Another month. The end of month and start of month chores are nearly complete. I update and patch the server and rotate log files every month after a quick inspection to see that all is well. Of course, the bots worked tirelessly indexing the site or trying to hack their way into it, but other than that, things look okay until they don’t.

Wow. I complained about band conditions and yesterday they were much improved - if that’s all it takes, expect more complaining. I chased Bhutan around for about an hour without luck. That would have been an ATNO for me. Along the way I worked Germany, Bulgaria, France, Ukraine, Poland, Canary Islands, and Wales. I also worked a few more of those AO75xx stations in Spain celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Union of Spanish Radio Amateurs (URE). It’s a major event with many award levels, check it out.

K2MGA SK: “It’s my sad duty to report that Dick Ross, K2MGA, became a SK last weekend. He was 84 years old. While CQ Magazine has had its ups and downs, Dick managed the machine for over 60 years, publishing contest results while many of us were still crawling around on the floor as toddlers” - John Dorr, K1AR.

Space: AO-109’s orbit decayed on or about April 21, 2024 after just over three years in space.

OJ0T: May 1st - “We are closing in on 13,000 QSOs in the log”.

Irony: Three weeks ago my bank sent me a newsletter on how to better protect myself from the dangers of the digital world by changing my passwords, etc. Then two weeks ago that same financial institution wrote to inform me that their datacenter had been hacked and some of my personal data may have been compromised. My response? Meh. I assume ALL our personal data has already been stolen and probably sits on Russian and Chinese servers ready to serve our new overlords when that time comes. Hell, the US government probably sold it to them like Social Security sold my personal info to all the Medicare Advantage providers.

Investing: It takes 10,000 iPhone batteries’ worth of lithium to make one EV. With over 350m EVs projected to be sold globally by 2030, demand for lithium will soar. Current extraction methods are too slow and inefficient to keep up. Someone will fix this.

Weeners: No one is above making fourth-grade jokes, not even the NY Mets. After 97-year-old Seymour Weiner went viral as the team’s Veteran of the Game on Opening Day. The Mets partnered with Weiner to promote Dollar Dog Night at Citi Field. Weiner told The Athletic that he was teased about his name as a kid. If only the bullies could see him now. Of his newfound celebrity, he said, “I couldn’t be more excited. I really can’t believe it’s happening. It’s probably one of the highlights of my life.”