70MHz, Icom and Yaesu

There are now approaching 40 DXCC countries granting access to the 70MHz (4m) band and further countries are granting access every few months it appears. See  http://www.70mhz.org/bands.htm.  I do hope that some of the commercial "big boys" such as Yaesu and Icom start to make VHF multimode rigs that include 4m in future. It can't be too difficult to add this band. Apart from the latest ChineseWouxun FM handportables (see  www.wouxun.co.uk) and ex-PMR units, only the FT847 has 70MHz coverage. Imagine how operation on 4m SSB/CW would take off if Yaesu's FT817 successor has 4m coverage as well.

Technology Page

The Tech the Future page has an interesting mix of articles on new technology and is worth a read from time to time. See http://www.techthefuture.com/

6m northern Es opening

Just took a look on 6m this evening and heard several northern beacons (GB3RMK, GB3LER, OY6BEC) and worked GM8IEM in IO78 square way up on the north of Scotland followed by GM4DZX in IO88 on CW.  Nothing else about, but this sort of opening to more northern areas is common at this time in the Es season.

Fabulous noctilucent cloud image

Check out this image of a noctilucent cloud formation. See http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2010/10jul10/CROISIER-Alexandre1.jpg

Soundcard based VLF receiver

SM6LKM has a very neat sound card based VLF receiver ideal for listening to sub-9kHz ham signals and SAQ on 17.2kHz. On his website you can download the files and instructions.

Noctilucent Cloud storm

Recent nights have been good for these high altitude night-time visible mesospheric clouds which return strong microwave echoes, so should be good for 10GHz super-DX. See www.spaceweather.com

NOCTILUCENT STORM: Last night, sky watchers in Europe witnessed the finest display of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) so far this year. Electric-blue tendrils spread as far south as France:"I could see the NLCs from my window," says photographer Alexandre Croisier of Brittany, France. "So I rushed down to the beach to take this picture--a 6 second exposure with my Canon 350D.  

In England, the same display stretched from horizon to horizon. "There was quite a lot of detail visible, including swirls and tiger stripes," reports Mark Jones of Leamington Spa, UK. Even city lights did not overwhelm the NLCs. "I had no trouble seeing them from southwest London," says onlooker Maurice Gavin.

July is often the best month of the year to see these mysterious clouds. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for electric blue in the nights ahead.

iPhone electronics toolbox app

http://www.iphone.roskosch.de/electronictoolbox.php has a useful app for the iPhone (and Touch?) which allows you to carry out lots of useful electronics calculations.

Tour de France - live action

On our way through Burgundy today we got diverted because of a roadblock at St Fargeau which turned out to be because the Tour de France was coming through. We were able to watch the whole "circus" coming through over about 2 hours and took some great pictures and video clips from about 10m from the  racing cycles. I'd no idea that, before the riders came through, there are loads of vehicles throwing goodies to the waiting crowds. I managed to catch a Frisbee that my grandson will have when he next comes to stay. Great fun and an opportunity to be part of the real French experience, purely by chance.

French food

Being in France currently it gives me a chance to try some good, and inexpensive food. This evening we've enjoyed a first class 4 course meal with wine that was superb. Carpaccio (marinated raw beef with a pear sorbet - tastes wonderful) followed by Loire fish, cheeses, and a delicious sorbet and tart and good coffee to follow. Tomorrow there are a few more chateau visits. I can recommend Logis de France as good value places to stay and eat.

Miracle Whip Yahoo group

Many years ago now I started a Yahoo group for people interested in the Miracle Whip and similar antennas. Amazingly the group now has over 1200 members.  Opinions vary about the effectiveness of the MW - in my opinion it is a compromise antenna that is inferior to many simple whip antennas - but it is easy to tune and with a counterpoise or reasonable ground does allow DX contacts on all modes when conditions are decent. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/miraclewhip/ .