Well the space weather is jostling us about with interesting solar activities over the past week. This is a great challenge for the DX chaser on the shortwave bands as conditions can vary in short order with coronal mass ejections causing ionising effects in the atmosphere. The next couple of days could be amazing as we get the benefits of solar flares which continue in this cycle.

This is a rare happening when we have two consecutive long weekends, an occurrence which stirs the embers in many an Aussie chest. It seems that the gods of weather

are being kind for Easter allowing people to enjoy their preferred activities with sunshine for a change. Whether the following weekend will be so fortunate as

thousands gather to participate in the Anzac memorials, we will have to wait and see.

One thing that has been filtering through my thinking is how little we seem to consider amateur radio and modern housing solutions. With more and more people living in apartments and suburban homes being erected on postage stamp sized allotments, the opportunity to maintain a reasonable working HF station is getting

more limited. When we could look at a yard of 810 square metres as being the average, there was enough space to generally have some sort of antenna system.

Whether it was horizontal such as the once ubiquitous G5RV, a doublet or a modest tower with a commercial beam, the options were available. Now many of the people who had these facilities have moved into smaller residences, maybe granny flats, apartments a few stories high and even supported accommodation. Each of these

situations has its own set of limitations for a once active ham.

Yes there is internet linked means and VHF and UHF repeaters but for the died in the wool HF operator it can be like losing an arm or a leg when they can no longer make the skeds with people they have known over the air. For the youthful person juggling study, work and perhaps romance, the proverbial dance card is already close to full

and even although they may have enjoyed amateur radio when circumstances were different, they find themselves effectively isolated from the hobby.

Mobile operations have always been an option for those fortunate enough to have access to a vehicle but many people don’t have that option so home based operation

is their only opportunity to stir the aether again.

What I see is many people who could be more active but who are functionally denied access. The value of video sharing sites is good but I don’t see much material aimed

at the so-called house bound amateur. I don’t get to see much of the current overseas magazines as they have disappeared from the newsagent shelves but from our

own publication it seems authors aren’t engaged is this side of the hobby.

Perhaps clubs could think this over and find some ways forward.

         how about you?