Sinclair Micromatic MW reflex RX

These were basically tiny pocket receivers for medium wave broadcast.  I was reminded of this recently. Some were converted to 160m RX picking up AM stations which were quite common in the late 1960s when this kit was available. 

Reflex circuits originated in the valve era when valves were expensive.  Reflex circuits allowed valves to be used as RF and AF amplifiers. The same idea can be used on transistor circuits. Although I have not tried it, this maybe a way of making a 10m AM RX with a narrower bandwidth than a super-regen? Sensitivity should be good.

I have the honour of me being asked by Clive Sinclair for advice!! Yes, he asked me for advice! This was in the 1970s when he was after an antenna for his pocket TV. I can remember this like yesterday. Quite an honour.

Peter has kindly given me permission to use his images.

Solar cycle 25 latest

 At the moment it looks like the current solar cycle (25) will be very similar to the last one and that a big peak is unlikely. At the moment, it is very slightly better than the last one.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/comparison_recent_cycles.png .

10m FT8 QRP (Thursday)

At about 0820z, I turned on my 10m FT8 system. At first I was on TX of a very short while, but now am RX only.  Nobody copied me.  On RX, at 0831z, 3 stations have been spotted, with the furthermost ES5QA (1753km).

UPDATE 1411z:  103 stations spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1540z:   131 stations spotted so far today.

UPDATE 2230z:  174 stations spotted today.  QRT.

160m FT8 RX overnight

Since early last evening and overnight I was on 160m FT8 RX with the tiny Wellgood loop on the shack window. In all, 276 stations spotted on RX but nothing from the USA. 

U3A lecture about basic wage?

Yesterday's University of the Third Age lecture was by a Cambridge professor on the ethical reasons for a basic wage. It was very good. 

Perhaps surprisingly, trials around the world have shown that this increases people willing to work and makes sound economic sense. The professor was Guy Standing, who is well respected across the world.

We are lucky to have a huge selection of courses in Cambridge.

Next week the speaker will be Jonathan Porritt. 

Sunspots - Thursday December 2nd 2021

Solar flux is 82 and the SSN 37.  A=18 and K=2.

10m FT8 QRP TX (Wednesday)

 8 stations spotted me today on 10m WSPR with my 500mW WSPR beacon by W5OLF.

China - NOT amateur radio

Recently, I attended a University of the Third Age lecture on China. There is little doubt that China will once again become a major world power in the 21st century. 

There is always a tendency to judge China by western standards. In many ways we question their records on human rights. At the same time it was the UK that started the opium wars, and gun crime and treatment of ex-slaves in the USA is hardly great! 

We have to be very careful not to judge by our western standards: we have been, and still are, far from perfect. Culturally, China differs from us in many ways. The Chinese are far from perfect, but so are we in the west.

It would be good if we could all strive for a better world, but not preaching as if we are perfect, when we in the west are not.

Solar predictions

 My favourite website for solar data usually updates early in the month. The last I heard was the forecast for the next solar peak was slightly better than the last peak. We seem to be slightly ahead of predictions. Solar activity forecasting is becoming better as time goes by, but predictions vary wildly.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/ .

10m QRP WSPR TX

In the last day, my 500mW 10m WSPR signal has been copied by 13 stations as shown. This morning I was getting local spots by G4KPX (14km) and spots again by EA8BFK (2880km).