Solar flux is 118 and the SSN 66. A=3 and K=2.
8 May 2022
7 May 2022
Shelley tea service - NOT amateur radio
My mother-in-law bought this bone China tea service before her wedding in 1937. There are more cups and saucers.
Free PDF book progress
Well, I think most of the text is now done. I have to reorder the pages and add photos and schematics. At the moment, it is still on target for the end of May, but I make no promises!
As I have said before, this will be a free PDF book, so anyone can have a copy. All I want to do is share my ideas and fun. If you want to print it out, that is your choice.
It will be linked from this blog and (I hope!) most major radio magazines. At least I shall send them the link. Whether or not it is used is outside of my control!
As I find mistakes or things to add, I shall create newer versions with probably the same link. This way, the link should always point to the latest version. There are bound to be mistakes or omissions. At least, this way I can readily change or add things.
DSB v. SSB
Now, I am very happy to be told I am wrong, but I think DSB rigs can be received on other DSB receivers, but it is much more tricky than receiving DSB on an SSB receiver. I have no experience of this, but a comment on a post yesterday has me thinking. The comment was made by Ken G4APB. Thanks Ken.
Clearly a simple SSB 10m transceiver (if very low cost, simple and easily copied) would be much preferable to a DSB transceiver, but I am unsure of the relative costs.
If you have experience, please let me know.
Clearly, if 2 DSB transceivers can not (easily) communicate, maybe a simple 10m DSB transceiver is not as ideal as a club project, even though most QSOs would be with SSB stations.
I wonder how inexpensive a 10m SSB transceiver can be made as a simple kit?
10m WSPR QRP TX
On 10m WSPR TX I am using my 500mW beacon. So far (at 1017z) I have been spotted by nobody!
UPDATE 1050z: One spot from Italy suggests there is Es about.
8m experiment (Saturday)
After my best day yet yesterday, I am again on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1012z: EI4GNB (445km) spotted strongly on FT8, but no spots of me.
UPDATE 1630z: 4 stations spotted here today on 8m FT8 RX with the furthermost ZS6WAB (8931km). Today has been surprisingly good. The ZS was probably a combination of TEP and Es. There are a couple of newly active 8m stations near Preston that I hope to copy.
UPDATE 2047z: Actually 5 unique stations were spotted today. GR9B near Preston was spotted on FT8 working ZS6WN, but for some reason this did not appear on PSKreporter. At -21dB S/N he was not strong so this might have been Es backscatter or tropo. Now QRT.
How the other half lives - NOT amateur radio
This photo shows a garden in Thurlestone, Devon, UK a few years ago.
"just popping down for a round of golf"
No, this is NOT mine!
6 May 2022
10m sideband
Before my stroke in 2013, I had an idea for a very simple DSB transceiver for 10m.
This was never competed, but with 10m looking good again, now is an ideal time. With just a few watts Europe should be easy and you will work DX. Don't forget antennas are small and simple and CB verticals work well.
What I envisioned was a very simple, easily copied, DSB transceiver on a single, small, PCB. These days a simple phasing SSB rig may be possible with a synthesised VFO. This would be better, but the design goals, were simple, low cost and easy.
This would make a neat club project next winter. Imagine if all builders had a simple sideband transceiver for 10m that they built! I should be more than happy for someone to design this and do a PCB. No design rights, simple...
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-simple-sideband .
Getting worse? - NOT amateur radio
Many things are better nowadays, but many things have got worse. My coats have fewer pockets, my underpants are thinner, National Trust bags are more inferior, Picasa has been "retired". You get the distinct impression that suppliers are designing to a fixed price.
Recently we bought some new cordless phones. As far as I can see these are the replacements of the ones we have. On the old ones we can assign ring tones to certain people e.g. family, friends etc... On the new ones I cannot see how to do it! This was a really useful feature as we could ignore SPAM. If it is a call from people we know, we answer. If it is someone else important, they will leave a message or ring again. If I cannot find out how to do this, they are of no use and will be returned.
What are your views?
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