472kHz WSPR QRP TX

 I really should try to find the fault in my 472kHz transverter. 

At first, I thought it was my earth-electrode antenna, so I completely replaced the wire. The output FET was replaced. 

If my brain was less foggy I am sure I could get to the bottom of it and find what is wrong. With 10mW ERP (measured) it was regularly making it to Norway. 

There are a lot of people monitoring, but few on TX.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/630m-472khz-transverter .

G3XBM website

A reminder that a lot of my past projects are on my website. 

On my video channel you can find videos about my projects.

I hope you can be inspired by these sources. Nothing would please me more than if these were a springboard for your own projects. Probably all my projects can be improved, so don't be afraid to experiment.

Lunch with a view in Ely - NOT amateur radio

The Almonry, where we ate lunch, was first serving meals in the 1100s. This is Ely Cathedral in the background.

I think our sandwiches were not medieval! They were freshly made today and were very good.

What a mess - NOT amateur radio

We have fought wars in Afghanistan of about 200 years. We left ignominiously recently having spent billions along with the USA. The latest cock-up is revealing the identities and photos of interpreters whose lives are now in mortal danger. 

I am conflicted, but feel after the last 20 years we have spent a lot of money and achieved very little. Maybe we should learn the lessons of history. There is little doubt over the original aims after 9/11. Nation building was never, publicly, an aim.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58629592 .

10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

Following my usual pattern, I went on 10m FT8 TX with 2.5W for a few minutes and then RX only. No spots given or received and no QSOs.

UPDATE 0902z:  2 spots on RX with furthermost F5RD (681km).

UPDATE 1400z: 8 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost LZ1AG (2145km). Probably a brief bit of Es?

UPDATE 1603z: 36 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost A65BR (5455km) in the UAE.

UPDATE 1803z: 78 stations spotted with the furthermost ZS1F (9745km).

UPDATE 2112z: 112 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.  QRT soon.

Kingsbridge Devon many years ago - NOT amateur radio

This photo probably dates from the 1940s or 1950s and shows the main street in Kingsbridge where I lived for much of my teenage years. 

137kHz tests with an E-field probe mobile

Before my stroke, I did some mobile tests on 137kHz QRSS QRP using an EFP with an FT817 RX. The EFP was mounted on a mag mount.  Results totally exceeded my expectations. After I reached 24km, I gave up. This was with a very low ERP (uWs).

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/137khz-efp-rx-antenna .

A world away - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows my office at work in 2003. I retired in 2008 and 2003 feels like a lifetime ago. Strange how things that seemed so important then were not. 

Sunspots - Tuesday September 21st 2021

Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 51.  A=3 and K=3.

10m Phaser

Because of my poor building skills, a very kind amateur in Scotland has built and tested my 10m Phaser kit. All being well, it should be back this week. 

The Phaser is a QRP SSB transceiver, for FT8 mainly, producing about 3W pep. It is a phasing rig designed by Dave Benson K1SWL. It should allow the "big rig"  to be used for other things.

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