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alanwyatt.bsky.social
Alan
@alanwyatt.bsky.social
600 followers 410 following 590 posts
Humanist. Science, genealogy, politics.
Amateur Radio G2DXU #hamradio #CW
🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇪🇺 🇬🇱 🇨🇦 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 #NAFO #OFAN #Fella
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alanwyatt.bsky.social
"Send three and four pence, we all hate J.D. Vance"
March 7, 2025 at 10:14 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
RIP Rick Buckler

#RickBuckler #TheJam
February 18, 2025 at 11:10 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
I'm off on an armchair expedition to the 'Ends of the Earth' this weekend!

@nshubin.bsky.social

#bookSky #Sciencesky #NeilShubin #Tiktaalik
February 14, 2025 at 9:52 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
An AI generated image of a logo of the anonymous hacker group beamed into the sky above a city, i the style of the "bat signal" which alerted Batman that his help was required. A silouetted man looks on.
February 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Trumpa Lumpa diddly doo,
I've got another tariff for you.
Portrait photo POTUS Donald Trump speaking on tv with orange face and white eyebrows. He looks like an 'umpa lumpa' from Charlie and the chocolate factory movie.
February 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
February 2, 2025 at 1:28 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Keep Morse Alive (in 2025)

#HamRadio #MorseCode
An old photo showing vintage amateur radio equipment including several Morse code keys, one of which has a hand operating it. An added caption reads: "CW. It's like FT8. But for men." The meaning of the meme is that Morse code is a skilled method of communication in which the operator must know how to send, and particularly receive, Morse code. Additionally, the operator must be able to pick out a signal, sometimes very faint, with the ear despite the background noise and interference. CW means continuous wave, a method by which Morse is sent over long distances by radio transmission. FT8 is a digital mode that can be detected far away and below noise levels. However, it is impersonal and does not require the skill used in Morse. Hence it is easier to make long distance contacts and is seen by some as a lesser mode than CW.
January 22, 2025 at 1:18 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
How's the DX?
January 22, 2025 at 1:00 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
December 23, 2024 at 3:10 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
44 years ago today, we woke to the news that John Lennon had been murdered in NYC.

#Imagine #JohnLennon
John Lennon, who died 8 December 1980.
December 9, 2024 at 6:46 AM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Local doctor's surgery in South Devon has informed patients that 'Following years of underfunding' blood tests requested by hospitals will need to be booked through hospital.

Is this happening everywhere?

@carolinevoadenmp.bsky.social
@jujuliagrace.bsky.social

#NHS #SaveTheNHS #FundTheNHS
Excerpt from a letter to patients from a local medical practice. "Dear Patients, We are writing to inform you about an important change regarding blood test appointments requested by the hospital. Following years of underfunding, we face significant challenges in GP practices, including wait times of four weeks or more for blood tests in our practice. To manage resources and reduce delays, we will now ask patients to book hospital-requested blood tests directly through the hospital's blood-taking service. While we have previously offered this service at our practice for convenience, the growing demand--especially for hospital treatments that require frequent monitoring--is impacting our ability to provide timely appointments for GP services. Directing these blood tests back to the hospital will help us provide prompt care for patients in our practice who are awaiting investigation and diagnosis. This change will take effect from the 1st January and is designed to provide our patients with quicker access to necessary testing in the practice. If you have regular hospital requested blood tests, please contact the hospital to arrange your future appointments: "
December 7, 2024 at 1:46 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
If the phone network and internet goes down.. get me on UHF. #hamradio #resilience #amateurradio #rsgb #raynet #emergencycommunications
The front of a handheld radio with a digital display showing a frequency for a local repeater in Torbay, Devon. The model of radio is a Yaesu FT5D. Amateur Radio is a technical hobby enjoyed by around 3 million people worldwide. There should be no reason why a person with limited vision could not enjoy the ham radio hobby as many radios have buttons that allow the frequency and other information to be given audibly. Amateur radio has many options such as sending data from a PC over the airwaves which can be read on screens at both ends, so hearing and speech are not essential. While the hand held radio displayed mostly works via line of sight, it can connect via a repeater to the internet and allow a user, say, in Devon, England, to speak (or just listen) to users across the country or around the world, including USA, Australia and New Zealand. HF radios, with larger antennas, can be operated from home, from a stationary vehicle, or in a field somewhere. I have done all of the above. In order to become a licenced radio amateur it is necessary to pass an exam. There are 3 levels and although the first is fairly straight forward, thehigher levels are much more technical. Recently, it has become possible to take these online from home. It is a great hobby with a history going back over 100 years. There are many clubs around the UK and elsewhere and most towns have one. Some enjoy operating 'portable' from national parks. They call it POTA (Parks on the Air). Amateur radio can keep you in touch locally or over a distance. And, as the subject of this post mentions, can be a great last resort in an emergency. In fact there are voluntary organisations that do just that. In UK it is the Radio Amateurs Emergency Network (Raynet). In USA it's ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service). As a licenced amateur you can pass messages for emergency services when required. Or you can just chat about your garden or the weather. See: Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB)
December 6, 2024 at 9:09 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Severe alert issued across Westcountry, UK.
RED ALERT for wind.

