Aurora Watch - Red Alert

[Chewing Grass 11,436]

Free show possibly tonight if it is clear.

http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/

[MrPin 10,426]

I'll be on the radio then. There might be some unusual signals

[sarahbell 8,569]

16 minutes ago, MrPin said:

I'll be on the radio then. There might be some unusual signals

Are you a ham?

[MrPin 10,426]

1 minute ago, sarahbell said:

Are you a ham?

Oh yes, more of a saveloy really.. I listen to all sorts. About a week ago I was hearing Sheffield, coming out of the local Weston repeater.

[sarahbell 8,569]

Just now, MrPin said:

Oh yes, more of a saveloy really.. I listen to all sorts. About a week ago I was hearing Sheffield, coming out of the local Weston repeater.

My friend is a HAM. He currently has one of those upside down umbrellas in his back garden. And he's bought a rather nifty new aerial for his landy. 

[MrPin 10,426]

2 minutes ago, sarahbell said:

My friend is a HAM. He currently has one of those upside down umbrellas in his back garden. And he's bought a rather nifty new aerial for his landy. 

That's great Sarah. Everyone needs an unnecessarily expensive hobby, that makes sense to nobody else. I too have an umbrella thingy.

[sarahbell 8,569]

2 minutes ago, MrPin said:

That's great Sarah. Everyone needs an unnecessarily expensive hobby, that makes sense to nobody else. I too have an umbrella thingy.

I was sat in his radio room one day and he was chatting to a bloke who lived just down the road from my mum. I love the nosiness of it. 
He was saying how easy the foundation is to do.

[MrPin 10,426]

Just now, sarahbell said:

I was sat in his radio room one day and he was chatting to a bloke who lived just down the road from my mum. I love the nosiness of it. 
He was saying how easy the foundation is to do.

Go to your local radio club and get your licence. It's free chat, so I don't understand why women don't do it more.

[sarahbell 8,569]

Just now, MrPin said:

Go to your local radio club and get your licence. It's free chat, so I don't understand why women don't do it more.

:-D
No it's bizarre really that it's mostly men chatting across the world.

[dgul 11,453]

52 minutes ago, MrPin said:

That's great Sarah. Everyone needs an unnecessarily expensive hobby, that makes sense to nobody else. I too have an umbrella thingy.

And I'd note that it is only the HF side that is expensive (the 'big aerial' stuff) -- VHF and UHF can be relatively inexpensive.

Anyway, I like this map for aurora probabilities (not that I ever see any).

[Kilham 2,106]

Went for a walk last night about 1am to watch the show, too much moonlight and cloudy but still a visible green glow and occasional patterns. Sun gobbed some plasma in our direction a few days back and this is the result.

[Captain Cavey 3,043]

45 minutes ago, sarahbell said:

:-D
No it's bizarre really that it's mostly men chatting across the world.

So they've not heard of Skype or WhatsApp then?

[MrPin 10,426]

12 minutes ago, Captain Cavey said:

So they've not heard of Skype or WhatsApp then?

That's for wimps.

[MrPin 10,426]

15 minutes ago, dgul said:

And I'd note that it is only the HF side that is expensive (the 'big aerial' stuff) -- VHF and UHF can be relatively inexpensive.

Anyway, I like this map for aurora probabilities (not that I ever see any).

It's not coming my way yet then?

Serious VHF/UHF people have rotating antennas on long pylons. These are expensive. HF just needs a bit of wire sometimes.

[The Masked Tulip 33,466]

Pin is listening for his coded activation from Moscow.

[Turned Out Nice Again 2,392]

1 hour ago, Chewing Grass said:

Free show possibly tonight if it is clear.

Thanks for the heads-up but there's no chance at my latitude - any further South and I'd in the sea. And we're rained-in.

[MrPin 10,426]

27 minutes ago, The Masked Tulip said:

Pin is listening for his coded activation from Moscow.

Pin does indeed speak with Moscow, and Iceland, and Wales.