Radio for Grandson

On Monday, we have one of our grandsons here. Whilst he is here, he wants to build a radio as part of his Design and Technology (DT) work. I have plumped for a TRF circuit based around the TD7642 IC, which is like the ZN414 of old.

Very many years ago I built two around a ZN414 for my boys. The plan is to build it myself first to prove it all works, then disassemble it so my grandson can build it after some soldering practise. In the past this circuit worked fine with a ferrite rod antenna.

I am finding things far harder now: my eyes are finding close work more problematic and my fine motor skills are poorer.

He wants to do a design brief and we can draw the schematic together. I can explain how it works in simple terms. Hopefully he can take it home.

You can get (almost) anything on eBay - NOT amateur radio

eBay is an online resource from which it appears most things can be obtained. I came across this by accident as an example. It allows you to hide small things in your car. As all things on eBay caveat emptor (buyer beware). Never, ever, buy medicines via eBay as you have no idea what they are. The only trusted source is a pharmacy or your doctor.

10m FT8 RX (Saturday)

 My gear was turned on about 1010z. So far,  40 stations have been spotted, all in Europe.

UPDATE 1104z:  127 stations spotted with the furthermost YB1BUL (11796km) in Indonesia.

UPDATE 1848z:  215 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

Jabs - NOT amateur radio

 We have just had our Covid-19 booster and flu jabs. No adverse reactions so far.

160m FT8 RX yesterday

324 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX in the last day (see map) including the USA and Mexico. This is with just the short coax to my 2m big-wheel loaded via a ferrite rod with a mains plug ground!

The coax is about 10m long and the big-wheel about 5m above ground. The coax is about 50cm off the ground at its lowest. The ferrite rod "ATU" is shown. Absolutely nothing special! 

If I can do this I am sure you can too.

Magdalene College, Cambridge

This college houses the famous Pepys Library. Like all colleges in Cambridge, it is well looked after! 

It is located on Bridge Street, just north of the River Cam.

Sunspots - Saturday October 23rd 2021

 Solar flux is 87 and the SSN 28. A=4 and K=0.

Worries? - NOT amateur radio

Perhaps this is natural as you get older? As I age, I seem to be worrying more about other people: for example I worry about people dying such as my wife, my brother, my sons, neighbours and friends, and so forth. The list is now very large. 

Clearly I have no control over these and just worrying about them does no good. People tell me not to worry about things I cannot control.This is easier said than done!

160m FT8 QRP (Friday)

For a change, I decided to go on 160m FT8 with 2.5W to the coax of the 2m big-wheel via a ferrite rod loading coil. I had 1 QSO with G3VAO (229km) and 24 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX with furthermost R2AL (2417km). 3 Gs spotted me on TX although I am now RX only.

UPDATE 1936z:  82 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX this evening.

UPDATE 2130z: 183 stations spotted with furthermost UN9L (4119km).

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

Graduation day.