10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)

 My beacon has been on since mid-morning.

UPDATE 1341z:   42 stations have spotted me so far today.

The quartz crystal man

During my work days there was a very modest man who knew just about everything about quartz crystals in the days before synthesizers.

Long after I retired, I found out lots about him I never knew in my work days. He was a brave man involved in the D-Day landings and was a POW.

He was awarded a medal by the French and died in his 90s. If only I had known years before.

This piece appeared in a newspaper some years ago although I have no idea which one!

Often you really know very little about people: you don't really know what their history was or the pain they are going though now.

uSDX on DX Explorer

 This video is on the DX Explorer YouTube channel.

Fresh eggs for breakfast

Our son and grandson are here for a few days. They brought up some eggs freshly laid by their chickens. 

I know what we are having for breakfast!

Sunspots - Tuesday July 14th

 Solar flux is 103 and the SSN 59. A=9 and K=2.

Heathkit QRP HW8 CW transceiver

You may recall I bought a much modified HW8  some weeks ago. If I could find my CW key I might use it on TX! 

This video is years old. In its day the HW8 was a very good rig. 

I bought one already made but later sold it back to the person I bought mine from. It worked plenty of DX despite 2W and low wire antennas.

Swifts (birds)

My (very unscientific!) view is that there are at least as many swifts about as last year. If anything there are a few more. 

I judge numbers by the number I see in the sky. It has been rare to look up and not see swifts.

People expected numbers to be down as there are fewer nest sites.

They only stay in the UK  for a few months. I hope to see them next May.  They are still here at the moment, but one day we'll look up and realise they have gone.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

Kindness

It seems we are all becoming more angry. 

At one time it was quite normal for people to have different views (often widely apart), but to respect the different views and discuss them amicably.

In particular politics has be come angry. It was far better when we respected views that differed from our own and learned from them. There is no reason for people with different views to get angry.

This is not only true in politics. In society we seem to treat those who hold views that differ from our own with anger.

I am not sure if this is a result of social media, but it is sad. People can hold different views but still be friends.

10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 0815z.

 UPDATE 1947z: Spotted by 32 stations, presumably Es. Now QRT.

Sunspots - Monday July 13th

 Solar flux is 107 and the SSN 70. A=18 and K=2.

40s day at the village museum

 

Today was a very hot day for the 40s day at our local museum. As always, it was very popular.

Dry and hot!!

Yesterday, as it was slightly less hot and there was an easterly wind, we decided to go to Cambridge on the bus. 

It was still hot! 

This photo was from the bus.

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Sunday)

My beacon has been on since mid-morning.

UPDATE 2056z:  28 stations have spotted me. These were probably Es. Now QRT.

Sodium ion rechargeable batteries?

Perhaps one of the upcoming rechargeable battery technologies will be based on sodium (i.e. salt). 

It is my view that we are on the cusp of a revolution. 

Although it has a lower energy density than the best lithium ion batteries, sodium is very plentiful and might make an ideal material for mass storage batteries.

Linears

Yesterday, one of the largest UK dealers talked about second hand linears. 

Now, each to their own, but this is NOT my idea of amateur radio! 

Even the second hand prices are about a hundred times the cost of my first transceiver that worked plenty of DX with simple, low antennas.

As I said "each to their own", but count me out please.

Breakfast sorted

We are lucky to have a wild blackberry bush a few metres from our home. 

They have matured early with the recent heat. 

They are delicious with breakfast.

Sunspots - Sunday July 12th

Solar  flux is 112 and the SSN 82. A=7 and K=3.

10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)

As mentioned before, I left my beacon running overnight.

UPDATE 1950z:  So far today, spotted by 124 stations, most via Es. Best DX are spots in the Canary Is.. Now QRT.

Meal out

Most months a group of old work colleagues meet up at a different pub in the area for a meal. 

Most of us are now retired.

Salcombe, Devon, UK

As a child I lived in Salcombe, Devon and had no idea then how lucky I was. It is a beautiful seaside town in South Devon. My brother still lives in the area, so I go back most years.