Personal Blog

A couple of years ago I tried to receive the NOAA 18 using a small in-door antenna and an RTL DVB-T USB receiver. The results were disappointing. However, I always had in the back of my mind that I will try again in the future with an external antenna. The era of cheap RTL-SDR hardware has come, so many people have started looking for receiving images from the weather satellites. Easy targets are the NOAA satellites that transmit weather images using Automatic Picture Transmission method ( APT ). These satellites provide images in different wavelengths of light. So after following instructions from a site dedicated to the RTL-SDR receivers , I tried to receive some pictures using the simple TV antenna. However, this decision had many disadvantages, as the TV antennas are designed to receive signal on higher frequencies from NOAA satellites. Despite the poor reception and low cost (e.g.,. none, I had an old tv antenna installed, but not used) I was able to receive some pictures. I ...

Filerimos is a hill situated near the village of Ialyssos which stands on the same site as the Doric city of Ialysos, in ancient times. When the Dorians arrived around 1100 BC Ialysos became member of the alliance known as the Dorian Hextapolis.  Excavations discovered a Mycenaean pottery, a Doric foundation and a Hellenistic temple of Athena. In the middle age the Knights of St. John used the site.   Remnants of these periods and lot of the successive conquerors can still be seen. On the way up the ancient road to the Acropolis, you see the foundations of the temple of Zeus and Athena. On top you'll find the beautiful Monastery. This Monastery was destroyed under, the Turks and rebuilt by the Italians who installed Capuchin monks in it.  A short and quiet walk leads to an enormous cross, accessible by a stairway to the top. Also there are everywhere peacocks. Peacocks,  peacocks everywhere! The road to the big cross. The cros...

The hot springs of Kallithea Baths in Rhodes is known since antiquity for its beneficial health red water that gushes from the rocks. Although not longer used, the visitors can admire the glamour of the magnificent Baths built by the Italians. Outside the high season, this is the favorite spot for local people looking for a quick swim. Most of the building are newly renovated and when i visited them some parts were under construction. This is the main entry of the area of Kalithea springs. The baths are at the end of this picture. Paths that leads to the a number of building at higher ground.     View of the sea inside of the newly renovated buidlings. Inside the buildings. You can see old pictures. View of the back. Some of the renovated paths. Another path. Notice the details down. Fisherman. View from the back.

Some days ago i visited the old town of Rhodes again. The weather was perfect so i decided to take some pictures before the tourists arrived. These pictures taken around April. Old town: a merge of old building and new technology, but the result is not always beautiful.  A contrast of new and old building inside the old town. The window and the building in the center is in bad shape. In contrast the building on the right is newly renovated and although the owner used stone you can see the difference. Note also the road, the local authorities didn't have the money to fully repair it. Old Castle in the old medieval city of Rhodes, Greece. Taverns, taverns, taverns everywhere! In old medieval city of Rhodes. Still beautiful empty streets inside the old medieval city in Rhodes, Greece. Waiting for the tourists. Sometimes i ask my self, why we don't   have tourists on Winter.

Last two months i was not able to take pictures or to write any post on this blog. I'm currently at the army (mandatory in Greece), and my time is limited. However, i was able to take some pictures from the training camp with a lot of snow. Now i moved back to Rhodes where i 'm waiting to get assigned on the proper camp, after a second round of training. Here are one picture from the camp, somewhere in the middle of Greece: Snow from inside the training camp. I 'm waiting for first days off the camp to have some rest, where i 'm hopping to take some more pictures of the beautiful island of Rhodes...