 2009-11-02T14:58:28Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

0

00009370 | 2009-11-02T15:00:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

no copy; your kite must have dropped; 73

0000936f | 2009-11-02T15:00:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

on

00009375 | 2009-11-02T15:15:00Z | radio > rx > pre-amp | -mt4-

5.290044 (5.29)

00009371 | 2009-11-02T15:16:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cw

00009372 | 2009-11-02T15:16:00Z | radio > rx > mode | -mt4-

gb3wes ok; gb3ork very good

00009373 | 2009-11-02T15:17:30Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

usb

00009379 | 2009-11-02T15:18:00Z | radio > rx > mode | -mt4-

5.290044 (5.29)

0000937a | 2009-11-02T15:18:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

raf volmet and shannon volmet both ok

00009374 | 2009-11-02T15:18:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

view from the kite end of the flying line back to the station

00009357.jpg | 2009-11-02T15:41:56Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

off

00009376 | 2009-11-02T16:03:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

kite field, compton, wolverhampton (io82vo)

00009377 | 2009-11-02T16:53:30Z | location | -mt4-

225

0000937f | 2009-11-02T17:10:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

time unknown

00009378 | 2009-11-02T17:30:00Z | location | -mt4-

a blurry paul and jean arrive home and enjoy their mostly-finished new kitchen

0000938f.jpg | 2009-11-04T19:45:20Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

next time, the flying line will also be an inverted vee, with the antenna strung alongside it; hopefully that will get the apex to a true 30 metres, with the kite flying another 30 metres above it

0000937c | 2009-11-05T14:54:15Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

two nights ago, ma phoned caroline to check up on sophie; gareth, visiting megan in hospital, had encountered marie, who told him that sophie was anorexic and had been reduced in weight to 5 stones; they have taken her to see some people, some of whom are helping her to gain weight;

my dream this morning was another donaldson's sixth form one; the start of a new school year; but it's the same school year as ever; my final one; this time, things were even weirder than usual; the steps at the east end of the study block were taped off near the top, blocking access to the top floor; but what accommodation remained was pretty high, so there must have been a different access to it; it was a dormitory, with bunk beds; some parts of the dormitory went quite high, with new structures of wood and glass built over them, competing with each other to be the highest; it was quite a skyline; most of the beds had been taken, and what was left was not very appealing; two fresh piss stains at the foot of one bed; actually, there was a bed that i liked; a bottom bunk in a broad corner window, with a fine view of the street (not the view i remember; we were never so close to civilisation); it appeared to have been taken, but the owner was not there to guard it

00009380 | 2009-11-06T08:11:13Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

i just watched `star wars: episode 3 - revenge of the sith' for the first time; i had heard that it was a cut above what had gone before, and i was quite impressed; the speed with which padmé named her children gave me a chuckle, as did vader's colossal `nooooooo!', but it was mostly quite engaging

00009381 | 2009-11-07T22:05:56Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

i think i just saw a lesser spotted woodpecker from my bedroom window; i suggest that species because it was small; inspecting the small garden trees, it was; it's odd, because ma mentioned one being on the nuts at the cottage while she was on the phone to me the other day; another odd thing is that ma and pa saw a coal tit caching food yesterday, having been introduced to the phenomenon by autumnwatch the evening before

00009382 | 2009-11-08T09:56:45Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

a halloween cake in the shuga budz window; my reflection

00009391.jpg | 2009-11-08T14:47:36Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

yesterday was unusual; i went shopping some time between 10 and 11 o'clock, in merino underwear and the brown hemp shoes ma had bought for me some time ago (a tk maxx bargain, of course); on my way up dunkley street, a young african man in a tie asked me to take his photograph using a little camera with a large screen; ``it's not every day you look like this''; the exposure appeared to come out quite well; he gave a little laugh when he saw it, and walked away; i like to think he was pleased;

i was going to asda primarily to purchase some bird seed; but i had also thought to make some vegetarian pasties; my light but heavy lunches (eggs, fish, cheese) were starting to get on my nerves again, so i thought i'd try something heavy but light instead; a sullen but sweet girl was at the checkout; `do you want any bags at all?' ``no, i'm fine''; `do you want any help at all?' `no, thanks'; nice girl;

