Sunspots - Thursday July 8th 2021

 Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 25. A=6 and K=1.

Amateur radio cartoon

 

This came to me via Steve G1KQH. 

I have no idea where this originated. 

Talk a lot? Radio amateurs? Surely not. Well maybe 80m nets! 😉

Phaser kits

These are QRP SSB phasing transceivers for FT8 designed by Dave Benson K1SWL. I have one (unbuilt) for 10m. My intention was to have a go at building it for the Es season, but I guess I shall miss this based on the time I get around to it!  Since my 2013 stroke, I have found building things far harder. Maybe it will have to be a winter project.

I think these are meant to be about 3-4W pep and take about 6 hours to build. That means 26 hours for me! The idea is to have a rig that can be on, but freeing up the "big rig" for other things.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-phaser .

Ely with sibs earlier - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken earlier in Ely and shows my wife with her brothers. Ely Cathedral is in the background, 

2m activity contest (UKAC)

Every month the RSGB organises a 2m activity contest on Tuesday evenings. Last evening, I went on for far shorter than normal (because of the sibling reunion) with 5W and the big-wheel antenna.

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

 

10 years ago we went to Iceland for a holiday. We expected it to be barren, but it was green and beautiful with lots of wild lupins. This was the church at Vik. 

Sibling reunion - NOT amateur radio

Every year for 18 years bar two because of my stroke and Covid-19 we have had a sibling reunion with my wife's brothers and wives. We take it in turns to host. From next year we will meet in hotels as we are getting older! 

OFCOM updates

Every month, OFCOM updates its "Communications Monthly" which shows the statistics it holds. See the OFCOM website for the July edition.

Sunspots - Wednesday July 7th 2021

 Solar flux is 83 and the SSN 52. A=8 and K=1.

Out pedestrian portable

Before I had a stroke, I quite enjoyed operating pedestrian portable. That is with a rig with a whip antenna on the set, not out portable with large antennas such as SOTA or POTA operations.

When the weather is good (it is raining here at the moment!) it is great fun. Seaside operation with good take-offs can be surprisingly good. If you have high noise levels at home, you can choose quiet places.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/pedestrian-portable .