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It is hard to convey just how tiny it is, so I have put it next to an A5 sized SPRAT for comparison.
It really is incredibly small and at less than £20 delivered is remarkable value.
It is better than a communications receiver of 50 years ago with more features, modes and bands.
At about 1300z my little WSPR beacon was turned on.
UPDATE 1312z: Several spots of me already from the USA.
My beacon was turned on at 1000z.
UPDATE 1010z: Yesterday was good with a couple of spots of me in Antarctica as well as lots of other spots of my 200mW.
My gear was turned on at breakfast. With a 12V supply it produces 3.4W so with my diodes in the supply line I think (at most ) my output is 2.5W FT8 on 10m. Today I am mostly on RX.
UPDATE 0950z: Spotted by 36 stations on TX and I have spotted 390 stations here on RX with the best ZL1HD (18360km). There seems to be far more activity on FT8 than WSPR on 10m.
Just now I watched a 15 second video clip. It shows a fight between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Nothing special, except this was entirely created using AI from a 2 second prompt.
I am sure there will be many good things about AI. At the same time AI could be used in the media to, for example, re-create dead people. It could revolutionise movies.... and create a dearth in jobs.
This is not amateur radio so QSOs certainly with radio amateurs in the USA and, probably overseas too, are not permitted. Probably FT8 and WSPR reports are fine.
Remember this is not amateur radio.
I hope the FCC sees fit to issue more.
One of the great aspects of our hobby is that it may be enjoyed in so many ways. Some just like a chat, some chase DX, some like ATV, etc..
I think interests change as you get older, so now is perhaps time to reflect.
My interest has always been in the experimental side. I have enjoyed experimenting sub-10kHz, but I have also enjoyed testing over the horizon at 481THz. I like QRP.
These days I am less mobile, so try to experiment at home, with FT8 and WSPR modes being my favourites as my voice is poor. In the past I would have dashed in my car to carry out some experiment!
Probably I get as much pleasure from listening as I do transmitting these days. Working DXCC with QRP SSB on 10m 40 years ago has something to do with this! Being retired there is always the next day.
In this hobby there is always something new to try tomorrow!
Often they are seen beside roads where they feed on roadkill. A long train ride also results in quite a few sightings.
They can easily be recognised by their forked tail. As far as I am aware they are the only large bird in the UK with a forked tail.
My gear (10m QDX-M - see picture) was turned on at about 1410z. It is fed via a series of suitably rated diodes to keep well within the 12V power limit. The output without the diodes is about 4W, I suspect I am running around 3W.
The Russian inflation rate is high and going up and the interest rate is high. In theory, this suggests the economy is in trouble. In the short term this has not been a problem in a war economy. The longer time goes by the harder it gets.
My beacon was turned at breakfast time.
UPDATE 1010z: 38 spots by EA8BFK (2880km). The variation in S/N is over 20dB, most of which is probably QSB on the path, but some might be local noise I guess. Some might be QRM from other stations. At time just microwatts would be enough!
In the UK planning permission is required for (some?) amateur radio antennas.
I am strongly opposed to this change, which would allow amateurs to erect towers to 15m and 2 antennas with widths up to 8m to be put up without planning permission!
Imagine that in your next door neighbour's garden!
No!!
Personally, I would rather people "self train" with modest antennas and low power.
Thankfully, this is very likely to fail.
My beacon has been on since about 0900z.
UPDATE 0932z: Several spots already by EA8BFK (2880km).
My tiny radio came yesterday from China over a month before I was expecting it. It is hard to convey just how tiny it is, so I have put it...
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