i had gone through the park, where a small group had gathered at the clock to remember the war dead; i passed through again on my way home; and then i visited the newhampton inn, for the quick grapefruit juice i had fancied but been denied some weeks before; there were two men by the fire opposite the bar and another man on his own; and then the owner appeared and served me my drink; i took it into the garden, where i thought to ask him whether the bowling green was still active; i would not ask my question for some time, because i got chatting to the owner and a kook on a barstool;

the owner turned out to be called bill; perhaps i had known that before; the kook had a bright appearance and a lively voice, reminding me a bit of the dull one from the father ted christmas special, but with the ebullient one's articulation and enthusiasm; and, before he left, he also demonstrated his fine memory; according to him, the first guest beer bill had put on was marston's merry monk in 1991; i think bill said that it was basically pedigree with a different malt for a darker beer; another beer they discussed was a ginger bitter, which the kook had recently disliked, when an acquaintance persisted in buying it for him; the mention of this hybrid beer was my cue to offer my experience with huw of bateman's valiant (at the newt and cucumber); i also mentioned stonehenge sign of spring; they had heard of neither;

bill was left with me, and he was very chatty; the business took a while to get going, but there was plenty of time for him to convey his story before the drips became a steady flow; and the talk of old times put me in the mood for a pint (eventually two) of ma's favourite brew, enville ale;

bill had taken the place over on the 7th of july, 1989, having been at wolverhampton polytechnic and then run the lord raglan; he was offered the place just as he was about to return to york and set up there; he had been initially passed over because of his lack of years; but then the other interested parties had dropped out; more recently, he left other people to run the place, when he took a step up into a company position, ending up in charge of three other pubs;

after some years away, including a pub in kinver and a divorce, he's been back for 18 months and he's loving it; he has always had a passion for the pub and for the neighbourhood; the mix of people; wolverhampton, like york, is a mainline city, which suits him for staying in touch with his kids, for whom he plans to keep running the pub for the next five years; and, when he lets it go, he will never come back, because any change - even a picture out of place - would piss him off;

before getting very far into his story, bill had mentioned setting up a website for the pub, including a blog; he fancies keeping a blog; there is a facebook community dedicated to the place, but he wants to take the next step; during my second pint, i offered to help him get it started; he had already received the same offer from a professional, but he took my name and number;

the help was due to arrive at 15:30; two girls, he said; as with the old stories, it was as if he were trying to get me to buy another drink; but i was glad he did not offer me a third; i was quite incoherent; but i managed to ask him about the bowling green after my piss, just before leaving; it is closed until april, but the boules pit is still available;

bill had his 50th birthday in september; during our conversation about guest beers and the fact that there were none anymore, i had asked whether he would still get special stuff in for functions; he said yes; i was thinking of the pavilion bar and pa's idea to have his 60th there; there have been a few 50ths, he said, but he didn't seem to have known a 60th;

one thing i didn't get around to mentioning to bill was how much i had enjoyed drinking by the fire in the pavilion bar during the frosty cold, while the pub was being refurbished; but i did mention some old memories, like the directors we used to enjoy and the photograph of me eating cumin-spiced lamb from the pot at the cubicle table opposite; he had reserved that table for the domino players at three o'clock; they had bollocked him the week before for neglecting to do so;

i commented on the sign over the pot; `the original and still the best'; it was only now that i realised that this was the same pot we used to know; chicken casserole was in it; it had smelled pretty good when being dished up; apparently, it varies between chicken, beef and lamb, but is basically the same dish; bill seems reluctant to venture into cumin-spiced territory again, or anything slightly more complex;

i returned home perhaps before 15:00 and fed the birds, but my pasty-making window had passed; i spent the rest of the day rehydrating

time is the finish time (of the initial draft anyway)

00009383 | 2009-11-09T11:20:38Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

my first pasties (and the first thing i had made in the new kitchen, except bread); not a bad first effort