#redalert #ukweather #ukweatheralert
The UK Government issued a Severe Weather Alert at around 19.00. It reads: Severe Alert Issued by the UK Government A RED warning for wind has been issued in your area. Extremely strong winds associated with Storm Darragh are expected to cause significant disruption from 3.00am on Saturday 07 December 2024. Strong winds can cause flying debris, falling trees and large waves around coastal areas, all of which can present a danger to life. Stay indoors if you can. It is not safe to drive in these conditions. The storm may damage infrastructure causing power cuts and disruption to mobile phone coverage. Consider gathering torches, batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items you already have at home Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services, network operators and local authorities. For more information search online for gov.uk/alerts' or Met Office warnings OK (an alarm sounded until OK was pressed)
December 6, 2024 at 7:05 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
I'm not very good at remembering logical fallacies so thought this was useful.
A poster headed "A look at logical fallacies". There are panels which feature 2 robots with speech bubbles stating their arguments. A wide panel at the top has one robot saying "Robots should take over the world." This is followed by 12 panels, each has a diagram of the robot stating its arguments, while the other explains which logical fallacy is being used. I would like to transcribe but it will take me ages.
November 27, 2024 at 12:44 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Found!
November 26, 2024 at 2:14 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Lyrics from the song Mr Blue Sky by E.L.O. Also a butterfly icn, an image representing the social app Blue Sky, on a blue background. Lyrics: Sun is shinin' in the sky There ain't a cloud in sight It's stopped rainin' everybody's in the play And don't you know It's a beautiful new day? Hey Runnin' down the avenue See how the sun shines brightly in the city On the streets where once was pity Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey Written by Jeff Lynne
November 26, 2024 at 1:57 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Maurice Richard Josey, assisted by his son, John, did the mosaics in the baptistry (blue are in photo) at Middlesex Hospital Chapel in 1935.
The hospital has since been demolished but the chapel, a grade 2 listed building, remains as Fitzrovia Chapel.

#FitzroviaChapel #BritishMosaics
A batistry within a church. Marble and mosaic surfaces. A font for baptising babies.
November 24, 2024 at 3:14 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Another portrait of engraver, Richard Josey (1840-1906), by his son, Maurice R Josey.
My grandfather (youngest son of Maurice) used to say "My dad painted that using chalk and breadcrumbs".
There are 2 images in this style, the other being 'the head of Christ' as it's known by family, or Ecce Homo.
A portrait of Richard Josey (1840-1906), renowned engraver of Victorian London. Artist was his son, Maurice (1870-1938). The portrait is done in a sanguine colour. It shows an elderly gentleman with grey hair and a full grey beard. He wears a jacket over a shirt. His expression seems as if he is in deep thought.
November 24, 2024 at 3:04 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Maurice Josey lived in Shepherds Bush, London.
This photo shows an oil painting he did of his father, Richard Josey (born 1840, Reading, Berkshire, died 1906 Shepherds Bush) a mezzotint engraver.
#oilpainting
An oil painting in a gold coloured frame, of an elderly man with grey gair and beard. The subject is the renowned engraver, Richard Josey (1840-1906) of Shepherd's Bush. The artist is his son, Maurice Richard Josey (1870-1938).
November 24, 2024 at 2:53 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
The Josey brothers later worked at Westminster Cathedral. Family documents state that Tom was at Westminster for 16 years. Maurice took a commission to work at Droitwich.
The cropped newspaper cutting shows them at work in circa 1930, at Droitwich and Westminster.

#mosaics #Westminster
A newspaper cutting of monochrome images, slightly overlaid, showing mosaic artists at work. The upper image shows a mosaicist on a balcony looking back at his work - a wall on one side of a church, above pillared arches, covered in mosaic pictures of biblical events and events in Droitwich, Worcestershire, England. The mosaicist is Mr Maurice Richard Josey of Shepherd's Bush, London. The mosaics were completed in 1933 after 12 years work. They were done in the Byzantine style. An estimated one million pieces of glass (7 tons) was imported from Venice for the work. The mosaics can be seen at the Church of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Catherine, a catholic church in south west England. They are high up and it's not really possible to get a close up view. There are images on the web. Guidebooks about the church and its mosaics are available but not in large print. The lower image is Thomas Josey, brother of Maurice, working at Westminster Cathedral. He is assessing an outline of a male figure, perhaps a saint, which has not yet been covered in glass mosaics.
November 24, 2024 at 2:46 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
The book, "Mosaic's of St Paul's Cathedral" by Heike Zech features mosaics by Maurice R Josey.
Maurice and his brother, Tom Josey, were part of a team of mosaicists working under William Blake Richmond, R.A.
Maurice did the faces in mosaic at St Paul's.
#mosaics #art #stpaulscathedral #artSky
The front cover of the book "Mosaic's of St Paul's Cathedral" by Heike Zech. It features part of a mosaic of an angel holding a finger to edge of their mouth.
November 24, 2024 at 2:26 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Great grandfather, Maurice Richard Josey (1870-1938)

Maurice was the son of renowned engraver Richard Josey.
Maurice and his brother, Tom, were mosaicists and worked at both St Paul's and Westminster Cathedrals.
However, Maurice is best known for his work at Droitwich, Worcestershire (photo).
A monochrome photo of mosaicist, Maurice Richard Josey, as he applies pieces of glass to a wall at Droitwich, Worcestershire. To his side is a wooden box with 9 sections holding small tessarae (Venetian coloured glass).
November 24, 2024 at 2:09 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Great grandfather, Albert James Wyatt (1886-1963).
Born Mitcham, Surrey. Photo circa 1918.
He came home from the Great War but one of his brothers and a brother-in-law didn't.
#genealogy #geneSky #oldphotos #WW1 #GreatWar
A seated man with moustache in British Army uniform and holding a horse whip in World War One era, about 1918. The photo was taken in a studio in South West London.
November 23, 2024 at 11:42 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
Fragrance of the day - Paco Rabanne Pour Homme
(The ad is what I think I look like when I'm wearing it 😆)
#Fragrance #FOTD #PacoRabanne #PourHomme
November 23, 2024 at 6:26 PM
alanwyatt.bsky.social
November 22, 2024 at 10:57 AM