Windmill - NOT amateur radio

Our local windmill and museum opened today, for the first time this year, with an Easter egg hunt. It was busy. It now opens Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays until late October. The windmill is literally "over the garden wall". This photo was taken from our lounge.

10m JT65 transceive

10m JT65 (2W) has been my band/mode of choice today. I have been active for about 2 hours, but nothing spotted so far on RX or TX on 10m.

Another month we'll be well into the northern hemisphere Es season when lots of Europeans can be expected.

UPDATE 1948z: Just a spot of me from G0LRD (25km). Otherwise no 10m spots all day.

Easter - NOT amateur radio

All Christian churches celebrate today as Easter Sunday. This year the western and eastern churches (that use different calendars) celebrate Easter on the same day. The next time this happens is 2025.

I went to church with my wife today. I used to go regularly. Sadly, I did not feel moved. To me the words were meaningless and empty. I deeply wish I still had my faith, but I feel lacking in faith.  Something deep inside tells me there is some truth in all this but right now I cannot discern it.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday April 16th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is 11.  A=6 and K=2.

Tenbox - simple 10m AM transceiver

Years ago, before my stroke, I started work on the Tenbox, a very simple AM transceiver for 10m. As this used a super-regen receiver, this would really only work on AM and not be suitable for DX. It was to have been a "cross town" natterer. Sadly, my stroke got in the way and the rig was never completed.

I had intentions of making this in the style of the old Heathkit lunchbox rigs of old. It would make a nice club project on a simple PCB. When I left it, it needed a loudspeaker amplifier and another 10dB power on TX, maybe a simple linear amplifier.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/tenbox .

Failed missile test - NOT amateur radio

So, the North Korean missile test failed. I am not that surprised as I feel the USA had something to do with this. Of course, I may be totally wrong, and indeed I hope I am.

The Trump administration would be unable "neutralise" the North Korean nuclear threat without unpredictable consequences, but the USA Secret Service was probably in a position to do something to put a "spanner in the works".  Of course, the USA never uses such underhand techniques.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39612095 .

Sunspots and 10m - Saturday April 15th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. The sunspot number is 11. A=14 and K=2.

North Korea - NOT amateur radio

OK, I am not a great fan of North Korea. I visited South Korea in 1994 and it had a vibrant economy even then. It would be good if those in North Korea were able to enjoy the same freedoms.

What worries me about the North Koreans is their nuclear weapons. They want to develop these.

As I speak the USA has not taken any action, despite threats. Personally, and I may well be wrong, I think a more likely scenario is deliberate hacking so that any nuclear tests fail and no political capital can be made from the tests.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39604361 .

Easter Egg Hunting - NOT amateur radio

Whilst here with us the "Kent" grandchildren had to have an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden!

More 6m MSK144 RX

9A4ZM (1298km) is another new country on 6m MSK144 RX. I have lost count of all the countries now spotted on 6m using this mode.

Today so far 15 stations in 9 countries spotted on 6m MSK144 RX and it is only 0940z!

UPDATE 1224z: So far today 17 stations in 10 countries on 6m MSK144 RX.

UPDATE 1736z: 22 stations in 13 countries now today on 6m MSK144 RX. Best day yet.