00009393.jpg | 2009-11-09T17:50:48Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

my maiden pasty-making had gone fairly well, but the recipe (my own invention, based on lentils and split peas) was defective; the cumin seed was excessive, and probably quite out of place; the overall flavour was very dark; the swede helped, but it could not lift the mood on its own; the caraway seeds too were nice; the spelt flour pastry was effective, but dull, like the wheat flour pastry pa had used for his own pasties decades ago; without the cumin, the thing might have been passable with the aid of a good chutney; lots to work on, then; but it was moist enough; that's one thing i got right

00009395 | 2009-11-09T17:50:50Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

i just returned from sending sophie a convalescence compilation cd; i steered around obvious titles like `heaven can wait', opting instead for some of the stuff that stimulates my own appetite for living; bartók, britten, morricone, ellington and embrace; i hope it will help to breathe some life back into her, as she breathed life into me nearly a decade ago;

i offered ma some space in my package for a card of her own, but in the end i suggested that she keep it separate; it would be nicer to receive two items in the post; and so two items is what i took out into the damp, gloomy evening;

on my way to tettenhall shops, i noticed that the old woman's house on old hill (the old woman i had helped home) is number seven; that was cool, because my package was travelling to and from number sevens;

as i passed lower green on the way back, i sensed that the mission had been worthwhile; the damp air felt strangely good

00009384 | 2009-11-10T16:48:39Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

pa gave us a good laugh as he left the house just now; looking for something to wash a pill down with, but having too many objects to choose from in his hurried state, he first selected a mug of last night's tea; after sipping some cold dregs from that, he moved into the bedroom, where ma was doing her hair; he picked up her glass of water and drank from it, before ma could warn him that it was her comb water; `what a disaster' said pa, as he descended the stairs; we creased up;

there's a good breeze in the trees; it would be a good kite day, except for the rain passing by in the late afternoon and a sore hip i developed during the night; oh, and ma's going out; i suppose i'd better stay in;

oh, and i dreamed of colin kleiser this morning; in the dining room at the front of this house, i mentioned (to ma and pa, i suppose) having passed by mister kleiser's house on my walk; i don't know how two such distant houses could be so close together, but dreams do funny things;

and then, having mentioned the kleiser house, i was in it, somewhere i had never been in this life; sat at his kitchen table; he sat opposite; perhaps his son was sat to my left; and his wife was on foot, doing things; the main feature was the sense of light and space; the room was bright with sunlight from the south (my right), where the rise to the beacons was less severe than i know it to be;

and then, in the middle of explaining something that was probably quite interesting, mister kleiser's mouth shot saliva into my face; he completed his sentence and then apologised, as i wiped the moisture from my cheeks; how could i mind?

000093a5 | 2009-11-12T09:18:35Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

the morning before (saturday), i had dreamed of taking down a colossal antenna in a large field with a few trees on one side; the feeder stretched to those trees; a mast must have supported the antenna, but i can't be sure; anyway, it was enormous; and then i approached the manhattan skyline (or some such city) at night; i arrived off the sea onto a beach, at the back of which was a tall cliff of various small plastic objects; one section of cliff for each type; i attempted to climb a section of one-inch-round balls; they began to collapse, but i still made some progress; the skyscrapers looked terrific, all lit up;

and now, after a day of nation-wide gales, i was going to take advantage of a day of good weather and some wind to try out my new kite antenna design in the field at compton;

i think i heard a tawny owl not long before leaving, though it seemed quite light for such a thing;

as i rounded jan and jane's place, i tested the air for jan's pipe and looked across the garden; and then i met him returning from the shop with papers; i asked after jane and the old man, both of whom are well; when jan asked where i was going, my antenna dreamscape entered my mind, and i asked him whether he remembered dreamscapes from years past, as i do; he was not sure, but did know that he tends to dream of encountering people, saying `hello; how are you?' and such like; and then he asked about the building work;

as i left the canal path to cross the old bridge, a robin flew onto a branch to my left and looked at me; i found the gillian bar in my breast pocket and threw a crumb onto the ground in front of me; the robin flew off with it; rather like a mugging, i thought, but a very agreeable one

