Update on Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

It is about 3 months now since I bought an Asus C213N Chromebook.

So far, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this was a wise decision. So far everything I want to do I can do. It boots up almost instantly, the battery lasts all day. It is truly stunning.

For most things you can leave Windose way behind. I have still never used the Linux apps! No, this was a first class buy. Oh, and you can use it as a tablet, it has a touch screen and came with a 3 year "at home" guarantee!

Quantum entanglement - NOT amateur radio

It is a fact (I think) that Einstein had problems with quantum physics. Experiments have been done that prove quantum physics is real, if counter-intuitive. Very many years ago, I did a course in quantum theory at university. It was very mathematical and I struggled!

One thing I remembered (I think correctly) was that according to quantum mechanics everything can be described as a wave function that exists in all space and all time. What we experience as the "here and now" can be thought of as a wave that is most probable here and now. Indeed, tunnel diodes only work because of quantum mechanical tunnelling.

All this brings me to quantum entanglement in which entangled particles even at other ends of the universe instantly have a kind of affinity. Look up some videos on YouTube. On the face of it, this breaks the laws of relativity that says nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

Does this mean teleportation might be possible? Apparently the Chinese have already done this with fundamental particles. In the future, who knows? One thing is certain: we really know and understand very little.

15m FT8

At the moment I am on 15m FT8 using the FT817ND at 2.5W with the tiny indoor loop antenna. This is TX and RX as I get no feedback issues with this rig. Of course running just 2.5W must help. So far no spots.

UPDATE 1050z: 35 stations spotted on RX and 1 QSO with a G station so far today on 15m FT8. No spots of my 15m 2.5W FT8 yet on PSKreporter.

UPDATE  1354z: 76 spots on 15m FT8 RX and a couple of European spots on TX, despite running 6dB less than on 17m FT8 yesterday. I guess the loop is more efficient as you go up in frequency.

UPDATE 2215z:  Now QRT. I went QRT about an hour ago.

Daffodils - NOT amateur radio

March 1st is the first day of spring according to the UK Met Office. The photo shows the daffodils on the way to the village church. Some parts of the church are over 1000 years old.

Sunspots - Sunday March 1st 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=11 and K=1.

Antivirus - NOT amateur radio

This came in today on a FaceBook message. Well, it made me laugh!

17m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop

As 15m was not great, I have QSYed down to 17m FT8. So far just a single spot of my 10W from G4FTC (124km). On 17m FT8 RX 3 spots so far.

The photo shows the loop antenna on the windowsill. The ruler is to indicate the scale. It is tiny!

UPDATE 1225z: So far today, 12 stations have spotted my 10W 17m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1507z: So far today, my little 10W FT8 TX signal from the tiny loop on the windowsill of the shack has been spotted by 17 stations with the best DX being KV4T (4361miles) in Alabama, USA. 2 stateside stations have spotted me so far today on 17m FT8 TX.

UPDATE 1630z:  Now 18 stations have spotted me today on 17m FT8 TX. This includes 3 Stateside stations. 62 stations in 5 continents spotted so far on 17m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1818z: With 39 stations spotting my 10W, this is the best day so far on 17m FT8 TX. The map shows the spots so far today.

Stations spotting my 10W
17m FT8 TX today

UPDATE 2205z: Now QRT, but after an incredible day with my best DX being a spot by PY2XAT (9565km). In all, 39 spots of my 10W in 5 continents. All with a tiny indoor loop!!

Gecophone

When I retired in 2008 I was kindly bought a leaving present. Thoughtfully, it was a very old crystal set called the Gecophone. Although it is about 100 years old it still works! I have now added a page on this to my website. As you can see, it is a work of art!

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

15m FT8

At the moment I am trying 15m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop antenna. On TX there seems to be some RF feedback into the rig, so I am not on TX. As yet, no spots on RX.

UPDATE 1105z:  Still no spots on 15m FT8 RX. I may QSY shortly.

UPDATE 1115z:  Just one OD5 spotted on 15m FT8 RX, so now QSYed to 17m FT8.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

If this has been posted before, please accept my apologies. Some call it "the ship of the fens" and it can be seen from miles around much like Chartres in France. It is our favourite cathedral.