One More for 2020

 The origin of the term "scissor statement:" Sort By Controversial  It's short, I'll wait.  And don't worry, it really is fiction.  I'm pretty sure.  Or, at least, the main idea was was until some jackasses got turned onto the concept.

I've posted on this earlier, but here I leave it as a warning while we close the door on 2020.  Some snippets of language do not shed light, but rather have been carefully crafted to be divisive.  Think over this past year and you'll no doubt recognize a few.  Keep this in mind, learn to recognize Scissor statements, resolve to avoid their use, and when you hit a rough patch, repeat this mantra: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  No, really, it is just that simple.

On with life.  Onward to 2021!

2020 Year-End Wrap-Up

 OK, we all know that 2020 was a dumpster fire of a year.  Let's move on from all of that though, with the year-end wrap-up of best posts here at the 'swamp.  Ready?  Here, hold my beer, read this:

• January: Winter Field Day!  Wrap (with pics) | Post-Analysis | Results
• February: Dirt Rag hangs it up.  Not the last bad thing in 2020...
• March: Ham Camp #21.  That was a fun weekend.
• April: More Gravel Adventure.  Seems that 90%+ of my riding was gravel.
• May: Book of the Year -- Living in the Long Emergency.  We can all relate.
• June: Album of (last) Year -- JJ Cale, Stay Around
• July: Olivia 8/250 = Old Entish.  Slow talk, baby, slow talk.
• August: Triple Review of some of Greer's stuff.  Go retro or go broke.
• September: Moka Pot Madness.  It's almost espresso, close enough.
• October: Coffeeneuring 2020.  Yes, it overlaps with some other months.
• November: Cleanup from Hurricane Zeta.  Yes, Zeta.
• December: Back on HF.  It's fun to hike with a QRP station on your back.

 Finally, with all the world events, there's been a real run on a 2019 post I made on how to program a particular radio.  I'm not linking that directly; however, here's a link to the post-of-the-year that includes the mentioned link, and much, much more: Radio Programing Round-Up.  Also worth a mention is the Movie of the Year: The Colour Out of Space.  H.P. Lovecraft adapted, yet done right.

Moving on to 2021, expect... something a little different around here.  Probably lighter posting.  More of documenting special events, such as WFD and Coffeeneuring in 2021.  Probably less of "hey, cool article."  The world is changing, and it's time to change here too.

Anyway, here's to a better 2021!  See y'all around.

Back on HF

 Nice afternoon with 60-ish temps and clear blue skies, so I took a little day hike with the FT-817nd and related gear to the old ANER boardwalk / marsh viewing platform.  No bugs today!  Not a lot of contacts either -- 2 on HF and 3 on UHF/FL-SARNET.  Still, it got me out of the house and back on HF.  While there, we saw several barges on the river (one in pic below), a couple of bald eagles, and one biplane.  Pretty outstanding for a little Saturday afternoon stroll.

 

Yes, it is possible to make UHF contacts with the 817's stock rubber duct antenna, but it really helps if the repeater is only a mile away.  

 ps 12/27: Did a repeat of yesterday's QRPxpedition to the same place at about the same time of day, etc.  Snagged CT on 20m and Brazil on 17m.  The ionosphere still stinks, but the 817's a performer.

In Soviet Union...

 ... Hell go to you!

How the Soviets accidentally discovered the 'Gates of Hell', video article at the BBC

Looks like an apt travel destination for 2020.  And maybe 2021 if we don't turn this boat around pdq.

One more, in case you missed it.

 Telescope view of Monday's conjunction, at APOD.

We all just knew APOD would have to put a view like this one up.  Nice to see in person, nice to have the full telescope view too.

Yesterday's Conjunction

 The weather was largely clear, but not the stunning clear you need to really see these things well.  Through binos you could make out two dots, with some fuzz thanks to the high, wispy clouds.  Eh, NASA's APOD covered this better a couple of days ago here.  (no really, go look!)

No volcanoes sighted either.  Somehow though that pic just needs a T Rex somewhere in the background.

So you're tired of wearling a mask...

 Take a look at Gaston Julia's predicament.  Yikes.  WWI left so many scars, some more literal than others.  What a brilliant mind.

Reminder: Tomorrow's Conjunction

 Jupiter and Saturn will appear very close in the early evening sky tomorrow.  This also happens to be the solstice.  Here, read up on it at Scientific American.  It's been nice seeing the slow wind-up to this while out walking or hanging in friends' yards.  But don't forget, tomorrow's the closest approach.

If you miss this one, don't worry, there'll be another along in about 60 years.  Yes, that sounds like a long time, but by astronomical timetables that's only a blink away.

KLEB Streams

 The one that works that is, not the one linked from their web site.  Found via Radio-Locator.  Anyway, the link: KLEB online.

Epidemiologists Surveyed, Give Their Thoughts

 Article at The NYT (yeah, I know...) 

How 700 Epidemiologists Are Living Now, and What They Think is Next

Hey, their guesses are better than mine.

Expect spotty posting over the next few weeks, but things are rolling again here.