000093bb | 2009-11-15T09:00:00Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

kite field, compton, wolverhampton (io82vo)

000093ba | 2009-11-15T09:30:00Z | location | -mt4-

rucksack on the grass in front of the sun

000093ae.jpg | 2009-11-15T09:30:56Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

kite starts to rise

000093b0.jpg | 2009-11-15T12:25:24Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

laying out the flying line and positioning the station took quite a while; the lack of wind didn't help;

one dog-walking woman approached early and asked whether i was surveying, which is what she used to do; she cracked up when i said i was just flying a kite; `nice try', said i;

i lunched early; a most manly repast of smoked mackerel on thick bread; other events during this pre-operation phase included a rainbow and the sight and sound of a buzzard;

i exchanged a few words about the lack of wind with a dog-walking couple; i told them that more wind was forecast for this week; it just wasn't here today

000093bc | 2009-11-15T13:14:00Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

on

000093bd | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

120

000093be | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > azimuth (deg) | -mt4-

30m

000093bf | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

off

000093c0 | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | radio > rx > pre-amp | -mt4-

205

000093c1 | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

16

000093c2 | 2009-11-15T13:15:00Z | wind > speed (km/h) | -mt4-

5.398545 (5.3985)

000093c3 | 2009-11-15T13:15:02Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

de ma0fmf/p; name andy; qth ss-035

000093c4 | 2009-11-15T13:15:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de ma0fmf/p; rain; rst 58

000093c5 | 2009-11-15T13:15:06Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 44

000093c6 | 2009-11-15T13:15:08Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

station; feeder; transmatch; rig (and old reel to prop it up for tuning); clock; pencil; logbook; mic

000093b2.jpg | 2009-11-15T13:23:12Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

broadside view of kite, inverted vee and station

000093b4.jpg | 2009-11-15T13:36:52Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

kite up and down; stations on 5.3715 and after-news net on 5.4035

000093c7 | 2009-11-15T13:40:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

5.371545 (5.3715)

000093c8 | 2009-11-15T13:41:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

de gm4ymm

000093c9 | 2009-11-15T13:41:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de g3nyy/p; qth wb-023; name walt

000093ca | 2009-11-15T13:41:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

both rst 59

000093cb | 2009-11-15T13:41:06Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

kite and apex of inverted vee from station underneath

000093b6.jpg | 2009-11-15T13:42:56Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

g0vbc/p de g3nyy/p; rst 57

000093cc | 2009-11-15T13:44:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 57

000093cd | 2009-11-15T13:44:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

yes, the ladybirds conversation was with me

000093ce | 2009-11-15T13:45:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

000093cf | 2009-11-15T13:51:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

000093d0 | 2009-11-15T13:51:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

000093d1 | 2009-11-15T13:53:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

000093d2 | 2009-11-15T13:53:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de m0suf; name simon; qth nr woodbridge, jo02pd; rst 53; ant random wire; rst 57 peak

000093d3 | 2009-11-15T13:53:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59+20

000093d4 | 2009-11-15T13:53:06Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de gw7aav; rst 59; cracking signal, over s9 when the wind blows; name steve

000093d5 | 2009-11-15T13:58:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59

000093d6 | 2009-11-15T13:58:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

don't usually hear of inverted vees with kites; usually end-fed; we meet at mold rugby club; have discussed the possibility of flying a kite antenna; people use box kites; the latest one i knew of involved something like a stunt kite; it might have been me you heard early one morning

000093d7 | 2009-11-15T14:02:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59+10

000093d8 | 2009-11-15T14:02:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

close encounters of the third kind music is webmon, which notifies me of sota activity and stuff

000093d9 | 2009-11-15T14:05:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

0

000093da | 2009-11-15T14:08:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

30m

000093db | 2009-11-15T14:12:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

i have also read about kite-balloon hybrids

000093dc | 2009-11-15T14:12:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

they would be useful in variable conditions like this

000093dd | 2009-11-15T14:12:04Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

de gw7aav clear

000093de | 2009-11-15T14:14:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

