10FT8R (continued)

Later today, all being well, I hope to do some more building of my 10m FT8 RX. The Es season really gets going in May, so I have to have it working by then.  Another job is erecting my 10m wire dipole by then. As ladder work is needed, I shall need the help of my son.

UPDATE 1345z : All the "MeSquares" are down and I have made a small start on component placement. Small steps!  Funny how hard this is nowadays. Although harder, I think soldering is still possible, just.

Crazy weather - NOT amateur radio

 April weather can be very odd. Last week we had temperatures approaching 25 degrees C. Today we have snow flurries!

When I first came to Cambridge in the early 1970s we did a 4m contest from the back of someone's Landrover.  It was bitterly cold. I think it was April 3rd. Sometimes days can be very cold and other days very hot. In the UK in April, anything can be expected.

Sunspots - Monday April 5th 2021

 Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 11. A=3 and K=1.

Easter - NOT amateur radio

These days I am not very religious. I accompanied my wife to church this morning, but it was a very sad occasion with social distancing, no singing and pre-booking. Normally the churches are full at Easter. Not this year.

All the time I am aware of how narrow the Christian faith, indeed all religions, are. How can so many people in so many different religions all believe they are right? My own view is all these are hints at the truth. Not one has the answer.

Human beings find it very hard to deal with our finite lives. The universe is so vast and the chances of intelligent life existing elsewhere are high.

Whatever your views on religions, I hope that the next year brings you peace and happiness. We have all had a difficult 12 months with most things we took for granted gone. Let us hope we can all return to something more normal soon.

Perhaps I could best be described as agnostic: I really do not know what I believe. Something within me hints that love is important and that care for others and our world are important.

Heathkit HW8 QRP CW transceiver

 

A few days ago I posted that Heathkit is trying to make a comeback. So far, the kits are a poor imitation of the kits of old. These (to me) seem overpriced and poor. It is rumoured that some amateur band kits are planned.

Many years ago I owned an HW8 which was an HF QRP transceiver. I had great fun with mine. 

These days there is less CW activity, with FT8 better suited to QRP modes. However, FT8 needs a PC. With CW some very simple rigs can be made.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8 .

Fresh greens - NOT amateur radio

At this time of year all the greens look fresh and new. Later in the year they look tired. This was the horse chestnut tree in the churchyard earlier. The leaves are just coming out.  The rooks are busy building or repairing nests.

Sunspots - Sunday April 4th 2021

 Solar flux is 73 and the SSN 12.  A=4 and K=1. 

Kings Parade, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

King's Parade,
Cambridge, UK

King's Parade is the road just outside King's College Chapel. At this time of year and through the summer it is usually crowded with overseas visitors. This year is different. Hopefully they will be back next year.

17m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

After a break of a few days, I am again on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. It is now 1455z. So far, in about 10 minutes, 18 stations have been spotted on RX and my QRP has been copied by nobody yet on TX.

UPDATE 1542z: So far, 30 stations have been spotted on RX on 5 continents and nobody has spotted me on TX yet today.

UPDATE 1800z:  43 stations spotted on RX and nobody spotted my QRP on TX. QRT soon.

What CAN I still do?

Since my 2013 stroke I have been giddy all my waking time, had a very poor voice and get exhausted very quickly. 

All the time I am conscious of all the things I used to be able to do without effort that I can no longer do. Some of these things may still be as a result of my stroke, whereas others may just be because I am getting older.

Maybe I need to change the way I think and focus on all the things I can do rather than the things I cannot.

For example:

• I still manage 2 weekly 2m FM nets.
• I still manage the 2m and 70cm UKAC activity contests each month.
• FT8 and WSPR operation is fine.
• Cutting the grass is still possible.
• Getting breakfast ready is still possible.
• Gardening for short periods is still possible.
• Washing the dishes is still possible.
• Ironing is still possible.
• etc...

Quite a few things are still possible. Getting older, I should expect to find some things harder, so maybe I should accept these and alter my focus. I need to look harder at the things I can do! Making this mental leap is not easy.