To counter how nice the morning was, I came across this. Someone has netted a tree, but a bird has been caught inside the net 😠

Quite a nice morning, we missed the worst of the wind.

Was on BBC Scotland this morning talking about how in an independent Scotland we could see a third off fuel bills, more community ownership and an end to fuel poverty. It’s Scotlands energy, let’s use it for the good of everyone who lives here.

Colour me surprised..... Comrade Trump.

It was quite nice first thing this morning when I took the dugs out. Foggy and grey now.

Bloody Gaelic speaking kids....

I can deal with most stuff that life throws at me, and there has been quite a lot of 'stuff' in recent years. Reading about dogs passing away, breaks me, every. single. time.

Yes.

Pre Christmas menu trial. Sprouts in creamy cheese sauce, with chorizo. 🤤😍 I'd marry me...

@mm9sql.com Peter, any idea what is causing CloudlogCAT to fail on sync? Changed API keys to make sure it wasn't a typo.

I've been playing about with some meshtastic nodes. Not sure what I am doing just yet, but I left one on my desk and took the other one on a walk. They appear to be able to communicate over 1700m, which isn't too bad.

Playing radio. Living the dream on 40m

Well, this is a bit shit, isn't it? Met Mani once, decent guy. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

An interesting take, especially in the current climate where less people are going out to bars. Seems a bit odd that if a single drinker has a seizure it's a nightmare for him, but if they are in a group it's fine. I think anyone having a medical episode in your premises, is for you to deal with.

Do your civic duty! We can't rely on government or our billionaire overlords to update the snow map. #uksnow AB53 1/10

This looks like a contender for your Saturday night rubbish film night @wgoodf.bsky.social Fangs (1981 Egypt) Anyab -Disco Rocky Horror Picture Show ripoff vampire comedy musical classic www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa89...

Dug out my 50 foot telescopic mast from the back of the garage. Be useful to get a vertical ham radio antenna up in the air. I've got the base and guy lines out as well. Just need a vertical antenna, loads of wires but nothing vertical other than the Slidewinder from @m1ecc-antennas.bsky.social

Moving the books to some new bookshelves. A rare unsigned copy of, Tales of Mirth and Woe, by a young(er) @alistaircoleman.bsky.social popped up.

I see the Raynet website is still down. Not a great look from the UK emergency communications network. I have to wonder has it seen its day as a national organisation?

It has arrived! Now I can catch up on the demise of amateur radio in the UK* *According to some #radcom #amateurradio #hamradio

The things I do.....

Bring out the Imp

Some free time to get on the radio today. Oh..

Hey @radiojammor.bsky.social is it something I have said? Your player doesn't work and using the links tells me I am not permitted to listen to this station...

New toy from Sota Beams. Hopefully I'll be able to get out later this week for some activations.

This @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social guy looks alright. You see Zohran and @zackpolanski.bsky.social working the media, and you can almost see that a different type of politics and governance is possible.

Got to love the #NHS, I broke a tooth at 1900 last night, had an appointment at 1300 today. The remaining bit of tooth was tidied up and dressed, and I was back in the car at 1320. £23.40 is all it cost. I have my regular checkup in four weeks, we'll decide if a root canal or extraction is best.

Sunday, football duties watching step grandson two and his team mates get a 6-0 drubbing. To be fair their opponents are a league above them and seemingly older and taller.

Just casually normalising a third term. Like the 2028 hats in his Oval Office gift store.

This report from @steadystatevets.bsky.social is quite a thing. It concludes—with moderate to high confidence—that the cumulative effect of multiple reinforcing dynamics is placing the nation on a trajectory toward competitive authoritarianism. substack.com/inbox/post/1... @willperrin.bsky.social

President Zelenskyy shares a smile with King Charles and Major Benedict Tracey of the Grenadier Guards at Windsor Castle today. Apparently Major Tracey asked Zelenskyy, in flawless Ukrainian, if he would like to inspect the Guard!

Frank's Bridge in Kirkby Stephen. The stones are for resting a coffin on, so you could rest for a few minutes before the steep uphill walk to the church.

📢 We've been nominated for a British Journalism Award for our environmental reporting. Well done to @billybriggs24.bsky.social, @paul.theferret.scot and @robedwards5.bsky.social 🎉 pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...

Wednesday How's it going?

There are no words..

Any of my #amateurradio friends need some insulators?

How's your Tuesday?

This morning's view in Livingston and my current view in Ravenstonedale.

The best Monday afternoon for a while. Cheers

Welcome to Livingston. #cock

A play in three acts

Just in case anything falls off the plates, Elwood Beagle is there to catch it.

I may be cynical, but is this newfound support for Ukraine more about Trump's overwhelming desire for a Nobel Peace Prize than anything else? His stance has changed now Zelenskyy has said he would nominate Trump, if he ended the war.. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy...

Off on a road trip to Livingston & Cumbria next week. I need to sort out some radio kit to take. I need to cut some wire and get my EFHW back up and running so I can get on the air. Smaller than taking the Slidewinder

Just looking at #meshtastic and it seems to be quieter than VHF here in the north east of Scotland. Not sure of the benefits of doing any real world testing if there are no nodes. I know the map isn't accurate for everything, but in my rural location I think it is fair to say, there aren't any.

We have built a society in which people of different skin tones, religious backgrounds & cultures get along, share power, work alongside each other, procreate with each other, recognise the each other’s humanity and democratic rights. It is a STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD HISTORIC PROPORTIONS.

Free stickers suitable for flag-bearing lampposts. Send a large A4 envelope with a 1st class large stamp to me at Bragg Office, PO Box 6830 Bridport DT6 9BH and I’ll send you a sheet. #ReclaimtheFlag 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧

Cat comes in, like he owns the place and takes over the dog bed.

I'll chuck this out there again for the weekday #amateurradio & #Hamradio people. Some research I am doing on EmComms and resillience. Is there a place for Radio Amateurs in the UK? RAYNET is the oldest and probably best known group, but there are others.

A question for my UK #amateurradio friends, for something I am researching. RAYNET, what are your thoughts? Are you or have you been a member? Is it still relevant in the UK? I know in the US, things like ARES are sill used a lot. and anything else you might like to throw in to the discussion.