14.209 (14.208882)

000093df | 2009-11-15T14:16:40Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

quiet american; it's been a while since i heard one at all

000093e0 | 2009-11-15T14:16:42Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

60m

000093e1 | 2009-11-15T14:22:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

one station rst 59+10; m0stp rst 55

000093e2 | 2009-11-15T14:22:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

000093e3 | 2009-11-15T14:26:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq de g4tra

000093e4 | 2009-11-15T14:26:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de g4tra; name steve; rst 59 (55 when kite down); 18 stations on after-news net; ant 80m dipole; pwr 200w

000093e5 | 2009-11-15T14:26:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59

000093e6 | 2009-11-15T14:26:06Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

0

000093e7 | 2009-11-15T14:31:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

5.371545 (5.3715)

000093e8 | 2009-11-15T14:34:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

30m

00009416 | 2009-11-15T14:34:01Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

de g6eed; name nigel; qth nr taunton, io81kn

000093e9 | 2009-11-15T14:34:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de g3xxr; qth huddersfield; name roger; grid io93cp

000093ea | 2009-11-15T14:34:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

000093eb | 2009-11-15T14:38:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

000093ec | 2009-11-15T14:38:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

5.398545 (5.3985)

000093ed | 2009-11-15T14:40:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

000093ee | 2009-11-15T14:40:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de m1maj; drop in signal; name martin; rst 59; qth cambridge

000093ef | 2009-11-15T14:46:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59

000093f0 | 2009-11-15T14:46:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

r 3-5; s 7-9; local noise is the main problem

000093f1 | 2009-11-15T14:48:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

0

000093f2 | 2009-11-15T14:50:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

30m

00009417 | 2009-11-15T14:52:58Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de g0nes; martin qrx then qsy

000093f3 | 2009-11-15T14:53:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59+10

000093f4 | 2009-11-15T14:54:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

name don; grid io92bj; qth sw of m42, j3; g1ink/p calling you

000093f5 | 2009-11-15T14:55:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de g0nes clear

000093f6 | 2009-11-15T14:58:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

cq g1ink/p

000093f7 | 2009-11-15T14:58:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

de g0nes; he had a strong signal, so he must have gone

000093f8 | 2009-11-15T14:58:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

0

000093f9 | 2009-11-15T15:02:00Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

de la1ask

000093fa | 2009-11-15T15:02:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de g6mzx

000093fb | 2009-11-15T15:02:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de la1ask; former broadcast station; lw/mw; 1937-1978; now a museum

000093fc | 2009-11-15T15:06:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

30m

00009418 | 2009-11-15T15:06:58Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de la1ask; rst 44; name per; qth askoey, island nr bergen; own call la1tna

000093fd | 2009-11-15T15:07:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 57

000093fe | 2009-11-15T15:08:30Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

73

000093ff | 2009-11-15T15:10:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

00009400 | 2009-11-15T15:26:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

00009401 | 2009-11-15T15:26:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de g0uoo

00009402 | 2009-11-15T15:26:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 33-55; name rob; qth se kent, 5 miles nw folkestone

00009403 | 2009-11-15T15:27:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

grid jo01nd; pwr 100w; ant 110ft doublet

00009404 | 2009-11-15T15:30:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

low noise here, so it is that you're weak

00009405 | 2009-11-15T15:33:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de g0uoo sk

00009406 | 2009-11-15T15:34:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5.371545 (5.3715)

00009407 | 2009-11-15T15:35:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de la5zo; rst 53; name geir; qth sirdal; mountains in sw norway

00009408 | 2009-11-15T15:35:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59

00009409 | 2009-11-15T15:35:04Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

should say `aeronautical mobile'; got your qth compton near wolverhampton; pwr 100w; ant lw; wx 6c, overcast, rain all night and part of day

0000940a | 2009-11-15T15:37:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5w and kite antenna; fantastic; sk

0000940b | 2009-11-15T15:41:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

