Wireless charging

In the last few years things appear to have moved on with wireless charging now available at very competitive prices. I assume the device has to have a way of receiving the inductive field. Is that what they mean by "QI compatible"?

I expect some amateur radio manufacturer will catch on so that some 2m and 70cm handhelds can be charged by simply placing the rig on a charging pad. I would expect this to be a flexible PCB coil within the battery. They could even reduce bill of material (BOM) costs by building the cells within the radio body and not even selling a charger. I expect either a Chinese manufacturer or ICOM will be first. You can imagine the Yaesu engineers saying "that's a good idea, why didn't we think of that?".

See https://www.7dayshop.com/products/esr-tidal-universal-wireless-fast-usb-c-adaptive-charging-pad-10w-charger-black-x000udd0e3

Dog - NOT amateur radio

In the next road is a dog that wails whenever a police siren sounds: we hear the police car, wait a few moments, then we hear the dog! It must think it is a mate.

6m FT8

Since about 0750z, I have been active on 6m FT8 with 10W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. 16 European spots of me already. Just a single G spotted on RX and no QSOs. It is now 0801z.

UPDATE 0837z: 5 stations now spotted on RX and 24 stations have spotted me. No QSOs yet today.

Cornfield walk - NOT amateur radio

One of our favourite walks takes us across this cornfield. At the moment the corn is ripening.

Sunspots - Saturday July 18th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Sunflower - NOT amateur radio

On our walk this morning we saw our first sunflower out. Ideal today with sunshine all day. It was a nice day all day - the best this month.

10m FT8

It is now 0750z. For about an hour I have been on 10m FT8 with the tiny indoor loop antenna and 5W.  So far 15 stations spotted and 1 spot of me.

UPDATE 1057z: 15 spots of me so far today.

Getting older - NOT amateur radio

At 71 and a few years longer lived than my dad and granddad, I guess it is fairly natural to contemplate mortality.

Years ago, life seemed endless. These days I am more aware just how finite life is. I suppose I could live another 30 years or I could die today. At one time I seemed invincible whereas I now feel in my last years. More of my friends have died.

Generally I am a "glass half full" kind of person, so I still think long term.

Sunspots - Friday July 17th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=1.

Finningley rally postponed

Today I heard about another postponed rally. As before, this is as I received it, so the background may make it hard to read on some screens. The summary is the Finningley Rally has been postponed.

Sunday 19 JULY : POSTPONED

FINNINGLEY ARS RALLY. The Hurst Communications Centre, Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster DN8 5SX Doors open 10am. Free parking. Massive indoor / outdoor traders area with major traders and club stalls from microwave components to QRP kits. Hot food and drinks all day. Admission £3. Contact Kevin G3AAF on 07831 614640 or Kevin.Avery@tunstall.com 0r Martin M0HOM on 07966 479 195 or martin.m0hom@gmail.com.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/