On a beach in Brittany - NOT amateur radio

One of my granddaughters on a beach in Brittany recently. 

She was staying with her French grandparents. It looks quite cold! 

10m FT8 QRP (Monday)

After breakfast, I hope to be on 10m FT8. This will be mostly RX with the occasional 2.5W TX. 

UPDATE 1011z:  It has been on RX for just over an hour with 46 unique stations spotted with the furthermost FR4OM (9763km).

UPDATE 1122z:  116 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1830z: 176 stations spotted on RX today.  QRT soon. 

Sunspots - Monday January 3rd 2022

Solar flux is 89 and the SSN 25. A=10 and K=4.

Fredbox 2m QRP

It seems hard to think this tiny rig was designed and built so long ago (1974?). It was rebuilt a few years ago and still works. It must count as one of my favourite all-time rigs. 

I would not recommend trying to exactly copy it, but use it as a source for your own designs. Some years ago, I know one club did a PCB for a version with a loudspeaker amplifier and loudspeaker. I forget who this was.

In its day it had several 100km QSOs handheld and even one of 160km to France handheld even though just 10mW AM. These days, most local QSOs are on FM. In its day, it was a very small rig and much smaller than commercial handhelds.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/fredbox .

Unsuccessful - NOT amateur radio

When our grandson (14) stays with us he likes to go bell ringing hunting. We tried 2 places today, but both had no bells ringing. He did capture the 10am chimes at one. 

Looking for old birthdays - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows one of our grandchildren looking through old albums for old birthdays. 

New Year's Day - NOT amateur radio

Another shot of the early hours of New Year's Day when my elder grandson (14) wanted to video the church bells ringing in the new year. 

10m FT8 (Sunday)

After breakfast I hope to go on 10m FT8. This will be mostly RX. From time to time I shall try TX. 

UPDATE 1106z: I turned on my 10m FT8 system at 1050z. So far 59 stations spotted with the furthermost ZS4JAN (9393km).

UPDATE 1208z:  167 stations spotted. 

UPDATE 1908z:  290 stations spotted today.

UPDATE 2105z:  292 stations spotted. QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday January 2nd 2022

Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 52.  A=11 and K=2.

Entertainment - NOT amateur radio

This was our younger granddaughter entertaining us with her ballet moves earlier this week.