0

00009419 | 2009-11-15T15:44:58Z | radio > rx > antenna > elevation | -mt4-

5.403545 (5.4035)

0000940c | 2009-11-15T15:45:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

de g4tra

0000940d | 2009-11-15T15:45:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

de la9fb; licensed in 1949; i am an old man

0000940e | 2009-11-15T15:59:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

5.288544 (5.2885)

0000940f | 2009-11-15T16:02:30Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

end of gb3ork

00009410 | 2009-11-15T16:02:32Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

205

00009413 | 2009-11-15T16:08:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

16

00009414 | 2009-11-15T16:08:00Z | wind > speed (km/h) | -mt4-

off

00009412 | 2009-11-15T16:10:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

packing up already

00009411 | 2009-11-15T16:12:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

compton sunset

000093b8.jpg | 2009-11-15T16:42:18Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

time approximate

00009415 | 2009-11-15T17:10:00Z | location | -mt4-

ma had left the porch light on for me when i returned yesterday; i heard a female tawny owl screech as i walked up the path;

this morning, i dreamed of ma talking with people in a building extension; but it was all quite different to what we have here; lots of dark timber; but also not too dissimilar;

i think i've probably described most of yesterday's activity; but here are two outstanding points; not long after switching the rig on, i fancied rearranging my battery pack a bit; i'm not sure what happened, but luckily the battery pack did no more than smoke a little; i haven't tested the cells for damage, but at least there was no discernable heat at the time; the other thing is that one leg of my antenna disconnected at some unknown juncture; that might account for the decline in signal reports received;

and how could i forget to mention how the experience reminded me of the old cadet field competition, exercise summer wine? the smell of the earth, the rations, et cetera; very satisfying

0000941a | 2009-11-16T17:21:53Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

spool of flying line, aluminium wire and fishing line

000094c5.jpg | 2009-11-16T20:50:48Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

0000941b | 2009-11-17T14:50:00Z | location | -mt4-

kite field, compton, wolverhampton (io82vo)

time approximate; i had originally intended to arrive about an hour later, but the fading afternoon light (and my over-optimistic schedules for prior expeditions) had urged me to advance my plans

0000941c | 2009-11-17T15:20:00Z | location | -mt4-

210

0000941f | 2009-11-17T15:20:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

21

00009420 | 2009-11-17T15:20:00Z | wind > speed (km/h) | -mt4-

on

0000941e | 2009-11-17T17:15:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

lsb

00009421 | 2009-11-17T17:15:02Z | radio > rx > mode | -mt4-

3.730033 (3.730002)

00009422 | 2009-11-17T17:15:02Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

all set; kite up and going all over the place; tuned to meet toby on 3.730 at 18:00Z

0000941d | 2009-11-17T17:20:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

1.990016 (1.989999)

00009423 | 2009-11-17T17:30:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq

00009424 | 2009-11-17T17:30:02Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

1.942013 (1.941997)

00009425 | 2009-11-17T17:32:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

net

00009426 | 2009-11-17T17:32:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

3.730033 (3.730002)

00009427 | 2009-11-17T17:36:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

tuned

00009428 | 2009-11-17T17:36:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

1.860016 (1.86)

00009429 | 2009-11-17T17:51:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cq de pa3buf

0000942a | 2009-11-17T17:51:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

after the feeder broke at the top, i have made a repair; i think there's a short now

0000942b | 2009-11-17T18:34:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

3.760032 (3.760001)

0000942c | 2009-11-17T18:51:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de 2e0imt; qth sedgley; name ian; not too strong

0000942d | 2009-11-17T18:51:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

try again later; sk

0000942e | 2009-11-17T18:54:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

he rings a bell; i think i've sent him a recording

0000942f | 2009-11-17T18:54:02Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

3.790 (3.789968)

00009430 | 2009-11-17T18:57:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

de oz3fd; name henry

00009431 | 2009-11-17T18:57:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59+10

00009432 | 2009-11-17T18:57:04Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

rain

00009433 | 2009-11-17T19:02:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

1.990016 (1.989999)

