Sunspots - Friday February 18th 2022

Solar flux is 97 and the SSN 103. A=5 and K=1. 

Eddystone EC10 RX

We have moved on a lot.   Back in the 1960s, the Eddystone EC10 RX costing £48 was my dream machine. Many years later I managed to get a pre-production unit from someone at work whose dad worked for Eddystone. I remember the day he put it on my bench!

Mechanically, it was superb with its flywheel drive. On the lower bands it was just adequate. On the higher HF bands like 10m, it was terrible with its low IF and almost zero image rejection.

You used to be able to pick these up on Internet auction sites at inflated prices.  I have not looked recently.  They used germanium transistors (OC171s) that probably were leaky and wanted replacing. As an historic RX, you are welcome to bid, but as a serious 21st century RX? Forget it!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/eddystone-ec10.

UPDATE 2215z:  eBay still has people listing them.

Crocuses - NOT amateur radio

Today we visited Hare Park, Chippenham near Cambridge mainly to see the snowdrops. These crocuses are out now too. 

Rally

The following rally is on this Sunday (February 20th) as far as I know. Check with the organisers before travelling.

Radioactive Fair, Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire, CW5 5DG.

Sunspots - Thursday February 17th 2022

Solar flux is 103 and the SSN 111.  A=9 and K=2 .

8m Research Licence Crowdfunding

As OFCOM has refused my 8m NoV and instead asked me to apply for an Innovation and Trials Licence costing lots a year. If you are a 5G company with billions this is nothing. For small researchers like me this is stupid. I have trying for crowd funding. If I get enough funding, I shall go ahead.

See https://gofund.me/c0c32843

Exhaustion and giddiness - NOT amateur radio

It is extremely hard to get other people to understand my giddiness and exhaustion. 

This is an after-effect of my 2013 stroke.  All the time when awake, I feel giddy. Much of the time I feel exhausted. Not tired, totally exhausted. Any exertion leaves me very, very, tired. Many people think this is laziness. It is not.

In the past, I quite liked driving. These days, even short journeys are stressful. I guess my reaction times are longer and my brain makes all driving seem 20mph faster. Also, it is as if my brain is in overload when driving: all the time I am thinking of potential hazards.

Outwardly I look totally fine, much like many people who have MS or similar conditions. This is in some ways a good thing. In other ways it is hard, as people just do not understand.

My voice is also poor: it is very hard repeating myself as others do not understand what I am saying.

10m Tenner Transceiver

 

As 10m is getting good again and the Es season is approaching, this  may give you some ideas. I am sure it can be improved, like most of my ideas!  If you build one, be prepared to experiment.

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

One year later - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of me with my elder grandson. He's grown quite a bit in a year! Same place. 

10m FT8 (Wednesday)

My 10m FT8 gear was turned on at 0741z. Nobody spotted my short 2.5W QRP transmission. 

UPDATE 0858z:  So far this morning, 19 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1648z:  461 stations spotted. Worldwide 10m FT8 DX again.

UPDATE 1741z:  528 stations spotted today.

UPDATE 2105z:  QRT.