00009434 | 2009-11-17T21:06:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

g0vbc/p de m0eiw; name john; rst 59+10

00009435 | 2009-11-17T21:06:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

rst 59+30

00009436 | 2009-11-17T21:06:04Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

rst 59+20; g3tql did kites; roger in kidderminster also active

00009437 | 2009-11-17T21:11:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

roger g4roj has a website with good pictures of his kite antennas

0000944a | 2009-11-17T21:13:00Z | radio > tx > message | -mt4-

john g3tql; i'm not into computers; i'm a member of a radio club in sedgley; roger did a kite demo for us; g3tql says we can use his box kite any time; he used to operate at night in wales, with a torch on his kite; the police turned up to investigate the ufo that had been reported

00009438 | 2009-11-17T21:16:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

germans on 91; getting stronger now; jim just went down; malcolm g6zfz is driving people around

00009439 | 2009-11-17T21:24:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

mike's wife back from malta now; i meet him on a monday night at the club

0000943a | 2009-11-17T21:31:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

1.814258 (1.814243)

0000943b | 2009-11-17T21:41:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

cw

0000943c | 2009-11-17T21:41:02Z | radio > rx > mode | -mt4-

cq de g3txf

0000943d | 2009-11-17T21:41:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

g0vbc 5nn nigel nigel devon devon ... tnx qso gl wid ur paddle tnx qso g0vbc de g3txf

my brain wasn't up to morse; hence lots of gaps

0000943e | 2009-11-17T21:41:04Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

using kite kite fb ... windy today fer ur kite hi gl g0vbc/p de g3txf

time approximate

0000943f | 2009-11-17T21:46:00Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

1.831610 (1.831595)

00009440 | 2009-11-17T21:51:00Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

de g3kma

00009441 | 2009-11-17T21:51:02Z | radio > rx > message | -mt4-

lsb

00009442 | 2009-11-17T22:00:00Z | radio > rx > mode | -mt4-

1.831610 (1.831595)

00009443 | 2009-11-17T22:00:02Z | radio > rx > frequency (mhz) | -mt4-

contacted toby by sms for one last try; could hear him weakly on 3.736 and then weaker on 1.990; i was lost in his considerable electronic qrm, though he later reported that he could hear me faintly

00009444 | 2009-11-17T22:18:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

there was a further brief qso with john m0eiw, before the kite returned once more to earth and i began to feel tired; it was time to pack up and walk home;

i had not needed my torch, resorting to it only when clearing up at the end of the session; there were lots of little wires to look for, and i wanted to leave the place as i had found it;

when the streaky and only occasionally wet clouds had briefly parted, jupiter had burned bright in the south;

as two days before, i had enjoyed the outdoors, and the sense of summer wine that the field activity had given me

00009445 | 2009-11-17T22:19:00Z | radio > comment | -mt4-

off

0000944b | 2009-11-17T22:20:00Z | radio > on/off | -mt4-

kite field, compton, wolverhampton (io82vo)

time approximate

00009446 | 2009-11-17T23:00:00Z | location | -mt4-

210

00009448 | 2009-11-17T23:00:00Z | wind > direction (deg) | -mt4-

21

00009449 | 2009-11-17T23:00:00Z | wind > speed (km/h) | -mt4-

my bedroom, wolverhampton

time approximate

00009447 | 2009-11-17T23:30:00Z | location | -mt4-

paul (looking like he's been dragged into the picture to make up the numbers (he had)) raises a glass while matthew opens a large birthday card from his parents; a pile of presents stands by

000095c6.jpg | 2009-11-19T17:20:45Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

standing in front of the fridge, jean holds matthew's birthday fruit crumble for him to blow the candles out

000095c8.jpg | 2009-11-19T19:10:12Z | -no-label- | -mt1-

i had a sophie dream this morning; hoo-rah!

(i don't remember anything about it, but never mind; as in the waking world, it's not what she does; it's just that she's there)

0000944c | 2009-11-26T22:30:59Z | -no-label- | -mt4-

contents

mashoo, g0vbc, my bedroom, wolverhampton, still photograph